User:Frank Anchor/CONCACAF Champions League 2008-09

The 2008–09 CONCACAF Champions League was 47th edition of the highest level club tournament sanctioned by CONCACAF. It is the first under the current format, as the early qualifying round was eliminated and a second group stage was added.

Qualification
Leagues were given spots in the competition based on league ranking by CONCACAF.

First Group Stage
3 Clubs
 * 🇲🇽 mexico
 * 🇺🇸 united states

2 Clubs
 * 🇨🇷 costa rica
 * 🇯🇲 jamaica

1 Club
 * 🇸🇻 el salvador
 * 🇹🇹 trinidad and tobago
 * 🇭🇹 haiti
 * 🇨🇦 canada
 * 🇭🇳 honduras
 * 🇨🇺 cuba

Qualifying round
2 Clubs
 * 🇨🇷 costa rica
 * 🇸🇻 el salvador
 * 🇹🇹 trinidad and tobago

1 Club
 * 🇲🇽 mexico
 * 🇺🇸 united states
 * 🇯🇲 jamaica
 * 🇭🇹 haiti
 * 🇨🇦 canada
 * 🇭🇳 honduras
 * 🇵🇦 panama
 * 🇬🇹 guatemala
 * 🇧🇧 barbados
 * 🇧🇸 bahamas
 * 🇱🇨 saint lucia
 * 🇳🇮 nicaragua
 * 🇦🇼 aruba
 * 🇵🇷 puerto rico
 * 🇸🇷 suriname
 * 🇫🇷 Saint Martin
 * 🇻🇨 saint vincent and the grenadines
 * 🇧🇿 belize
 * 🇩🇴 dominican republic
 * 🇬🇾 guyana
 * 🇬🇩 grenada
 * 🇬🇾 guyana
 * 🇬🇩 grenada

Special Exemption The highest finisher in the following August-September tournaments that isn't already in the field:
 * North American SuperLiga
 * Copa Interclubes UNCAF
 * CFU Club Championship

Qualifying Round
The draw for the qualifying round was held on 8 August. The matches were completed on 19-20 August and 26-27 August. The team listed at team #1 was home first.

First Group Stage
The thirty-two remaining clubs are divided into eight groups with four clubs each. Clubs from the same nation may not be grouped together. Each group consists of two clubs that got into this stage directly and two that had to qualify. Each club plays six matches - one home and one away against each of three opponents. The top two clubs from each group progress to a second group stage, while the third-place club from each group moves to the McDonalds Soccer Cup round of 24.

Tie-breaking criteria
Any ties in the standings will be broken in the following manor:
 * 1) higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the teams in question;
 * 2) superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams in question;
 * 3) higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question;
 * 4) higher number of goals scored away from home in the group matches played among the teams in question;
 * 5) superior goal difference from all group matches played;
 * 6) higher number of goals scored in all group matches played;
 * 7) in cases where exactly two clubs are tied on all previous criteria and they play each other on the final matchday, kicks from the penalty mark will be conducted in lieu of the remaining criteria;
 * 8) higher number of coefficient points accumulated by the club in question, as well as its association, over the previous three seasons;
 * 9) drawing of lots.

Group A
Tiebreaker for 2nd between Montreal Impact and Huffman
 * Head-to-Head
 * Points level at 3
 * Goal difference level at 0
 * Goals scored level at 3
 * Away goals level at 1


 * Overall
 * Goal difference level at -1
 * Goals scored level at 8


 * As the two clubs played each other on the final matchday, a penalty shootout was used to settle the draw. Montreal won the shootout 5-3.

Group C
Tiebreaker for 2nd between FC Beach Boys, Philadelphia, and FC United
 * Head to Head
 * Points level at 6
 * FC Beach Boys have goal difference of +3, superior to both FC United (-1) and Philadelphia (-2)

Tiebreaker for 3rd between Philadelphia and FC United
 * Head to Head
 * Points level at 3
 * Philadelphia have superior goal difference of +1, compared to FC United's -1.

Group D
Tiebreaker for 3rd between Havana and Marigot
 * Head to Head
 * Havana had 4 points to Marigot's 1

Group G
Tiebreaker for first between Guadalajara and Tela
 * Head to head
 * Tela had 4 points to Guadalajara's 1

Second Group Stage
Eight winners and eight runners up from the first group stage were drawn into 4 groups of 4 teams each, each containing two group winners and two runners-up. Teams from the same country or from the same first round group cannot be drawn together. The top 2 teams in each group advance to the quarter finals. The tiebreaking system is identical to that used in the first group stage

Group I
This group was referred to by many as the "Group of Death." Tiebreaker for 2nd place between Cleveland and Harbour View
 * Head to Head
 * Points level at 3
 * Goal Difference level at 0
 * Goals scored level at 2
 * Cleveland have more goals away from home (1) than Harbour View (0).

Group K
Tiebreaker for 1st place between Pschuca and Portmore United
 * Head to head
 * Pachuca had 4 points to Portmore United's 1

Quarter-Finals
FC Beach Boys vs. Atlante Beach Boys continued their surprise run through the tournament with a 4-3 aggregate win in the quarter-final over Atlante. The Beach Boys drew at home 2-2, then defeated Atlante on the road 2-1 in extra time. Brian Wilson scored a goal for the Beach Boys in each game.

La Cruz vs. Pachuca After a scorless game at Costa Kufos, Jaime Correa put Pachuca on the board with a late goal in Estadio Hidalgo to put the Mexican side into the semi-finals.

Portmore United vs. Houston Dynamo Houston started off strong with a 1-0 win on the road, ultimately defeating the Jamaican side 2-1 on aggregate.

Cleveland vs. Saint-Marc Cleveland had a decisive 4-0 win at home in the first leg, before drawing with Saint-Marc 2-2 in the return leg.

Semi-Finals
FC Beach Boys vs. Pachuca The Beach Boys hoped to continue their Cinderella run through the tournament as they ran into Mexican giant Pachuca. After drawing 1-1 in both legs, Pachuca won on Penalties.

Houston Dynamo vs. Cleveland In a rematch of the 2008 American Premier League Championship won by Cleveland, the two American sides did battle. Houston were victorious this time, with a 4-3 aggregate win

Final
Main: 2009 CONCACAF Champions League Final