The first month of the CONCACAF Champions League (CCL) is in the books, and the five Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs are off to a hot start in the group stages.
The LA Galaxy, Vancouver Whitecaps, Seattle Sounders, Real Salt Lake and DC United have played a combined 10 matches. As of right now the Sounders are the only team that has lost a game. The record between the five clubs is 6-2-1 (W-D-L); even the road record is positive 2-1-1.
As of right now three out of the five clubs are sitting in first place of their respective groups. The Galaxy, DC and the Sounders are in first place while LA and DC have yet to lose a game. Between the two teams they have only given up one goal in four combined games.
However, it’s time to take a closer look at the groups:
| Club | PTS | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| 1.Los Angeles Galaxy | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | +9 |
| 2.Comunicaciones F.C. | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 |
| 3.Central F.C. | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | -5 |
The Galaxy is off to a flying start with a 2-0 record and +9 goal differential. Not to mention LA’s forward Alan Gordon is the leading scorer in the CCL with three goals thus far.
However, the tricky part of the group stages has yet to happen for the Galaxy. Both of their victories were played at home, and now it’s time for LA to hit the road.
Hitting the road in CONCACAF is very tough, especially when going to Central America. Their first road game will be in Trinidad & Tobago when they face Central on Sept. the 23rd. Then their final match will be in Guatemala against Comunicaciones on Oct. the 21st.
All the Galaxy needs is one more victory and they book their ticket to the quarterfinals.
| Club | PTS | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| 1.Seattle Sounders FC | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 2.C.D. Olimpia | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 3.Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Two MLS clubs are in this group and they are heated rivals. The Whitecaps and the Sounders have not liked each other since the 70‘s. However, the CCL has allowed the Cascadia rivalry to be displayed on the international stage.
Their match started the group and ended in a physical 1-1 draw at BC Place. The Caps have not played in a match since that game, but Seattle has played two more times since that opening match, defeating Olimpia 2-1 in Seattle and then losing in Honduras 1-0.
The Sounders have only one more game left and it’s at home against good old Vancouver on September 23rd. Regardless if the Rave Green wins that match they still have to wait and see how the Caps and Olimpia’s duel plays out.
Their first meeting will take place in Vancouver on the 16th of September. Then the final game will be in Honduras at the Estadio Nacional on October the 22nd.
This group is wide open and with only one team able to advance to the next round, there is no room for error for any of the clubs.
| Club | PTS | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| 1.C.S.D Municipal | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 2. Real Salt Lake | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3.Santa Tecla F.C. | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 |
Real Salt Lake was able to impress in their only match by going to Guatemala and defeating Municipal 1-0 on August 4th. However, with just one game played RSL is in prime position to take control of the group.
The other two clubs have played a combined five out of eight games and RSL is only one point behind. If RSL is able to win two of their remaining three matches they will almost certainly qualify to the second round.
| Club | PTS | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| 1.DC United | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 2.C.D. Árabe Unido | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 3.Montego Bay United F.C. | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | -6 |
DC like the Galaxy has a 2-0 record. However, the more impressive part for the Black and Red is that they have already won a road game. They defeated Árabe Unido 1-0 in Panama on Aug. 19th. Then they dismantled CCL first timers Montego Bay United 3-0 at home on Aug. 25th
The Red and Black have yet to give up a goal in two games, and are now just three points away from qualifying to the next round. DC will have two chances to get that one victory to advance.
For MLS to have a successful group stage they will need to get four out of the five clubs into the quarterfinals.
Obviously due to the fact that Seattle and Vancouver are in the same group, only one can advance. However, it seems so right that the two bitter rivals will have the task and the pleasure of eliminating each other.
Now let’s see how the month of September goes for the MLS clubs in the CCL.