Sporting KC completes road sweep; Houston survives scare
- by Ridge Mahoney @ridgemax, Aug 28, 2013
Sporting Kansas City topped Olimpia, 2-0, in Tegucigalpa, and the Dynamo rallied at home to beat Arabe Unido of Panama, 2-1. The victories gave both MLS teams 2-0 records in the 2013-14 CCL competition with two more rounds of group matches to be played.
Strong winds and heavy rain buffeted SKC throughout its match. Saad got his first goal in the 27th minute from a ball played over the top by Graham Zusi, and he salted away the win midway through the second half by converting a penalty kick awarded when a desperation tackle stopped a frenzied dribble by Dom Dwyer. Saad has scored five goals this season in all competitions.
“I can’t say enough about the performance of the team,” head coach Peter Vermes told kansascity.com. “It was fantastic.”
Houston rallied from a 1-0 deficit with an equalizing volley by Weaver in the first half and a headed winner late in the match. Seven cautions were handed out during a rough encounter in which Arabe Unido took an early lead on a penalty kick called for a foul on Mike Chabala and banged home by Abdiel Arroyo.
Weaver got both of his goals at the back post. He volleyed home a feed from Corey Ashe midway through the first half, and burned the Arabe Unido back line again with 15 minutes to play when he soared to direct Brad Davis’ flighted ball into the net.
Ashe and keeper Tally Hall helped preserve the victory by thwarting Arabe Unido attacks late in the game. Hall’s kick save stopped Orlando Rodriguez one-v-one, and Ashe blocked Enrico Small’s attempt to stuff in the rebound.
Only the eight group winners advance to the CCL quarterfinals. Sporting KC has finished its Group 2 road schedule and finishes at Sporting Park against Real Esteli of Nicaragua on Sept. 17 and Olimpia Oct. 23. Houston hosts W Connection of Trinidad & Tobago Sept. 25 and heads to Panama for the Group 1 rematch with Arabe Unido Oct. 24.
CCL WEEK 3, Results:
Tuesday, August 27
Houston Dynamo (USA) 2 Arabe Unido (PAN) 1
Olimpia (HON) 0 Sporting Kansas City (USA) 2
Cartagines (CRC) 0 Isidro Metapan (SLV) 0
CCL WEEK 3, Schedule:
Wednesday, August 28
Valencia (HAI) vs. Cruz Azul (MEX)
Heredia (GUA) vs. San Jose Earthquakes (USA)
Tijuana (MEX) vs. Luis Angel Firpo (SLV)
Thursday, August 29
Caledonia AIA (TRI) vs. Comunicaciones (GUA)
Alajuelense (CRC) vs. Club America (MEX)
CCL STANDINGS:
Group 1: Houston Dynamo 4 points; Arabe Unido 3; DirecTV W Connection 1.
Group 2: Sporting Kansas City 6 points; Olimpia 3; Real Esteli 0.
Group 3: Cruz Azul, Herediano 3 points; Valencia 0.
Group 4: Club America, Sporting San Miguelito 3 points; Alajuelense 0.
Group 5: Heredia, Montreal Impact 3 points; San Jose Earthquakes 0.
Group 6: Toluca 6 points, Caledonia AIA, Comunicaciones 0.
Group 7: Tijuana 4 points Luis Angel Firpo 1; Victoria 0.
Group 8: Cartagines 4 points; LA Galaxy 3; Isidro Metapan 1.
CCL WEEK 2: Results
Thursday, August 22
Cruz Azul (MEX) 3 Herediano (CRC) 0
Comunicaciones (GUA) 1 Toluca (MEX) 2
Sporting San Miguelito (PAN) 1 Alajuelense (CRC) 0
Wednesday, August 21
Heredia (GUA) 1 Montreal Impact (CAN) 0
Real Esteli (NCA) 0 Olimpia (HON) 1
Tuesday, August 20
DIRECTV W Connection (TRI) 0 Houston Dynamo (USA) 0
LA Galaxy (USA) 2 Cartagines (CRC) 0
Victoria (HON) 2 Tijuana (MEX) 3
CCL WEEK 1: Results
Thursday, August 8
Valencia FC (HAI) 1 Herediano (CRC) 6
Isidro Metapan (SLV) 2 Cartagines (CRC) 4
Arabe Unido (PAN) 3 DIRECTV W Connection (TRI) 1
Wednesday, August 7
Montreal Impact 1 San Jose Earthquakes 0
Sporting San Miguelito (PAN) 0 Club America (MEX) 1
Real Esteli (NCA) 0 Sporting Kansas City 2
Tuesday, August 6
Toluca (MEX) 3 Caledonia AIA (TRI) 1
Luis Angel Firpo (SLV) 0 Tijuana (MEX) 0
CCL WEEK 4: Schedule
Tuesday, September 17
Sporting Kansas City (USA) vs. Real Esteli (NCA)
Club America (MEX) vs. Sporting San Miguelito (PAN)
San Jose Earthquakes (USA) vs. Montreal Impact (CAN)
Wednesday, September 18
Caledonia AIA (TRI) vs. Toluca (MEX)
LA Galaxy (USA) vs. Isidro Metapan (SLV)
Herediano (CRC) vs. Valencia FC (HAI)
Thursday, September 19
DIRECTV W Connection (TRI) vs. Arabe Unido (PAN)
Luis Angel Firpo (SLV) vs. Victoria (HON)
CCL WEEK 5: Schedule
Tuesday, September 24
Cruz Azul FC (MEX) vs. Valencia (HAI)
Montreal Impact (CAN) vs. Heredia (GUA)
Olimpia (HON) vs. Real Esteli (NCA)
Wednesday, September 25
Houston Dynamo (USA) vs. DIRECTV W Connection (TRI)
Cartagines (CRC) vs. LA Galaxy (USA)
Comunicaciones (GUA) vs. Caledonia AIA (TRI)
Thursday, September 26
Alajuelense (CRC) vs. Sporting San Miguelito (PAN)
Tijuana (MEX) vs. Victoria (HON)
CCL WEEK 6: Schedule
Tuesday, October 22
Club America (MEX) vs. Alajuelense (CRC)
Herediano (CRC) vs. Cruz Azul (MEX)
Wednesday, October 23
Sporting Kansas City (USA) vs. Olimpia (HON)
Toluca FC (MEX) vs. Comunicaciones (GUA)
San Jose Earthquakes (USA) vs. Heredia (GUA)
Victoria (HON) vs. Luis Angel Firpo (SLV)
Thursday, October 24
Arabe Unido (PAN) vs. Houston Dynamo (USA)
Isidro Metapan (SLV) vs. LA Galaxy (USA)
