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MLS Vancouver Whitecaps FC

CCL: Why Wednesday's Group Stage Finale Still Has

September 27, 2016 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Vancouver Whitecaps FC News Release


VANCOUVER, BC - As we know, Vancouver Whitecaps FC are off to the CONCACAF Champions League quarter-finals for the first time, having already locked up the top spot in Group C.

So does Wednesday's group stage finale at BC Place have any meaning?

You bet it does. Now, in addition to players "fighting for their lives" as head coach Carl Robinson has said, it's all about seeding for the Champions League quarter-finals.

Following the group stage, the eight remaining teams will be seeded based on their group stage results, with the top four seeds hosting the second leg. If Whitecaps FC beat Trinidad & Tobago's Central FC on Wednesday, they will guarantee a top four finish.

In theory, the higher the seed - the easier the matchup. In theory.

Here are the current seedings heading into this week's matches (keeping in mind some teams have played more games than others and Whitecaps FC and Panamanian side Arabe Unido are the only two teams who have secured their quarter-final berths thus far).

SEED

TEAM

GP

W

L

D

GD

PTS

1

Pachuca (Mexico)

3

3

0

0

+15

9

2

Arabe Unido (Panama)*

3

3

0

0

+5

9

3

Whitecaps FC (Canada)

3

3

0

0

+5

9

4

Saprissa (Costa Rica)

3

2

0

1

+8

7

5

New York Red Bulls (U.S.)

3

2

0

1

+4

7

6

Tigres UANL (Mexico)

2

2

0

0

+4

6

7

Pumas UNAM (Mexico)

3

2

1

0

+3

6

8

FC Dallas (U.S.)

2

1

0

1

+1

4

* Ahead of Whitecaps FC on goals for

If Whitecaps FC win on Wednesday, it's looking like they'll end up matched up against one of the group winners who have dropped points (such as Saprissa, New York Red Bulls, Pumas UNAM, or FC Dallas), but there's still a lot of soccer left to be played before we can say for certain.

The two-leg quarter-finals will take place between February 21 and March 2, 2017.

Be a part of the best sporting atmosphere in Vancouver. Get 12 per cent off 2017 Whitecaps FC Full Season Tickets from Sept. 22 - Oct 3. Click here for more information.

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Major League Soccer Stories from September 27, 2016


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