Draw made for 2006 CONCACAF ‘Champions’

Quarter-final pairings, determined by a draw during the CONCACAF Executive Committee Meeting in New York City, will see the 2005 Mexico’s Club America travelling to face the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) champions in the first-leg of their quarter-final, while the second encounter is set for Mexico.

The CFU champions will be decided next month after St Lucia’s Northern United complete their semi-final series against Suriname’s FC Robinhood and Jamaica’s Portmore United face SV Centro Social Deportivo Barber, of the Netherlands Antilles.

The USA’s Major League Soccer (MLS) 2005 runners-up, New England Revolution, visit Costa Rica’s LD Alajuelense in Alajuela for the opening-leg, with the second-leg being a home game for the Revolution.

CD Olimpia, of Honduras, will host a second Mexican qualifier, to be decided, in the first-leg, while the second leg takes place in Mexico.

The last quarter-final tie will feature the 2005 MLS Champions Los Angeles Galaxy hosting the winner of the series between Costa Rican teams Deportivo Saprissa and Municipal Perez Zeledon in the opening-leg, while the second match will be held in Costa Rica.

The quarter-final winners will advance to the Champions’ Cup semi-final series scheduled for March 22 and 29. The semi-final series winners will play for the 2006 CONCACAF Champions’ Cup on April 12 and 19, with the winner also qualifying to the FIFA Club World Championship in Japan next year. The Champions’ Cup runner-up will be one of the three CONCACAF invitees to the 2006 Copa Nissan Sudamericana. Meanwhile, the defending CONCACAF Champions’ Cup winner, Deportivo Saprissa, will face the world’s best in the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship to be held in Japan next month.