MIAMI, Florida – It was another exciting year in the Concacaf region for club competitions, especially with the introduction of two new tournaments: The Concacaf Central American Cup and the Concacaf Caribbean Cup.
2023 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions Cup
Everything got started in the first week in March with the Round of 16 of the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup, the final year of the 16-team format before expansion to 27 teams for the 2024 edition.
There were some eye-popping results from the very beginning, including Haitian club Violette’s 3-2 aggregate victory against Austin FC of Major League Soccer (MLS) and Motagua’s elimination of five-time Concacaf champions Pachuca in the Round of 16.
Liga MX side Atlas also completed an amazing comeback from being down 4-1 on aggregate against Olimpia of Honduras to win 5-4.
Ultimately, Club Leon of Liga MX and Los Angeles FC of MLS were the two sides that made their way to the Final, with each trying to claim the title for the first time.
Club Leon dominated the first leg at home and led 2-0, only for LAFC to score a late goal to set up a dramatic second leg in Los Angeles. Club Leon never wavered, and a first half goal held up the rest of the way for Club Leon to win 3-1 on aggregate to earn their first Concacaf title.
Club Leon’s Victor Davila and Fidel Ambriz was on the Best Player and Best Young Player awards, respectively, while LAFC FW Denis Bouanga finished as the Top Scorer with seven goals.
2023 Concacaf Caribbean Club Shield
The club competitions scene then shifted to Saint Kitts and Nevis in early August for the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Club Shield. At stake were two berths in the 2023 Caribbean Cup and right away Robinhood of Suriname staked their claim as the team to beat, as they tore through the group stage with three wins from three matches and 11 goals scored.
That was just the beginning, as Robinhood defeated Puerto Rico’s Metropolitan 5-0 in the semifinals before downing Martinique’s Golden Lion 5-1 in the Final to win their second Shield title. Shaquille Cairo was the star of the show for Robinhood, with 10 goals, including a brace in the Final.
2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup
Robinhood’s Shield victory propelled them forward in the Caribbean Cup, which started in late August, as a dazzling display from Cairo in the group stage with five goals gave Robinhood a first-place finish in Group B.
In Group A, Shaniel Thomas of Jamaican club Cavalier was just as lethal in scoring seven goals and he would go on to score an eighth to lead Cavalier to a 5-0 semifinal aggregate win against fellow Jamaican club Harbour View.
Robinhood’s journey to the Final was much more perilous, as they needed a last-minute goal from Franklin Singodikromo to earn a 1-1 draw on aggregate with Moca FC of the Dominican Republic, whom they would defeat in a penalty shootout.
In the Final, Robinhood would get the job done, winning 3-0 on aggregate against Cavalier thanks in part to Singodikromo’s goal and assist in a 2-0 second leg win in Jamaica.
Thomas finished as the Top Scorer with eight goals, while Robinhood’s Renski Adipi claimed Best Player honors. Robinhood’s victory also earned them a place in the Round of 16 in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup.
2023 Central American Cup
Costa Rican club Alajuelense also qualified directly to the Round of 16 of the 2024 Champions Cup as winners of the 2023 Central American Cup.
The path to the title started in the first week of August, with Alajuelense emerging as the only team to win all four matches in the group stage.
Much was at stake in the quarterfinal round, as the winner of each match-up automatically qualified for the 2024 Champions Cup. Real Esteli of Nicaragua, who had topped Honduran giants Olimpia in the group stage, took out another former Concacaf champion in the quarterfinals, eliminating Costa Rica’s Saprissa 3-2 on aggregate.
Herediano of Costa Rica and CAI of Panama, plus Alajuelense, were the other teams to punch their 2024 Champions Cup tickets and reach the semifinal stage. Alajuelense got a last-second goal from Joel Campbell to draw fellow Costa Rican club Herediano 4-4 in the semifinal, forcing a penalty shootout that they won to advance to the Final.
Meanwhile, Real Esteli once again showed their strength in defeating CAI 3-2 on aggregate to reach the first ever Concacaf Final for a Nicaraguan club.
It was a Final to remember between Alajuelense and Real Esteli, with Alajuelense powering their way to a 3-0 win in Nicaragua in the first leg. Real Esteli never stopped fighting though, and made things interesting in the second leg, playing to a 1-1 draw.
In the end, though, the spoils belonged to Alajuelense 4-1 on aggregate, to win their first Concacaf title since the 2020 Concacaf League.
Alajuelense’s Aaron Suarez took home the Best Player Award, while Motagua’s Agustin Auzmendi finished as the Top Scorer with seven goals.
