HexagonalBlog

CONCACAF Players in the UEFA Champions League

I searched the current rosters of all 32 teams in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League and compiled a list of the CONCACAF-based players in those squads.  To the best of my knowledge it's a complete list:

Player	Club	Country
Freddy Adu	Benfica	USA
DaMarcus Beasley	Glasgow Rangers	USA
Nery Castillo	Shakhtar Donetsk	Mexico
Rafael Márquez	Barcelona	Mexico
Ricardo Osorio	VfB Stuttgart	Mexico
Pável Pardo	VfB Stuttgart	Mexico
Carlos Salcido	PSV Eindhoven	Mexico
Giovani dos Santos	Barcelona	Mexico
David Suazo	Inter Milan	Honduras
Lars Hirschfeld	Rosenborg	Canada

So there are nine players from CONCACAF countries in the Champions League, and even though there are many more American than Mexican players in Europe, there are three times as many Mexican players participating in Champions League football. 

As I said in a previous post, I'll post updates on this group's exploits as the European season progresses.

UPDATE (11/8/07): I included Lars Hirschfeld, who I happened to miss the first time around. 

A question to be answered later

There will be a lot of recriminations from the rout that the US women suffered at the feet of Brazil in the World Cup semifinal.  Some of it is starting now, starting with Hope Solo's comments.

I might touch on some of that in the coming days, but on the dawn of a new era in women's soccer one question has lingered in my mind:  Is the USA on the verge of becoming the women's soccer equivalent of Uruguay -- a side that once dominated the game and from time to time produces excellent players, but is no longer the power it once was?  Or is it about to become an Italy - a team that was dominant in the beginning and also produces excellent players, yet consistently remains as one of the favorites every four years? 

I know that the question appears longwinded, but it's really simple -- are the US women about to become another Uruguay, or another Italy? 

I'm out of town for 24 hours, but when I return I hope to give my response to that question.  In the meantime I'd appreciate any comments that you might have.

(And congratulations to Brazil -- since the 2004 Olympics it's always been a matter of 'when' rather than 'if'.  And their achievement is especially impressive considering how little support women's soccer receives from the national federation or the broader society.)

A Mexican in Costa Rica

Today's Nacion newspaper has an interesting article on Moctezuma Serrato, who signed with Herediano and became the first Mexican to play for a team in the Costa Rican league.  I find it hard to believe that it's taken this long for a Mexican to appear in Costa Rica, but given the league that Mexico has, why would any player want to leave?  (Other than to play in Europe, but not many have done that.)

Adu's first goal in Portugal

After spending the past month in Portugal in the stands, Freddy Adu saw some playing time in Benfica's League Cup match against Estrela da Amadora.  Adu entered in the second half and scored a very controversial penalty in the final minute of normal time to level the score at 1-1.  He also scored in the penalty kick tiebreaker, and Benfica escaped to the next round 5-4 on penalties.  A Bola called it "a miracle".

So Freddy gets his first goal in a Benfica shirt - it's not from normal play, but I don't think he'll mind.

(I created a new category called "CONCACAFers in Europe", where I hope to collect posts on players from CONCACAF countries playing in the European leagues.  I want to concentrate on those players in the Champions League, but I might expand the scope in the future.)

UNCAF 2007, Concluding the Quarterfinal Round

Tonight starts the return legs of the quarterfinal round of this year's UNCAF Club Tournament.   The two remaining Guatemalan sides are facing each other - Municipal and Xelajú.

The commentator said that the first legs of the semifinal round will be played on 24-25 October.  I'm not 100% sure on that, and if I'm mistaken I'll correct it.

UPDATE (9/27/07, 21:58):  The quarterfinal round is now complete; here are the results.

Quarterfinal round results (1st leg home team score listed first for both legs):
Motagua 2-0 San Francisco FC (1:0, 1:0)
Puntarenas 2-3 Saprissa (1:1, 1:2)
Alajuelense 2-2 Real España (0:0, 2:2, 5:4 pen)
Xelaju 2-2 Municipal (1:1, 1:1, 1:4 pen)

UNCAF Semifinal Round

Saprissa vs. Alajuelense
Motagua vs. Municipal

UNCAF 2007, Quarterfinal Round

Apologies for the lack of posts over the past month; getting settled after a cross-country move is harder than you think. 

Tonight the 2007 UNCAF Club Tournament resumed with the first leg match between Motagua (Honduras) and San Francisco (Panama) in Tegucigalpa.  Motagua won 1-0 on a goal by former Costa Rican international Steven Bryce ten minutes before halftime.    The Panamanians actually began stronger, and hit the post in the opening fifteen minutes.  But Motagua took command of the match and hit the woodwork themselves and should have scored off a free header.  Even so it took a bundled effort by Bryce off a set piece to give Motagua the winning goal. 

Despite the loss the Panamanians are still in the series and might be able to turn around the deficit in a week's time.

Tomorrow's matches feature all-Costa Rican and all-Guatemalan clashes, and Thursday concludes the first leg of the quarterfinals with Real España traveling to Alajuela to play last year's runners-up in Costa Rica.

UPDATE: I forgot to mention that in the Motagua-San Francisco match was former MLS MVP Amado Guevara.  I thought he had an indifferent performance and didn't distinguish himself very much.

Quarterfinal round results (1st leg home team score listed first for both legs):
Motagua 1-0 San Francisco FC (1:0, 26 Sept)
Puntarenas 1-1 Saprissa (1:1, 26 Sept)
Alajuelense 0-0 Real España (0:0, 27 Sept)
Xelaju 1-1 Municipal (1:1, 25 Sept)