The Portland Timbers will face against Honduras giant CD Marathon in the 2021 edition of the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League . In this version of the tournament, it will be a two-legged round of 16 teams with the first leg to be played between April 6-8 and the second leg on April 13-15.
CD Marathon is a team based in the city of San Pedro Sula and plays in their own venue called Estadio Yankel Rosenthal, where the Green Monsters call home and considered by many CONCACAF national and professional teams as a tough venue to play.
The Green Monster or Green Bellies, are currently atop of the Liga Nacional with a record of five wins, one draw, and no losses under Argentinian manager Hector Vargas.
Once again, the Rose City side will once again face manager Hector Vargas not a stranger to MLS clubs such as the Portland Timbers, that eliminating them in SCCL five years ago, when he then managed Club Deportivo Olimpia.
As manager Hector Vargas states in an interview recently in this city’s main newspaper about the easiness to have an MLS foe is a chance to advance with no problems in this competition.
This trip to SCCL will the third for the Portland Timbers when they qualified after defeating Orlando City SC 2-1 on August 11th, 2020. In Portland’s eight seasons in the league, Portland has qualified in 2014-15 being eliminated by Club Deportivo Olimpia and in 2016-17 being eliminated by Deportivo Saprissa.
Portland is one of four teams from the United States to qualify for the 2021 SCCL, joined by Columbus Crew SC (2020 MLS Cup champions), The Philadelphia Union (2020 Supporter’s Shield Champions), and Atlanta United FC (2019 U.S Open Cup champions).
The Round of 16 will be followed by home and away quarterfinal matches in late April and early May, semifinals in August and September, and a single leg SCCL final in October.
For the Round of 16, the highest-ranked club in each matchup will play the first leg away and the second leg at home. For the quarterfinals, the Round of 16 winners of matchups 1, 3, 5, and 7 will play the first leg away and the second leg at home. For the semifinals, the two best performing clubs in the earlier rounds of the competition will play the first leg away and the second leg at home.
The single-leg final will be hosted by the best performing club of the two finalists in the earlier rounds of the 2021 SCCL (based on wins, draws, and, if required, goal difference).
2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Schedule Windows
Round of 16: April 6-8 (first leg) and April 13-15 (second leg)
Quarterfinals: April 27-29 (first leg) and May 4-6 (second leg)
Semifinals: Aug. 10-12 (first leg) and Sept. 14-16 (second leg)
Final: Oct. 26-28 (single leg)
Concacaf will announce a complete schedule, including kickoff times and other details.
Source: Portland Timbers Communications
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