One MLS club is already on to the knockout stages of the 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League, and another could join them with a result this week.
The Vancouver Whitecaps became the first team to clinch a place in the knockout stage with their victory over Sporting Kansas City two weeks ago. Now, the New York Red Bulls can book their first-ever quarterfinal berth in the competition with as little as a point when they travel to Guatemala to face Antigua GFC on Tuesday (8 pm ET, UDN and Facebook.com).
A draw for the Red Bulls in Guatemala City would give them an unassailable six-point lead at the top of Group F (standings for all groups), with only one game between Antigua and Salvadoran outfit Alianza remaining on the schedule. A win, of course, would not only send New York through, but also help the Red Bulls in their quest for a higher quarterfinal seed come February.
Considering that head-to-head record is the first tiebreaker in the CCL group stage, the Red Bulls – who defeated Antigua 3-0 at home earlier in the group stage – could even advance with a loss, as long as it is by fewer than three goals, or if they are able to get at least one away goal in a three-goal loss. A win of 3-0 or by more than four goals would open the door for Antigua to pip the Red Bulls to the top spot with a win against Alianza on Oct. 18
Elsewhere in CCL action, the Portland Timbers will be fighting to avoid a second group-stage exit in as many tries during their Tuesday trip to face El Salvador’s Dragón FC (10 pm ET, UDN and Facebook.com). The Timbers currently sit four points behind Saprissa, who they will host in the final group-stage match on Oct. 19, a must-win game unless they lose to Dragón and are eliminated this week.
To stay alive, the Timbers could theoretically do with a draw, though a win would make their task against Saprissa significantly easier. If the Dragón-Portland game sees the points split, Caleb Porter’s men would be three points behind Saprissa, meaning they would need to win 2-0, 3-1, or by three or more goals in the final game.
If Portland win in El Salvador, they would then advance with a win of any margin against Saprissa, though a draw against the Costa Ricans would send Saprissa through on the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Down in Texas, the FC Dallas will play host to Suchitepéquez in the first game of what is effectively a two-legged series for the group title on Wednesday (8 pm ET), with both teams sitting on four points and a plus-one goal differential through two games. This comes as a result of both teams having played twice against Nicaragua’s Real Estelí, who are already eliminated.
The pseudo-aggregate series would employ all the normal tiebreakers between the two teams: points, head-to-head record, goal differential between the two teams, and finally away goals. If the teams are tied after all the tiebreakers (for example, if each team wins 2-1 at home, or there are two 1-1 draws), then Dallas would advance by virtue of having scored one more goal in group play.
Vancouver also have a game this week, though with their quarterfinal berth already assured the home clash against Central FC matters only for seeding purposes. If they can beat Central, they will finish Group C with a perfect 4-0-0 record and put themselves in great position to claim a top-four quarterfinal seed and host the second leg of that series next year.
Sporting Kansas City, who are already eliminated, are idle this week and will host Central on Oct. 19 in their final match of the competition.
