All-Tricolor Champions' Cup Finale begins this week
For only the third time in the long history of the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup™ the final will be between two Mexican clubs as the Águilas of Club América and Diablos Rojos of CD Toluca begin their quest for the 2006 crown this week.
The first leg of the two-game final takes place tomorrow, Wednesday 12 April, as CD Toluca, who eliminated last year’s CONCACAF champions Deportivo Saprissa of Costa Rica in the semifinals, play host Club América at the Estadio Nemesio Diez in Toluca, Estado de México.
The return-leg of the final is scheduled to take place at Ciudad de México’s Estadio Azteca on 19 April, as Club América, who knocked off Costa Rica's LD Alajuelense in the semis, stages their first Champions’ Cup Final since 1990.
The Champions’ Cup victor will also qualify to the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2006, while the Champions’ Cup Runner-up will be one of the three CONCACAF invitees to the Copa Nissan Sudamericana later this year.
The last time the Águilas and Diablos Rojos met in the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup™ was in the semifinals series of the 2003 tournament. After Club América took the first-leg 4:1 on 30 April, CD Toluca evened the series with a 3:0 victory in the second-leg and then scored the game-winner in extra time on 14 May. The Diablos Rojos went onto win their second CONCACAF Champions’ Cup™ in 2003.
The 2006 CONCACAF Champions’ Cup™ Final will be CD Toluca’s first appearance since winning the title in 2003. Before 2003, the Diablos Rojos claimed the 1968 CONCACAF title and then reached the finals of 1998 tournament.
Meanwhile, Club América is in their first Champions’ Cup Final since capturing the CONCACAF title in 1992. The Águilas have competed in four Champions’ Cup Finals (1977, 1987, 1990, 1992) winning each one.
The 2006 CONCACAF Champions’ Cup™ is being broadcast on television by the FoxSports International regional programming channels (Fox Soccer Channel – USA; FoxSports en Español – USA; Fox Sports Latin America Northern Cone – Caribbean, Central America & Mexico).
The CONCACAF Champions’ Cup™ is the longest running international club competition in the region and has crowned the champion club of the Confederation since its inception in 1962.