CCL Schedule Set

The schedule for KC's 2013-2014 run in the CONCACAF Champions' League were released today.  Sporting KC will have a rough start to the tournament, opening with two on the road.  The good news is that they'll get to close with 2 at home.

The tournament kicks off for KC 1 week after the All Star Game in KC.  Sporting will travel to Nicaragua to take on Real Esteli in their first match in the tournament on Wednesday, August 7th.  KC's second game will take place on Tuesday, August 27th when they'll travel to Honduras to take on Olimpia. The two road trips to Central America will put plenty of pressure on the surrounding league fixtures. 

Both of the trips are sandwiched between two league games the weekend's before.  The Nicaragua trip is sandwiched between two big Eastern Conference games against New York (August 3rd) and New England (August 10th).  Both of those games are at Sporting Park.  The trip to Honduras is sandwiched between a Friday game in Chicago on August 23rd, and a Saturday home game on the 31st against Colorado.

KC will get their two home games back to back as well.  They'll host Real Esteli on September 17th.  Sporting is off from league play the weekend before that, but have a trip up to Toronto on the 21st.

The Olimpia game, which could be very big in terms of KC's advancement, comes at a poor time in KC's league schedule.  The game is scheduled for October 23rd, right between Kansas City's home finale (18th against DC) and regular season finale (26th at Philadelphia). Hopefully KC has either advancement clinched or their league position locked in, because that could make for 3 stressful games in a week if KC doesn't.

I still believe that KC should advance from the group.  The two road games to start could make a daunting final two games at home, but they'll know exactly what they'll need to do in those two games.

8//7 Nicaragua

8/27 - Honduras
9/17 vs Esteli
10/23 vs Olimpia