MLS clubs learn their fates for 2014-15 CONCACAF Champions League
The six potential MLS representatives in the 2014-15 CONCACAF Champions League learned their fates in a draw held in Miami on Wednesday night.
Exactly half of those teams landed in Group 3. New York must navigate through a draw including the winner of the Canadian Championship between Montréal and Toronto FC and Salvadoran champions FAS in order to book the one available place in the quarterfinals. The rules of the draw prohibit placing American and Mexican sides in the same group (one for each of the eight pools), but they do not prevent a Canadian team from facing a fellow MLS side in the group stage.
The other three sides received assignments of varying difficulty. Sporting Kansas City likely faces the most complex task with Deportivo Saprissa (Costa Rica) and 2013/14 opponents Real Esteli (Nicaragua) awaiting in Group 2. D.C. United landed a kinder journey with Tauro FC (Panama) and Waterhouse FC (Jamaica) providing the opposition in Group 4, while Portland secured a manageable, if somewhat tricky, path with Olimpia (Honduras) and Alpha United (Guyana) in Group 5.
Every MLS side will need to plot out its scheduling and its squad rotation principles carefully when the fixtures start later this year.
The full draw:
Group 1: Pachuca (Mexico), Real Espana (Honduras), Municipal (Guatemala).
Group 2: Sporting Kansas City, Saprissa (Costa Rica), Real Esteli (Nicaragua).
Group 3: New York Red Bulls, Toronto FC or Montreal Impact, FAS (El Salvador).
Group 4: Tauro FC (Panama), D.C. United, Waterhouse FC (Jamaica).
Group 5: Olimpia (Honduras), Portland Timbers, Alpha United (Guyana).
Group 6: Alajuelense (Costa Rica), Cruz Azul (Mexico), Chorrillo FC (Panama).
Group 7: Leon (Mexico), Isidro Metapan (El Salvador), Belmopan Bandits (Belize).
Group 8: Comunicaciones (Guatemala), Club America (Mexico), Puerto Rico Bayamon FC (Puerto Rico).
