Seattle Sounders FC is the only Major League Soccer team to start CONCACAF Champions League (CCL) group stage on the road, visiting San Pedro Sula tonight to face Honduran power Marathón. Going into the game with a nine match, all-competitions unbeaten streak, Seattle has acquired additional expectations from a Major League Soccer fanbase hoping for a perfect week from its CCL sides.
CONCACAF Champions League Preview: Sounders Try To Complete Perfect Week For Major League Soccer
Toronto kicked-off MLS’s success with a 2-1 win over Cruz Azul on Tuesday. olumbus and Real Salt Lake followed with victories last night, over Municipal and Árabe Unido, respectively. Tonight, Seattle looks to extend that streak against a Marathón side that’s won the last three Liga Nacional Aperturas.
Marathón has been unable to replicate that success in Honduras’s Clausuras; or, rather, they have been unwilling to, as the club has chosen to shift focus to Champions League. That emphasis has paid off. Two years ago, Marathón won their group. Last year, the Hondurans finished one point behind Toluca in Group B, accumulating 12 points in six matches. Despite those success, both tournaments have ended with Marathón losing in the quarterfinals, crashing-out last season in a 6-1, second leg loss at Pumas.
In both Champions Leagues, D.C. United has been the Major League Soccer team grouped with Marathón. This year’s Sounders squad is better than either of those United teams, worrisome for Marathón team that was only two points better than last year’s United.
While that portends well for Seattle’s overall finish in Group C, it overshadows Marathón’s nearly impeccable record in Honduras. Over the two years of CCL play, Marathon is 6-0-0 at home in group play. Including the knockout and preliminary rounds, Marathón is 8-2-0, their only losses coming two years ago to Puerto Rico (in the quarterfinals) and this year to Tauro, conceding the second of two legs, 2-1 (after a 3-0 win in Panama).
Tonight’s match starts a 7 p.m. Seattle time on Fox Soccer Channel.
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