2014/15 CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Game Notes WEEK ONE – GROUP 6
Cruz Azul (Mexico) v Alajuelense (Costa Rica) Estadio Azul – Mexico City, Mexico August 5, 2014 Two of the top four finishers from the 2013/14 CONCACAF Champions League (CCL) meet in the Group 6 opener as defending champion Cruz Azul hosts Alajuelense. In April, La Maquina captured its first CCL title and record-breaking sixth Confederation club crown overall, when it topped Toluca on the away-goals rule after their two-legged final ended 1-1 on aggregate. Alajuelense fell to Toluca in the semifinals, 3-0 on aggregate. REFEREE: David Gantar (Canada); AR1: Philippe Briere (Canada); AR2: Daniel Belieau (Canada); 4th: Trevor Taylor (Barbados) SUSPENDED: Jonathan McDonald (Alajuelense) ALL-TIME CCL SERIES RECORD: first meeting
CCL COMPARISON Cruz Azul
Alajuelense
50
Games Played
20
31
Wins
10
8
Draws
3
11
Losses
7
107
Goals For
20
39
Goals Against
20
CRUZ AZUL
ALAJUELENSE
• Method of Qualification: Best record of 2014 Mexican Clausura non-finalists
• Method of Qualification: 2013 Costa Rican Invierno champion
• Previous CCL appearances (4): 2008/09, 2009/10; 2010/11; 2013/14
• Previous CCL appearances (4): 2008/09; 2011/12, 2012/13; 2013/2014
• Best CCL finish: Champion (2013/14) … Runner-up (2008/09, 2009/10)
• Best CCL finish: Semifinals (2013/14) • Won 2 CONCACAF Champions Cup titles (1986, 2004)
• Won a record 6 CONCACAF club titles (Champions Cup: 1969, 1970, 1971, 1996, 1997; CCL: 2013/14) • All-Time CCL home record: GP - 25; W - 19; D - 5; L - 1; GF - 65; GA - 11
• All-Time CCL away record: GP - 10; W - 4; D - 0; L - 6; GF - 10; GA - 16
• All-Time CCL group stage record: GP - 14; W - 9; D - 1; L - 4; GF - 16; GA – 14
• All-Time CCL group stage record: GP - 22; W - 15; D - 3; L - 4; GF - 49; GA - 19
• 3-0-0 in last 3 CCL group stage games, all shutouts
• All-Time CCL record v Costa Rican opposition: GP - 8; W - 6; D 1; L - 1; GF - 19; GA – 5 (won last four)
• All-Time CCL record v Mexican opposition: GP - 8; W - 3; D - 1; L - 4; GF - 6; GA - 12
• 4-0-0 (18 GF, 4 GA) in CCL openers
• Scored 1 goal or fewer in 7 of 8 CCL games v Mexican opposition
• Holds CCL records for most games played (50), most wins (31), most goals scored (107), most goals scored in a single CCL season (33, 2009/10)
• 1-2-1 (4 GF, 4 GA) in CCL openers
• Mariano Pavone won the 2013/14 CCL Golden Ball award
• Last 5 in CCL: L(a) L(h) W(a) D(h) W(a)
• Last 5 in CCL: D(a) D(h) W(h) L(a) W(h)
• All-Time CCL scorers: Jonathan McDonald (4 goals); Allen Guevara, Jerry Palacios (3 goals each); Pablo Gabas, Alvaro Sanchez, Luis Valle (2 goals each); Alejandro Alpizar, Diego Calvo, Argenis Fernandez, Ariel Rodriguez (1 goal each)
• 0 goals scored in last 212 minutes of CCL play
• All-Time leading CCL scorers: Javier Orozco (24 goals); Emanuel Villa (11 goals), Pablo Zeballos (9 goals); Christian Gimenez, Mariano Pavone, Cristian Riveros, Cesar Villaluz (5 goals each) www.CONCACAF.com