Monterrey repeats as champion
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Apr 25, 2012
[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Monterrey repeated as Concacaf Champions League champion with a 3-2 aggregate victory over fellow Mexican club Santos in the final.
The Rayados won the first leg, 2-0, and trailed, 2-0, in the second leg before Neri Cardozo scored the deciding goal of the series in the 82nd minute to reduce
the deficit.
Argentine Daniel Luduena scored in the 45th minute, and Oribe Peralta had a goal in the 51st
minute to make it 2-0 for Santos.
American Herculez Gomez, who had started the first five games for Santos in the knockout stage, didn't start
Wednesday's second leg. He came on in the 56th minute for Luduena.
Monterrey is the first team to repeat since Concacaf introduced its current format for the 2008-09 season. Mexican teams
have won all four Concacaf Champions League titles and captured the last three Concacaf Champions Cup crowns.
Concacaf Champions League Champions
2009 Atlante
2010 Pachuca
2011 Monterrey
2012 Monterrey
Concacaf Champions Cup Champions
1962 Guadalajara
1963
Racing Club Haitienne
1964 no champion
1965 no champion
1966 no champion
1967 Alianza
1968 Toluca
1969 Cruz Azul
1970 Cruz Azul
1971 Cruz Azul
1972 Olimpia
1973 Transvaal
1974 Municipal
1975 Atletico Espanol
1976 Aguila
1977 Club America
1978 Univ. Guadalajara, Comunicaciones, Defence Force
1979 FAS
1980 UNAM
1981 Transvaal
1982 UNAM
1983 Atlante
1984 Violette
1985 Defence Force
1986 Alajuelense
1987 Club America
1988 Olimpia
1989 UNAM
1990 Club America
1991 Puebla
1992 Club America
1993 Saprissa
1994 Cartagines
1995 Saprissa
1996 Cruz Azul
1997 Cruz Azul
1998 D.C. United
1999 Necaxa
2000 Los Angeles Galaxy
2001 no champion
2002 Pachuca
2003 Toluca
2004 Alajuelense
2005 Saprissa
2006 Club America
2007 Pachuca
2008 Pachuca
CONCACAF should change their policy for the knock-out rounds. They should put all the Mexican team in one bracket to make sure that the two finalists are from two different nations. Otherwise, you can call it the "Mexican Champions League." I bet that there was no interest in the final game outside Mexico.
Gus Keri, if I may, I beg to disagree. Sure, I'd like to see a final and semi finals that feature clubs from different countries, too. However, the foundation to any legitimate competition -- with integrity -- has to be "May the best teams advance -- always." If that means that the "best" clubs all come from Mexico, well, so be it. I don't want artificial, manipulative scheduling just to attain possible better ratings. All of life is supposed to be about "merit." And -- there was no reason for FC Toronto to go into total collapse in their semi-final ties this year. And if the LA Galaxy really want to be "junior Galacticos," well, they'd better show it in competitions outside the MLS. These CONCACAF Club Championships bereft of MLS (US & Canadian) clubs ought to be part of what every top MLS franchise is specifically targeting in concrete mission plans. Seattle, New York Red Bulls, and Sporting Kansas City now also have to be looking to transition to this "next step." If not, these are clubs and MLS club managers who don't comprehend what they are supposed to be doing.
Carlos, you are right when the competition is well established and very popular like the UCL. But to help increase the popularity of the CCL, you need more countries in the showpiece game (the finale), until few other countries catch up with Mexico. This was used in South America in the past and served them very well.