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SuperLiga Groups, Fixtures Announced
San Luis and Santos Laguna are among the four Mexican clubs invited to SuperLiga as tournament champions New England lead the MLS foursome.
May 15, 2009 9:35:46 AM
Chicago and San Luis will kick the tournament off on June 20 with a match at Toyota Park while Chivas USA and Tigres will play hours later at Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
Joining San Luis and Tigres from Mexico are Santos Laguna and Atlas while Kansas City and New England comprise the rest of the MLS contingent.
"SuperLiga continues to showcase the rivalry between MLS and Mexican league clubs and we expect to see intense matches once again this summer," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in a statement.
The Mexican quartet had a less-than-stellar performance in this recent Mexican league campaign, although only statistics from the Clausura and Apertura seasons from 2008 were taken into consideration in the selection process. None of the four participating teams reached the Liguilla, which started on Wednesday. Tigres, meanwhile, had a foot in the second division but survived after a season-ending draw with Morelia.
Still, FMF President Justino Compean said the tournament is one he hopes one of his teams will claim.
"We look forward to our clubs participating in SuperLiga and reclaiming the title," Compean said in a statement. "SuperLiga has been a complete success in its past editions and in such an important soccer year we expect nothing less for the 2009 version."
With the FMF's recent decision to pull out of CONMEBOL tournaments such as Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana, SuperLiga will be one of two international tournaments open to Mexican teams for the duration of 2009. The CONCACAF Champions League will kick off later this year as well. Atlante, meanwhile, will represent CONCACAF in the FIFA Club World Cup in December after having won the 2008-08 CCL.
San Luis had qualified for the quarterfinal round of Copa Libertadores but the FMF's exit from CONMEBOL cost los Gladiadores a chance at competing in the Round of 16.
GROUP A
Chicago
Chivas USA
San Luis
Tigres
GROUP B
Atlas
Kansas City
New England
Santos
Goal.com
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