CONCACAF announced today the dates and times for the 2014-15 CONCACAF Champions League group stage. Sporting Kansas City is paired with Nicaraguan club Real Esteli and Costa Rican club Deportivo Saprissa in Group 2.
For the second consecutive year, Sporting Kansas City will open the tournament on the road, playing Real Esteli on Tuesday, August 19 at 9 p.m. CT. Sporting KC defeated Real Esteli 2-0 in their CCL opener in August 2013 and drew Esteli a month later 1-1 at Sporting Park.
Following Sporting KC's road opener against Real Esteli, the defending MLS Cup champions will return home for back-to-back matches at Sporting Park. Sporting Kansas City will host Saprissa on Thursday, September 18 and Esteli on Tuesday, September 23. Both matches will kick off at 7 p.m. CT.
Tickets for both group stage home matches are included in Season Ticket Member packages. Tickets will go on sale to the general public at a later date.
Sporting Kansas City will conclude the group stage of the tournament on Thursday, October 23 against Saprissa at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Ayma. Saprissa won the 2014 Clausura in Costa Rica and are three-time CONCACAF Champions' Cup winners.
The team with the most points at the conclusion of the CCL group stage will advance to the quarterfinal round. Sporting Kansas City advanced to the quarterfinals of last year's tournament, finishing first in a group that included Real Esteli and Honduran club CD Olimpia. Sporting KC faced Mexican club Cruz Azul in the quarterfinals in March and lost 5-2 on aggregate.
Visit SportingKC.com/CCL for complete coverage of Sporting KC's run through the CONCACAF Champions League.
