History bodes well for the Seattle Sounders and LA Galaxy as they open their CONCACAF Champions League campaigns at home on Tuesday night.
The Sounders will take on Guatemalan opposition for the first time when they welcome Comunicaciones at CenturyLink Field. When facing Guatemalan teams at home, MLS sides are a perfect 5-0-0 in the history of CONCACAF’s top club competition. The only time Comunicaciones has faced an MLS team was back in 2002 when they ousted D.C. United on aggregate in the Round of 16.
Bruce Arena’s side, which faces Motagua at the Home Depot Center, have a warning sign in the 8-1-1 all-time record of MLS teams against Honduran opposition. Back in the 2008-09 Champions League group stage, Marathón sprung the road upset on D.C. United with a 4-2 win at RFK Stadium.
The Galaxy have battled Motagua once before in the competition, when they knocked the Honduran side out of the 2003 tournament in the Round of 16 with a 3-2 aggregate score which included a 1-0 home win.
MLS vs. Guatemalan clubs in CCL (6-3-1, 14GF – 13GA)
Municipal 0, Chicago Fire 1 (2002 Round of 16)
Chicago Fire 2, Municipal 0 (2002 Round of 16)
Comunicaciones 4, D.C. United 0 (2002 Round of 16)
D.C. United 2, Comunicaciones 1 (2002 Round of 16)
Municipal 4, San Jose Earthquakes 2 (2003 Quarterfinals)
San Jose Earthquakes 2, Municipal 1 (2003 Quarterfinals)
Municipal 0, Houston Dynamo 0 (2008 Quarterfinals)
Houston Dynamo 3, Municipal 1 (2008 Quarterfinals)
Municipal 2, Columbus Crew 1 (2010-2011 Group Stage)
Columbus Crew 1, Municipal 0 (2010-2011 Group Stage)
MLS vs. Honduran clubs in CCL (9-5-3, 29GF – 22GA)
D.C. United 1, Olimpia 0 (1999 Quarterfinals)
LA Galaxy 0, Real España 0 [5-3 on Pks] (2001 Quarterfinal)
LA Galaxy 3, Olimpia 2 (2001 Final)
Olimpia 1, San Jose Earthquakes 0 (2002 Round of 16)
San Jose Earthquakes 3, Olimpia 1 (2002 Round of 16)
Motagua 2, LA Galaxy 2 (2003 Round of 16)
LA Galaxy 1, Motagua 0 (2003 Round of 16)
Olimpia 1, D.C. United 4 (2007 Quarterfinals)
D.C. United 3, Olimpia 2 (2007 Quarterfinals)
Marathón 2, D.C. United 0 (2008-2009 Group Stage)
D.C. United 2, Marathón 4 (2008-2009 Group Stage)
Marathón 3, D.C. United 1 (2009-2010 Group Stage)
D.C. United 3, Marathón 0 (2009-2010 Group Stage)
Toronto FC 1, Motagua 0 (2010-2011 Preliminary Round)
Motagua 2, Toronto FC 2 (2010-2011 Preliminary Round)
Seattle Sounders 2, Marathón 0 (2010-2011 Group Stage)
Marathón 2, Seattle Sounders 1 (2010-2011 Group Stage)
