2023 CONCACAF Central American Cup group stage explained

The 2023 CONCACAF Central American Cup group stage was played from 1 to 31 August 2023.[1] A total of 20 teams competed in the group stage to decide the 8 places in the knockout stage of the 2023 CONCACAF Central American Cup.[2]

Draw

The draw for the group stage was held on 8 June 2023 in Miami, Florida. The 20 involved teams were previously seeded into five pots of four teams each based on their CONCACAF Club Ranking as of 28 May 2023.[1] [3]

Pot 1
Team
Olimpia38
Saprissa47
Comunicaciones49
Alajuelense51
Pot 2
Team
Motagua53
Xelajú57
Herediano58
Cobán Imperial59
Pot 3
Team
Real España60
Independiente61
Cartaginés65
Olancho67
Pot 4
Team
Sporting San Miguelito72
Águila79
Universitario95
FAS109
Pot 5
Team
Real Estelí116
Diriangén118
Jocoro132
Verdes177

For the group stage, the 20 teams were drawn into four groups (Groups A–D) of five containing a team from each of the five pots. Teams from pot 1 were drawn first and were placed in the first position of their group, starting from Group A to Group D. The same procedure was followed for teams from pots 2, 3, 4 and 5, and they were placed in positions 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively, within the group to which they were drawn. Each group must contain no more than two clubs from the same national association.[4]

The draw resulted in the following groups:[5]

width=25%
+ Group A
width=200Team
A1 Saprissa
A2 Cobán Imperial
A3 Cartaginés
A4 Universitario
A5 Jocoro
width=25%
+ Group B
width=202Team
B1 Olimpia
B2 Xelajú
B3 Independiente
B4 FAS
B5 Real Estelí
width=25%
+ Group C
width=202Team
C1 Comunicaciones
C2 Herediano
C3 Real España
C4 Águila
C5 Diriangén
width=25%
+ Group D
width=202Team
D1 Alajuelense
D2 Motagua
D3 Olancho
D4 Sporting San Miguelito
D5 Verdes

Format

In the group stage, each group is played on a single home-and-away round-robin basis, with teams playing against each other once, for a total of four matches per team (two home and two away). The teams are ranked according to the following criteria (Regulations Article 12.10.1):[2]

  1. Points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss);
  2. Goal difference
  1. Goals scored;
  2. If two or more teams are still tied after applying the above criteria, their rankings would be determined as follows:
    1. Head-to-head points in the matches played among the tied teams;
    2. Head-to-head goal difference in the matches played among the tied teams;
    3. Head-to-head goals scored in the matches played among the tied teams;
  3. The lowest number of fairplay points, based on the following criteria:
    1. Yellow card: plus 1 point;
    2. Second yellow card/indirect red card: plus 3 points;
    3. Direct red card: plus 4 points;;
    4. Yellow card and direct red card: plus 5 points;
  4. Drawing of lots by CONCACAF.

The winners and runners-up of each group advanced to the quarter-finals of the knockout stage.

Schedule

Matches in the competition are being played on either Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday as decided by CONCACAF. The schedule of each week is as follows (Regulations Article 2).[2] [5] [6]

WeeksDatesMatches
Week 11–3 August 2023Team 1 vs. Team 3, Team 5 vs. Team 2
Week 28–10 August 2023Team 5 vs. Team 1, Team 2 vs. Team 4
Week 315–17 August 2023Team 4 vs. Team 5, Team 2 vs. Team 3
Week 422–24 August 2023Team 4 vs. Team 1, Team 3 vs. Team 5
Week 529–31 August 2023Team 1 vs. Team 2, Team 3 vs. Team 4

Groups

All match times are in EDT (UTC−4) and local times are in parentheses, as listed by CONCACAF.[6]

Group A

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Group B

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Group C

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Group D

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Draw details announced for inaugural Concacaf Central American Cup. CONCACAF. 18 May 2023. 19 May 2023.
  2. Web site: CONCACAF Central American Cup 2023 Regulations. CONCACAF. Approved on 24 February 2023. 17 July 2023. 20 July 2023.
  3. Web site: Concacaf Club Ranking as of May 28, 2023. CONCACAF. 28 May 2023. 1 June 2023.
  4. Web site: Concacaf confirms 2023 Central American Cup draw details. CONCACAF. 2 June 2023. 2 June 2023.
  5. Web site: Draw delivers groups for inaugural Concacaf Central American Cup. CONCACAF. 8 June 2023. 10 June 2023.
  6. Web site: Schedule and stadiums confirmed for 2023 Concacaf Central American Cup. CONCACAF. 16 June 2023. 17 July 2023.

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