VANCOUVER, BC – Three down, one to go.
After winning their first three matches in CONCACAF Champions League play, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (CCL: 3W-0L-0D) will attempt to complete a perfect group stage on Wednesday night when they host Trinidad & Tobago’s Central FC (0W-1D-1D) at BC Place.
TICKETS: ow.ly/QH1r304Ak30 | KICKOFF: 7 p.m. PT | BROADCAST: CONCACAF Facebook
Note: Wednesday’s match is included in Whitecaps FC Season Ticket memberships.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
The ‘Caps opened their 2016-17 CCL campaign with a 1-0 win over Central FC in Trinidad & Tobago, before defeating Sporting Kansas City 3-0 at home and 2-1 on the road to secure their berth in the CONCACAF Champions League quarter-finals.
Erik Hurtado (two goals and two assists) and Cristian Techera (three goals) have been Vancouver’s most productive players during their CCL run – thus the birth of Churcherdo.
But Alphonso Davies played the role of hero in Vancouver’s quarter-final clinching win over Sporting KC, recording an assist and scoring the game-winner in stoppage time – his first goal with the big club.
KNOW THY ENEMY
Not only have Central FC won back-to-back TT Pro League titles, which is the top division in Trinidad & Tobago, they’re also two-time defending Caribbean Football Union Club Championship winners.
They’re still searching for their first CCL win this year, however.
The Central FC player to watch is striker Kenwyne Jones, who is on loan at Central while he prepares to join MLS expansion side Atlanta United FC for their debut season in 2017. Jones has scored over 100 goals in his professional career, including 40 in the English Premier League with the likes of Southampton, Sunderland, and Stoke City.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Regardless of Wednesday’s result, the ‘Caps are off to the CCL quarter-finals for the first time.
The two-leg matchup will take place between February 21 and March 2, 2017 – just ahead of the MLS regular season. At this point, it’s unclear who Whitecaps FC will face. That depends on group stage seeding, which means Wednesday’s match still has considerable importance.
A win would secure Vancouver a top-four finish.
WHAT IS THE CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE?
The CONCACAF Champions League is a 24-team competition between the top clubs from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Whitecaps FC earned Canada’s lone entry in the tournament by winning the Voyageurs Cup in last year’s Amway Canadian Championship.
The winner of the CCL qualifies for the annual FIFA Club World Cup, where they compete against the top teams from Asia, Africa, South America, Oceana, and Europe.
An MLS team has never won the CCL – though Montreal reached the final in 2014-15.
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