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The
2008 CONCACAF Futsal Championship will take place at the
Domo Polideportivo in Guatemala City, Guatemala from 3-8 June.
This is the first time since
1996 that the CONCACAF Tournament will be held in
Guatemala. The Domo, which drew a total of 80,740 spectators
through 12 match days during the 2000 FIFA Futsal World Cup,
will stage the 2008 Confederation's event.
The hosts, Guatemala have been drawn into Group A along with
Cuba, Mexico and Trinidad & Tobago, while the defending
CONCACAF Champion, USA is in Group B with Costa Rica, Panama
and Haiti.
The eight-team CONCACAF Tournament will qualify three nations
to the 2008 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Brazil from 30 September
- 19 October.
CONCACAF have previously hosted three Futsal qualifiers for
the FIFA Tournaments in 1996, 2000, 2004. Six teams
participated in 1996 CONCACAF event in Guatemala that was won
by the USA and also qualified Cuba to the FIFA competition in
Spain that year.
In
2000, eight squads took part in the Confederation
competition in Costa Rica, which was won by the host. Cuba
once again took second place as both teams progressed to the
FIFA Futsal World Cup in Guatemala.
Four years later, the eight-team CONCACAF Futsal Championship
was again held in Costa Rica, where the
USA and Cuba claimed first and second places,
respectively, to qualify for the FIFA event in Chinese Taipei.
SCOUTING THE TEAMS...
COSTA RICA: One of two teams to capture the
Confederation's Title, Costa Rica are making their fourth
consecutive appearance in the Final Round of the CONCACAF
Futsal Championship ... Coached by Carlos Quiros, the
Ticos claimed the CONCACAF crown in 2000, captured the
gold medal in the Central American Games in 2001 and finished
fourth at the 2007 Pan American Games ... Costa Rica were the
first Central American nation to qualify to the FIFA Futsal
World Cup in 1992 and then once again progressed to the world
stage in 2000.
CUBA: They have finished second in all three CONCACAF
Futsal Championships ... The Leones del Caribe are
the only team in CONCACAF to qualify for three consecutive
FIFA Futsal Tournaments ... Cuba are also the Caribbean Nation
with the most overall appearances in FIFA events: World Cup
(1938), Olympic Games (1976, 1980), Under-17 (1989, 1991),
Futsal (1996, 2000, 2004) ... The Leones del Caribe
were also one of the four CONCACAF teams to compete at the
2007 Pan American Games in Brazil ... Elddys Jesús Valdes is
in charge of Cuba.
GUATEMALA: They are hosting the CONCACAF Futsal
Championship for the first time since 1996, where the
Chapines reached the semifinals ... Guatemala staged the
first FIFA event (Futsal World Cup) in Central America in 2000
... Coached by Carlos Eduardo Estrada, Guatemala were one of
four CONCACAF teams to compete in the inaugural Futsal
Tournament at the 2007 Pan American Games.
HAITI: Advanced to the CONCACAF Futsal Championship for
the first time after finishing second at the Caribbean
Football Union (CFU) Tournament in Macoya, Trinidad & Tobago
... Under technical director Dorsainville Samuel, Haiti
defeated Guyana (12:2) and Sint Maarten (19:1) in group play
before falling to Trinidad & Tobago (3:6) in the CFU Final.
MEXICO: They have competed in all three CONCACAF Futsal
Championships ... The Tricolor have reached the
semifinals in each of the last three CONCACAF Tournaments, but
are yet to play in the FIFA Futsal World Cup ... Ramon Raya
has been appointed coach having previously led the
Tricolores' beach soccer team to consecutive FIFA
Tournaments (2007, 2008), while reaching the final last year.
PANAMA: Are coming off a fifth place performance at the
2004 CONCACAF Futsal Championship, just missing out on a spot
into the semifinals in their first-ever appearance ... During
the CONCACAF Futsal Tournament, the Canaleros held
the eventual champion, USA, to a draw (2:2), then lost to Cuba
(0:2), before defeating Guyana (8:3) in group play ... Panama
have Porfirio Rebolledo at the helm.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Making their second consecutive
appearance at the CONCACAF Futsal Championship, Trinidad &
Tobago advanced to the Final Round after hosting and winning
the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Tournament in Macoya ...
Under the direction of Clayton Morris, the Soca Warriors
earned group victories over Puerto Rico (7:0) and Surinam
(7:3) at the CFU Tournament ... Then, the defending Caribbean
Champion, Trinidad & Tobago defeated Haiti (6:3) for their
second title.
USA: They have won two of the three CONCACAF Futsal
Championships (1996, 2004), while finishing third in 2000 ...
The Stars & Stripes have qualified to the most FIFA
Futsal World Cups (four) by any CONCACAF team, earning a
bronze medal at the inaugural competition in the Netherlands
1989 and then the silver at the 1992 event in Hong Kong ...
The USA were also one of the four CONCACAF teams that took
part in the inaugural Futsal Tournament in the Pan American
Games in 2007 ... The defending CONCACAF champions are coached
by Keith Tozer.
DRAW FOR 2008-09 CONCACAF
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE™ TO TAKE PLACE NEXT WEEK
CONCACAF will conduct the draw for the preliminary round of
the
2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League™ at the offices of
General Secretariat in New York City on 11 June.
The 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League™ will have eight clubs
(MEX1, MEX2, USA1, USA2, CRC1, GUA1, HON1, SLV1) seeded
directly to the Group Stage, while the sixteen remaining teams
will be paired in eight home-and-away match-ups in the
Preliminary Stage which will take place on 26-28 August 2008
and 2-4 September 2008.
The Preliminary Stage winners will join the eight seeded teams
in the Group Stage that consists of four groups of four teams
each. The teams in each group will play each other in a
round-robin system during six match dates (three home games,
three away games) from 16 September 2008 - 30 October 2008.
The top two clubs from each of the four groups will advance to
the Quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League. These
eight teams will be drawn into four Quarterfinal pairings to
play home-and-away match-ups in February 2009. The four
Quarterfinal winners will then play in two Semifinal
home-and-away match-ups in March and April 2009 with the two
Semifinal winners squaring-off in the home-and-away 2008-2009
CONCACAF Champions League™ Final in late April 2009.
The CONCACAF Champions League™ winner will qualify as the
CONCACAF representative to the 2009 edition of the FIFA Club
World Cup.
So far 22 clubs have qualified to the 2008-09 CONCACAF
Champions League™:
NORTH ZONE
Mexico
MEX1: Atlante FC
MEX2: Club Santos Laguna
MEX3: CD SC Cruz Azul
MEX4: Pumas UNAM
USA
USA1: Houston Dynamo
USA2: D.C. United
USA3: New England Revolution
USA4: Chivas USA
CENTRAL ZONE
Belize
BLZ1: Hankook Verdes
Costa Rica
CRC1: Deportivo Saprissa
CRC2: LD Alajuelense
El Salvador
SLV1: CD Luis Angel Firpo
SLV2: CD Isidro Metapán
Guatemala
GUA1: CSD Municipal or Deportivo Jalapa
GUA2: CSD Municipal or Deportivo Jalapa
Playoff will determine GUA1, GUA2
Honduras
HON1: CD Olimpia or CD Marathon
HON2: CD Olimpia or CD Marathon
Playoff will determine HON1, HON2
Panama
PAN1: San Francisco FC
PAN2: Tauro FC
CARRIBEAN ZONE
CFU1: Harbour View FC of Jamaica
CFU2: Joe Public FC of Trinidad & Tobago
CFU3: Puerto Rico Islanders
TWO PLACES REMAIN FOR CONCACAF
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE™
Only two qualification places remain, one each from Canada and
Nicaragua in order to complete the field of 24-teams that will
compete in the inaugural 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League™
this coming August.
The Impact de Montreal, Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC
have begun a home-and-away round-robin tournament called
Nutrilite Canadian Championship from 27 May - 22 July.
Toronto FC defeated the Impact de Montreal,
1:0, in the Canadian qualifier opener in Montréal, Quebec
on 27 May. The winner of the Canadian Championship will
advance to the CONCACAF Champions League™ as CAN1.
Elsewhere, Real Esteli FC, who won Nicaragua's 2007 Campeonato
Nacional de Apertura, are in fourth place (29 Points) in the
2008 Clausura seven points behind the leader Deportivo Ocotal
with 36, while Deportivo Walter Ferreti and Diriangen FC tied
for second-place, with 33 Points . All four teams have
secured places in the semifinals with two match dates
remaining in the season. The winner of the Clausura will meet
Real Esteli FC in a two-game playoff to determine NCA1 spot.
If Real Esteli win the Clausura title, then they automatically
earn NCA1 place.
CONCACAF's ROAD TO SOUTH AFRICA
2010 CONTINUES THIS WEEK
The road for CONCACAF teams to the FIFA World Cup ™ South
Africa 2010 continues this week with the Stage 2 of the
home-and-away elimination series.
The CONCACAF World Cup Qualification kicks off on 4 June 2008,
with Honduras hosting Puerto Rico at the Estadio Olímpico
Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula.
Three matches will take place on 14 June and the remaining
eight games will be played the next day. The second-leg
encounters for Stage 2 of CONCACAF World Cup Qualification are
scheduled for 18-22 June with the exception of Puerto Rico vs.
Honduras which will be played on 14 June at the Estadio Juan
Ramon Loubriel in Bayamón.
COMPLETE SCHEDULE
The twelve winners from Stage 2 will progress to semifinal
round of CONCACAF World Cup Qualification that will be
composed of three groups of four with matches running from 20
August - 19 November 2008.
The top two from each of the three groups will advance to the
six-team CONCACAF Final Round scheduled for 11 February - 14
October 2009.
The top three teams from the CONCACAF Final Round in 2009 will
automatically qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. CONCACAF's
fourth place finisher will play off with CONMEBOL's
fifth-place team in a home-and-away series for one of the last
berths to the FIFA event.
HAITI CAPTURE CARIBBEAN GROUP A
Haiti captured first-place at the Caribbean First Round Group
A Qualification to the
2009 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship at the Estadio Pedro
Marrero in Havana from 27-31 May 2008.
The Les Bicolores opened the quadrangular with a
1:0 victory over Dominican Republic on 27 May, before
defeating the Bahamas
5:0 two days later.
Haiti concluded group play with a 3:0 win against Cuba on the
31 May. Also on that day, the Dominican Republic took second
place in Group A following a 7:0 victory over the Bahamas.
Haiti and the Group D victor (St.
Vincent & The Grenadines) will advance to the Caribbean
Second Round Qualifying along with winners of the remaining
three groups and the four best second-place finishers. The
Second Round will be composed of nine teams in three groups of
three scheduled for September 2008.
The top team from each triangular along with the best
second-place team will progress to the Caribbean Final Round
scheduled for December 2008.
Trinidad & Tobago will host the CONCACAF U-20 Championship
which is tentatively scheduled for January/February 2009.
COMPLETE STORY
The CONCACAF Championship will be held in a single venue for
the first time since 1996 and will not only crown a champion
but will also qualify four teams to the FIFA U-20 World Cup
Egypt 2009.
MIXED RESULTS FOR CONCACAF
TEAMS DURING FRIENDLIES
There were mixed results for CONCACAF teams in friendlies
action last week in preparation for Stage 2 of CONCACAF World
Cup Qualification.
The USA traveled to London and lost
2:0 to England on 28 May, while Honduras played to a
1:1 draw against Venezuela in Fort Lauderdale, Florida USA
two days later (30 May).
El Salvador played to a
scoreless draw against Guatemala in Washington, D.C. on 30
May, while the next day (1 June), Canada lost
3:2 to Brazil in Seattle, Washington.
Also on 1 June, Trinidad & Tobago were beaten
3:0 at home by England in Port of Spain, while Panama
topped Guatemala 1:0 in Fort Lauderdale.
CANADA & USA TO COMPTE IN PEACE
QUEEN CUP THIS MONTH
CONCACAF qualifiers, Canada and USA continue their preparation
for the Women's Olympic Football Tournament Beijing 2008 when
they travel to Suwon, Korea Republic for the Peace Queen Cup
from 14-21 June.
Canada are in Group A at the 2008 Peace Queen Cup that
consists of Argentina, Korea DPR and the hosts, Korea
Republic, while the USA will compete in Group B along with
Australia, Brazil and Italy.
2010 CONCACAF WORLD CUP
QUALIFICATION
STAGE 2
Series 1
15.06.2008: Carson, California USA; Home Depot Center (14:00)
USA - BARBADOS
22.06.2008: Bridgetown, BARBADOS; Kensington Oval (15:00)
BARBADOS - USA
Series 2
14.06.2008: Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA; Estadio Mateo
Flores (20:00)
GUATEMALA - ST. LUCIA
21.06.2008: Los Angeles, California USA; LA Memorial Coliseum
(19:00)
ST. LUCIA - GUATEMALA
Series 3
15.06.2008: Port of Spain, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO; Hasely Crawford
Stadium (16:00)
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - BERMUDA
22.06.2008: Hamilton, BERMUDA; National Sports Centre (19:30)
BERMUDA - TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
Series 4
17.06.2008: St. John's, ANTIGUA & BARBUDA; Sir Vivian Richards
Cricket Stadium (19:00)
ANTIGUA & BARBUDA - CUBA
22.06.2008: La Habana, CUBA; Estadio Pedro Marrero (17:00)
CUBA - ANTIGUA & BARBUDA
Series 5
15.06.2008: Houston, Texas USA; Reliant Stadium (15:30)
BELIZE - MEXICO
21.06.2008: Monterrey, Nuevo Leon MEXICO; Estadio
Universitario (21:00)
MEXICO - BELIZE
Series 6
15.06.2008: Kingston, JAMAICA; National Stadium (18:00)
JAMAICA - BAHAMAS
18.06.2008: Greenfield, JAMAICA; Trelawny Multi-Purpose
Stadium (16:00)
BAHAMAS - JAMAICA
Series 7
04.06.2008: San Pedro Sula, HONDURAS; Estadio Olímpico
Metropolitano (19:30)
HONDURAS - PUERTO RICO
14.06.2008: Bayamón, PUERTO RICO; Estadio Juan Ramón Loubriel
(20:00)
PUERTO RICO - HONDURAS
Series 8
15.06.2008: Kingstown, ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES; Arnos
Vale Playing Field (15:00)
ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES - CANADA
20.06.2008: Montreal, Quebec CANADA; Stade Saputo (19:30)
CANADA - ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES
Series 9
14.06.2008: St. George's, GRENADA; National Stadium (16:00)
GRENADA - COSTA RICA
21.06.2008: San José, COSTA RICA; Estadio Ricardo Saprissa
(20:00)
COSTA RICA - GRENADA
Series 10
14.06.2008: Paramaribo, SURINAM; Andres Kamperveen Stadium
(16:00)
SURINAM - GUYANA
22.06.2008: Georgetown, GUYANA; National Stadium (15:30)
GUYANA - SURINAM
Series 11
15.06.2008: Ciudad de Panamá, PANAMA; Estadio Rod Carew
(16:00)
PANAMA - EL SALVADOR
22.06.2008: San Salvador, EL SALVADOR; Estadio Cuscatlan
(18:00)
EL SALVADOR - PANAMA
Series 12
15.06.2008: Port-au-Prince, HAITI; Stade Sylvio Cator (15:00)
HAITI - NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
22.06.2008: Willemstad, NETHERLANDS ANTILLES; Ergilio Hato
Stadium (18:00)
NETHERLANDS ANTILLES - HAITI
2008-09 CONCACAF CHAMPIONS
LEAGUE™
Canadian Qualification
27.05.2008: Montréal, Quebec; Stade Saputo
IMPACT DE MONTREAL - TORONTO FC 0:1 (0:0)
17.06.2008: Montréal, Quebec; Stade Saputo
IMPACT DE MONTREAL - VANCOUVER WHITECAPS
25.06.2008: Vancouver, British Columbia; Swangard Stadium
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS - IMPACT DE MONTREAL
01.07.2008: Toronto, Ontario; BMO Field
TORONTO FC - VANCOUVER WHITECAPS
09.07.2008: Vancouver, British Columbia; Swangard Stadium
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS - TORONTO FC
22.07.2008: Toronto, Ontario; BMO Field
TORONTO FC - IMPACT DE MONTREAL
2008 CONCACAF FUTSAL
CHAMPIONSHIP
Guatemala City; GUATEMALA; Domo Polideportivo
Group A
03.06: CUBA - MEXICO (18:00)
GUATEMALA - TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (20:00)
04.06: TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - CUBA (18:00)
GUATEMALA - MEXICO (20:00)
05.06: MEXICO - TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (18:00)
GUATEMALA - CUBA (20:00)
Group B
03.06: COSTA RICA - PANAMA (10:00)
USA - HAITI (12:00)
04.06: HAITI - COSTA RICA (10:00)
PANAMA - USA (12:00)
05.06: PANAMA - HAITI (10:00)
USA - COSTA RICA (12:00)
Semifinals
07.06: B1 - A2 (14:00)
A1 - B2 (16:00)
Finals
08.06: THIRD PLACE (14:00)
CHAMPIONSHIP (16:00)
Friendlies
31.05.2008: Fortaleza, BRAZIL; Ginasio da Universidade de
Fortaleza
CANADA - UKRAINE 0:5 (0:1)
01.06.2008: Fortaleza, BRAZIL; Ginasio da Universidade de
Fortaleza
MOZAMBIQUE - CANADA 6:2 (3:2)
02.06.2008: Fortaleza, BRAZIL; Ginasio da Universidade de
Fortaleza
CANADA - COLOMBIA 1:2 (1:0)
04.06.2008: Fortaleza, BRAZIL; Ginasio da Universidade de
Fortaleza
URUGUAY - CANADA
2009 CONCACAF UNDER-20
CHAMPIONSHIP
CARIBBEAN QUALIFICATION
First Round
Group A - La Habana, CUBA; Estadio Pedro Marrero
27.05.2008: HAITI - DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 1:0 (1:0)
CUBA - BAHAMAS 5:0 (3:0)
29.05.2008: BAHAMAS - HAITI 0:5
CUBA - DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 1:1 (1:1)
31.05.2008: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - BAHAMAS 7:0
CUBA - HAITI 0:3
NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Friendlies
28.05.2008: London, ENGLAND; Wembley Stadium (A: 71233)
ENGLAND - USA 2:0 (1:0)
30.05.2008: Fort Lauderdale, Florida USA; Lockhart Stadium (A:
15000)
HONDURAS - VENEZUELA 1:1 (1:0)
30.05.2008: Washington, D.C. USA; RFK Stadium (A: 38759)
EL SALVADOR - GUATEMALA 0:0
31.05.2008: Seattle, Washington USA; Qwest Field (A: 47052)
CANADA - BRAZIL 2:3 (1:2)
01.06.2008: Port of Spain, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO; Hasely Crawford
Stadium
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - ENGLAND 0:3
01.06.2008: Fort Lauderdale, Florida USA; Lockhart Stadium
GUATEMALA - PANAMA 0:1 (0:0)
03.06.2008: Kingston, JAMAICA; National Stadium
JAMAICA - ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES
04.06.2008: Santander, SPAIN; Estadio El Sardinero
SPAIN - USA
04.06.2008: San Diego, California USA; Qualcomm Stadium
(20:00)
MEXICO - ARGENTINA
04.06.2008: Fort Lauderdale, Florida USA; (Closed Door)
CANADA - PANAMA
07.06.2008: La Ceiba, HONDURAS; Estadio Municipal (19:00)
HONDURAS - HAITI
07.06.2008: Port of Spain, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO;
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - JAMAICA
07.06.2008: Valparaíso, CHILE; Estadio Chiledeportes (19:00)
CHILE - PANAMA
08.06.2008: Chicago, Illinois USA; Soldier Field (19:00)
MEXICO - PERU
08.06.2008: East Rutherford, New Jersey USA; Giants Stadium
(19:30)
USA - ARGENTINA
09.06.2008: Willemstad, NETHERLANDS ANTILLES; Ergilio Hato
Stadium (20:00)
NETHERLANDS ANTILLES - VENEZUELA
10.06.2008: TBD, GRENADA;
GRENADA - JAMAICA
18.06.2008: Willemstad, NETHERLANDS ANTILLES; Ergilio Hato
Stadium (20:00)
NETHERLANDS ANTILLES - HONDURAS
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Friendlies
14.06.2008: Suwon, KOREA REPUBLIC; Suwon Sports Center Stadium
ARGENTINA - CANADA
15.06.2008: Suwon, KOREA REPUBLIC; Suwon Sports Center Stadium
AUSTRALIA - USA
16.06.2008: Suwon, KOREA REPUBLIC; Suwon Sports Center Stadium
KOREA REPUBLIC - CANADA
17.06.2008: Suwon, KOREA REPUBLIC; Suwon Sports Center Stadium
BRAZIL - USA
18.06.2008: Suwon, KOREA REPUBLIC; Suwon Sports Center Stadium
KOREA DPR - CANADA
19.06.2008: Suwon, KOREA REPUBLIC; Suwon Sports Center Stadium
ITALY - USA
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