The three MLS sides in the 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals can now start making their plans, after CONCACAF unveiled the schedule for March's quarterfinal matchups on Wednesday.
The Houston Dynamo will open things up when they host a fearsome Santos Laguna side featuring US international Herculez Gomez on Tues., March 5. The Seattle Sounders will travel to Mexico for their first leg against UANL Tigres (Weds., March 6), and the LA Galaxy are set to travel to Costa Rica to face Herediano on Thurs., March 7.
The schedule will allow for the MLS teams to get a regular-season game under their belts before the CCL restarts, as all three teams in the quarterfinals will open the MLS season on the weekend of March 2-3. All three teams will receive byes in Week 2 of the MLS season, however.
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The return legs of the quarterfinals will be held the following week – Seattle will host Tigres on Tues., March 12, while Houston (at Santos Laguna) and LA (vs. Herediano) will play on Weds., March 13.
The only quarterfinal series not featuring an MLS side will see defending champions Monterrey face Guatemalan side Xelajú. The first leg will be held on March 5 and the second on March 12.
The quarterfinal winners will advance to the semifinals, set for April 2-4 and April 9-11. The LA-Herediano winner will face the Monterrey-Xelajú winner, while the Seattle-Tigres winner will face either Santos or Houston. The two-legged final is set for April 24 and May 1.
