MIAMI, Florida – A pair of teams making their first foray into the Concacaf Champions Cup will meet on Thursday in the first leg of Round One, as Moca FC of the Dominican Republic host MLS side Nashville SC at the Estadio Cibao in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.

Nashville SC are in the Champions Cup by virtue of their runner-up finish in the 2023 Leagues Cup. The MLS team boast one of the strongest squads in the Eastern Conference and now will get their first taste of Concacaf action.

Moca out to make Dominican Republic Champions Cup history

Leading the way is talented MF Hany Mukhtar, who pocketed MLS Most Valuable Player honors for the 2022 season and then followed that up with 15 goals and 11 assists in 2023. New arrival Tyler Boyd should also help in attack after scoring seven goals and contributing four assists last season with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Nashville SC are also quite strong in defense, notably at center back with United States Men’s National Team Players Walker Zimmerman at center back and Shaq Moore at right back.

Moca qualified for their first Champions Cup by finishing in Third-Place in the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup.

Moca used a stifling defense and timely goal-scoring to reach the knockout stage of that tournament, as they conceded just three goals in their four group stage games.

In attack, Gustavo Ascona was a headache for opposing defenses in scoring four goals, while Victor Sanchez was also threat in notching two goals.

Match Officials Moca FC (DOM) vs Nashville SC (USA)

REF:         BRYAN LOPEZ (Guatemala)

AR1:         JUAN CARLOS MORA (Costa Rica)

AR2:         WILLIAM CHOW (Costa Rica)

4TH:         ISMAEL CORNEJO (El Salvador)

VAR:        GUILLERMO PACHECO (Mexico)

VAR1:      OSCAR MACIAS (Mexico)