The 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League group stage drew to a close on Thursday night, and the three MLS sides that advanced learned their quarterfinal opponents.
The LA Galaxy's 3-2 win over Isidro Metapán booked them a favorable quarterfinal series with Costa Rican outfit Herediano, who eliminated Real Salt Lake with a 0-0 draw at Rio Tinto Stadium on Tuesday evening.
The Seattle Sounders and Houston Dynamo will face considerably tougher challenges, though. Seattle, despite landing the No. 3 seed, will face off against the winners of the 2011 Mexican Apertura, UANL Tigres. The Dynamo, meanwhile, must overcome a formidable Santos Laguna side featuring US national team striker Herculez Gomez if they are to advance to the quarterfinals.
In the only quarterfinal not featuring an MLS side, two-time defending CCL champions Monterrey will face Guatemalan side Xelajú, who shockingly edged out Mexican powerhouse Chivas Guadalajara for the top spot in Group 8 despite falling 2-1 in Mexico on Thursday night.
The quarterfinals will kick off on March 5, 2013.
Check out the final CCL group stage standings here.
Complete CCL quarterfinal pairings:
Monterrey (1) vs. Xelajú (8)
Santos Laguna (2) vs. Houston Dynamo (7)
Seattle Sounders FC (3) vs. UANL Tigres (6)
LA Galaxy (4) vs. Herediano (5)
