Open Cup champion Sounders advance in CCL

The Seattle Sounders became the first entrant in the current format of the CONCACAF Champions League to advance from the group stage of the event as representatives of the US Open Cup. A 2-2 draw in Guatemala versus Comunicaciones on Tuesday clinched a spot in the Quarterfinals.

The Sounders sit in first place in their group with 10 points, one ahead of defending CCL champion Monterrey of Mexico, with one game remaining in the group phase. Comunicaciones is third with seven. After falling 1-0 in Panama to San Francisco in the first leg of the Preliminary Round, the Sounders won four straight, advancing to the group phase with a 2-0 win at home versus San Francisco. The opened group play with a 4-1 win against visiting Comunicaciones and then stunned Monterrey 1-0 on the road in the second match, becoming only the second MLS club ever to win in Mexico. A few weeks later Seattle built a commanding lead in the group with a 2-1 road win versus Herediano. The Costa Ricans, however, returned the favor the following week with a 1-0 win in Seattle.

After the Open Cup & Who's New York's Team

There were five clubs in the 2011 US Open Cup that have played in CONCACAF’s club championship tournament as representatives from the Open Cup. It would probably surprise you to know that only two are in Major League Soccer.

As the defending repeat champions, the Seattle Sounders are headed to a second CONCACAF Champions League appearance later this summer. The Columbus Crew represented the 2002 US Open Cup in the 2003 edition of the event. But before them there was the New York Pancyprian Freedoms who themselves have three appearances in CONCACAF’s club championship event in its numerous formats through the years.

TheCup.us First 11 for MLS Open Cup Qualifying

Ten clubs battled it out through an eight-game qualifying process to determine the final pair of 2011 US Open Cup entrants from Major League Soccer. Sporting Kansas City and the Chicago Fire claimed their place in the 40-team event, where they will begin play in the Third Round set for June 28.

While Sporting and the Fire were the winning teams, there were plenty of standout individual performances on their clubs and elsewhere, many of which were provided by players who are not always in the regular season starting 11.

Possible First 11 for MLS Qualifying as finales near

The US Open Cup qualifying process for Major League Soccer comes to a close this week with four teams playing in the two finales of their respective brackets to claim the league’ two additional berths, joining the initial six given automatic entry based on last year’s league table. With MLS launching Team of the Week honors this year, we thought we would take a look at who the Best 11 are for MLS Open Cup qualifying.

Here is a quick look at who is on the radar heading into the final two matches Tuesday and Wednesday.

CONCACAF History at the Door for RSL

There were some anxious moments Tuesday night in Costa Rica as Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer finished up its CONCACAF Champions League Semifinal series against Saprissa, winning 3-2 on aggregate despite a 2-1 loss on the road in the second leg.

A stunning 19 yard Luis Cordero strike just under the bar moments into the second half from the hosts rose the stakes, but Jamison Olave hit a blistering side-volley to give RSL a commanding edge with the away goal tiebreaker that left Alonso Solis’ late penalty for the host inconsequential in the series.  Full game reports: MLS [+] - SBI [+]

The result furthered the Utah club’s historic campaign representing MLS after previously being the league’s first to win a group as well as advance to the semifinals in the Champions League format of CONCACAF’s club championship.

Further success, against either remaining semifinalists Monterrey or Cruz Azul, will now eclipse anything previously achieved by their league counterparts despite previous CONCACAF titles claimed by DC United and the Los Angeles Galaxy.

CCL Semifinals Conclude This Week

Perhaps 'Final Four' is a fitting theme for the week as March Madness comes to a conclusion Monday and Tuesday evening in the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments while the CONCACAF Champions League completes the Semifinal stage with its second leg matches Tuesday and Wednesday south of the border.

On Tuesday, Real Salt Lake defends a 2-0 series lead in Costa Rica against powerhouse Saprissa followed by Wednesday’s all-Mexican showdown in which two-time CCL finalist Cruz Azul hosts Monterrey, which leads the series 2-1. Tuesday's tilt will air at 10 pm ET on Fox Soccer Channel with Wednesday's airing at 8 pm ET. The RSL-Saprissa series winner will host the second leg of the Championship series set for April 19 & 26.

Home Away From Home – The Debate

Word out of Chicago this week is that the Fire are looking at playing the US Open Cup qualifying match they are slated to host versus the MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids in a home away from home. That would mean at least three teams will playing their designated home match outside of their normal home stadium with DC United playing yet again at the Maryland Soccerplex and the Portland Timbers at a site to be determined due to remaining PGE Park renovations.

This report, a recap of a meeting with Section 8 fan group members, said that the Fire has looked at playing the match at five different facilities in the region, three of which were a no-go and that the final two options appear to be Bradley University (Peoria) and North Central College (Naperville).

The fan site Hot Time in Old Town weighed in with its thoughts on the matter, though seemed undecided in the end if the decision was good or not. The writer Mark Rogers brought up many good points along the way about the priorities of the club and its relationship to the loyal fans.