RAPIDS LEARN CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP STAGE OPPONENTS

Colorado to face Real España of Honduras and two qualifying teams in Group B of regional tournament

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (Wednesday, May 18, 2011) – The Colorado Rapids learned on Wednesday its opponents for the 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League group stage following a draw held at the confederation’s headquarters in New York City. The Rapids will head Group B and were placed with Real España of Honduras. The other two spots in Group B will go to the winners of preliminary matchups between Santos Laguna of Mexico and Olimpia of Honduras, as well as Isidro Metapán of El Salvador and a to-be-determined team from the Caribbean.

The Preliminary Round matches will be played on July 26-28 (1st Leg) and August 2-4 (2nd Leg). The Group Stage is tentatively scheduled to begin the second week of August.

Below are the results of the draws for the Preliminary Round and the Group Stage of the tournament.

2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League

Preliminary Round (home team for first leg listed first):

Isidro Metapan (SLV) vs. Caribbean #1

Club Motagua (HON) vs. CSD Municipal (GUA)

Alianza FC (SLV) vs. FC Dallas (USA)

Santos Laguna (MEX) vs. CD Olimpia (HON)

Toronto/Vancouver (CAN) vs. Real Esteli/Walter Ferreti (NCA)

San Francisco (PAN) vs. Seattle Sounders (USA)

Morelia/Pumas UNAM (MEX) vs. Caribbean #2

CS Herediano (CRC) vs. Caribbean #3

Group Stage

Group A

LA Galaxy (USA)

LD Alajuelense (CRC)

Morelia (MEX)/Pumas UNAM (MEX) or Caribbean 2

Club Motagua (HON) or CSD Municipal (GUA)

Group B

Colorado Rapids (USA)

Real España (HON)

Santos Laguna (MEX) or Olimpia (HON)

Isidro Metapan (SLV) or Caribbean 1

Group C

Morelia (MEX) or Pumas UNAM (MEX)

Tauro FC (PAN)

Alianza FC (SLV) or FC Dallas

Toronto/Vancouver (CAN) or Esteli/Ferreti (NCA)

Group D

Monterrey (MEX)

CD Comunicaciones (GUA)

Seattle Sounders (USA) or San Francisco (PAN)

CS Herediano (CRC) or Caribbean 3

The Caribbean Football Union's three representatives will be chosen from Alpha United (Guyana), Defence Force (Trinidad & Tobago), Puerto Rico Islanders (Puerto Rico), Tempete (Haiti), which are competing in the region's Club Champions Cup.

The CONCACAF Champions League is an annual 24-team tournament that identifies the best club team from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, and the winner earns a berth in the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup, a tournament featuring the winners of the other respective continental championships, including the European Champions League and South America’s Copa Libertadores.