The 2010-2011 CONCACAF Champions League saw a bit of a power shift as Mexico's dominance was quite as pronounced as it had been in years past. Part of that was because of the draw that put all four Mexican teams on the same side of the knockout stage bracket, but there's no denying that even in the group stages the Mexican clubs weren't as dominant as they have been in the past. A MLS team made it to the final and while Monterrey did defeat Real Salt Lake to keep the trophy in Mexico, there was a clear shift in CONCACAF power away from Mexico, even if they still remain the dominant country.
CONCACAF Champions League: Competition Begins With Preliminary Round Action
As the 2011-2012 competition gets underway the question is whether or not the shift will continue or whether Mexico will be as dominant as they have ever been. The first round of competition, the preliminary stage, is unlikely to determine much in the way of power because most of the ties are mismatches, but it is the beginning of a competition that is gaining in stature, even if it remains well behind Copa Libertadores and isn’t even in the same stratosphere as the UEFA Champions League.
It all gets underway on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with the first legs of the two-legged preliminary stage that will determine the final eight teams that qualify for the group stage. Two teams from Mexico, the U.S., Honduras and El Salvador are in this round of the competition as well one team from eight other countries.
Santos Laguna (MEX) vs. Olimpia (HON)- Wednesday, 10 pm ET
This tie kicks off in Mexico on Wednesday and Mexican teams usually skate through the preliminary stages so there shouldn’t be much intrigue in this one, right? Last season the two Mexican teams won their preliminary stage ties by a combined score of 15-2 and there’s no doubt that Santos are favored to win their tie this year, but it won’t be as easy as usual with Olimpia.
Historically, they’re the most successful team in Honduras and they have both international experience and a recent good run of form. If Roger “RoRo” Rojas can play as well as he did in last year’s Champions League when Olimpia won their group then they have a chance to beat Santos. Even so, Santos remains the favorite. They’ve brought in Santiago Hoyos to shore up the back like, still have Oribe Peralta, who is coming off of a hat trick in the team’s FMF season opener last weekend.
Alianza (ESA) vs. FC Dallas (USA)- Thursday, 10 pm ET
There isn't a team in MLS playing better than FC Dallas right now. Brek Shea is a frontrunner for league MVP, the back line has been stout and all of this has come without last year's league MVP, David Ferreira, who remains out with an injury. When Ferreira gets healthy Dallas will a very dangerous team in this competition, but they need to stay alive long enough for Ferreira to get healthy.
Dallas will be the favorites to get out of the preliminary stage, but it’s far from a guarantee. With Rudis Corrales, Rafael Burgos and Christian Castillo, Alianza has a team that is more than capable of giving Dallas a tough time. They’re capable in the midfield and up front, the question is whether they can hold it together at the back. If they can, they should be able to jump on an inexperienced Dallas side at home in the first leg and make things very tough for the favorites in the second leg.
San Francisco (PAN) vs. Seattle Sounders (USA)- Tuesday, 8 pm ET
This one should be a walk over for the Sounders. They're far superior to San Francisco and they get to head down to Panama for the first leg on Tuesday without having played a match last weekend so tired legs shouldn't be a factor. Their Champions League matches are their only midweek matches until the end of August too so they don't have obscene fixture congestions too. In short, there's no excuse for the Sounders to move onto the group stage.
San Francisco should just be looking to keep this preliminary stage tie respectable. They don't have much talent on the squad and last season they were eliminated by Cruz Azul in the preliminary stage by an aggregate score of 9-2 so keeping it close wil be a major step up for them.
Toronto FC (CAN) vs. Real Esteli (NIC)- Wednesday, 8 pm ET
In no way, shape or form should Toronto have themselves a good chance to make it to the Champions League group stage. They are an awful team and are only in the preliminary stage because they only had to beat out two other teams to be crowned champions of Canada and both of the teams they had to beat out are awful too. That should set the stage for them to be wiped out in the preliminary stage, but they drew a weak Nicaraguan team that even they should beat. Fate is on the Canadians' side, but it may really be punishment because it just lets them through to the group stage where things will get ugly for them.
Morelia (MEX) vs. Tempete (HTI)- Thursday, 8 pm ET
What happens when you take a Mexican team and tell them to play two matches against a team from Haiti? Demolition. There's just no way that Tempete can hang with Morelia. Odds are that Morelia plays a lot of back ups and still wipes the floor with Tempete, who won't be helped out by the fact that they have an inadequate stadium to host matches at the moment so both legs will have to be played in Morelia.
Herediano (CRC) vs. Alpha United (GUY)- Tuesday, 10 pm ET
Isidro Metapan (ESA) vs. Puerto Rico Islanders (PUR)- Wednesday, 10 pm ET
Motagua (HON) vs. Municipal (GUA)- Thursday, 10 pm ET
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