D.C. United has been drawn into Group H for the 2015-16 CONCACAF Champions League.
Alongside D.C. United in Group H are Club Deportivo Árabe Unido from Panama and Montego Bay United FC from Jamaica.
The draw, which was held in Miami, placed three teams in each of the eight groups.
D.C. United was one of five MLS teams that qualified for the tournament. The other four were the LA Galaxy, Seattle Sounders FC, Real Salt Lake and the Vancouver Whitecaps.
CD Árabe Unido, which won the spring season--the Clausura--of the top division in Panama on May 30, will depend on the feet of 21-year-old Abdiel Arroyo and 25-year-old Renán Addles. Arroyo led the team with 9 goals in 31 appearances this year, while Addles has scored 5 goals in 20 appearances since leaving Plaza Amador and joining Árabe Unido midseason.
Montego Bay United, the winners of the Jamaican Red Stripe Premier League last year, lost 2-0 to Arnett Gardens in the championship last night to finish as runners-up this season.
They are led by 25-year-old forward Dino Williams with 12 goals. Williams does not work alone however, as fellow forwards Allan Ottey had 10 goals and Lesly St. Fleur had 7 goals for Montego Bay.
All 24 teams will play each team in their group twice, once at home and once on the road, spanning from August until October. The top team from each group advances to the knockout rounds held early next year, and the eventual winner earns a berth in the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup in Japan in December of 2016.
This will be the second consecutive year that D.C. United has qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League group stage. Before last year, they qualified in 2009-2010 by winning the 2008 U.S. Open Cup.
The irony with this draw is that D.C. United drew a team from Panama (Tauro F.C.) and a team from Jamaica (Waterhouse) last year. They advanced out of the group stage, but lost in the quarterfinals to Costa Rican side Liga Deportiva Alajuelense.
The full schedule for the tournament will be disclosed at a later date.
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">GROUP A</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">W Connection F.C. (TRI)</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">Deportivo Saprissa (CRC)</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">Santos Laguna (MEX) </span></span></span></span> |
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">GROUP E </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">C.D. Walter Ferreti (NCA) </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">C.D. Motagua (HON) </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">Club América (MEX) </span></span></span></span> |
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">GROUP B</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">Isidro Metapan (SLV) </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">Herediano (CRC)</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tigres UANL (MEX) </span></span></span></span> |
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">GROUP F </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vancouver Whitecaps (CAN) </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">C.D. Olimpia (HON)</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seattle Sounders FC (USA) </span></span></span></span> |
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">GROUP C </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">Verdes FC (BLZ)</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">San Francisco FC (PAN) </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">Queretaro (MEX)</span></span></span></span> |
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">GROUP G </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">Santa Tecla (SLV) </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">Municipal (GUA) </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">Real Salt Lake (USA) </span></span></span></span> |
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">GROUP D</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">Central FC (TRI) </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">Comunicaciones FC (GUA) </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">LA Galaxy (USA)</span></span></span></span> |
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">GROUP H</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">Montego Bay United (JAM)</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">C.D. Arabe Unido (PAN) </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-998a05ba-b5a0-0151-49ff-2c5d6779c0af"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">D.C. United (USA)</span></span></span></span> |
