2011 in CONCACAF

The year of 2011 in CONCACAF marked the 48th year of CONCACAF competitions.

Main article: 2011 in association football

Events

Men

Javier Hernandez, of Mexico, earned the Golden boot in the 2011 Gold Cup, scoring seven goals in the tournament, including a hat trick against El Salvador.

From 5 June through 25 June, CONCACAF hosted its eleventh biannual regional tournament, the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Hosted in the United States, it was the fourth-consecutive tournament that the Gold Cup was solely held in the United States. The Gold Cup saw Mexico earn their sixth Gold Cup honor, by defeating tournament hosts, and longtime rivals, the United States, by a 4–2 scoreline. The Mexican team earned their way into the finals through the virtue of winning Group A with a perfect 3–0–0 record, prior to defeating Guatemala and Honduras in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. The U.S. team, finished as runners-up in 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Group C after posting a record of two wins, a loss and no draws. In the knockout stage, the U.S. defeated Group B winners, Jamaica by 2–0 scoreline, before defeating Group C winners, Panama 1–0 in the semifinals.

• 18 June – 10 July — 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico
  •  Mexico
  •  Uruguay
  •  Germany
  • 4th:  Brazil

Women

• 2 – 9 March — 2011 Algarve Cup in Portugal
  •  United States
  •  Iceland
  •  Japan
  • 4th:  Sweden
• 26 June – 17 July — 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany
  •  Japan
  •  United States
  •  Sweden
  • 4th:  France

News

• CONCACAF representative Chuck Blazer step down from his position.
• In the United States and Canada, Major League Soccer expanded from 16 to 18 clubs by adding franchises in Portland, Oregon and Vancouver British Columbia. The clubs are the Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC, respectively and retain their historical names dating back to the 1970s.

Continental champions

Champions League

Main articles: 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League and 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League

Real Salt Lake became the first MLS club to make the Champions League Finals.

In April 2011, the 2011 CONCACAF Champions League Finals was contested between Monterrey of the Mexican Primera División, and Real Salt Lake of the United States and Canada's Major League Soccer to determine the champion of the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League. The finals, made it the first time in the Champions League-era that the final was not an all-Mexican affair. The final also marked the first time since 2000 that an MLS club made it to the continental finals. The two-legged series ended in Monterrey's favor, defeating Salt Lake 3–2 on aggregate.

That same month, the final stage of the 2011 CFU Club Championship was contested as the Puerto Rico Islanders won their third Caribbean club title, defeating Haiti's Tempête FC in the final. With Guyana's Alpha United defeating Trinidad and Tobago's Defence Force, the 2011–12 Champions League will feature Caribbean clubs from outside of Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago.

In July 2011, the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League began with the Preliminary Round being held. The following month, the group stage of the tournament began. For the first time ever in a meaningful competition, an American soccer team defeated a Mexican soccer club on Mexican soil, as FC Dallas defeated UNAM 1–0.[1] During the same round of group matches, Seattle Sounders FC became the second American club to defeat a Mexican team in Mexico, this time beating the defending 2010–11 champions, Monterrey by an identical 1–0 scoreline.[2]

2010–11 Bracket

	Quarterfinals						Semifinals						Finals
	Toluca	0	0	0
	Monterrey	1	1	2
							Monterrey	2	1	3
							Cruz Azul	1	1	2
	Cruz Azul	2	3	5
	Santos Laguna	0	1	1
													Monterrey	2	1	3
													Real Salt Lake	2	0	2
	Columbus Crew	0	1	1
	Real Salt Lake	0	4	4
							Real Salt Lake	2	1	3
							Saprissa	0	2	2
	Saprissa	1	2	3
	Olimpia	0	1	1

SuperLiga

After four seasons of the North American SuperLiga, the tournament was discontinued, with MLS commissioner Don Garber commissioner stating that “SuperLiga was a great tournament which served its purpose during its time. CONCACAF got more and more committed to a continental tournament with the Champions League, which we’re very supportive of. It has delivered the value we intended in SuperLiga to put our teams against the best competition in this region.”[3]

Prior to the cancellation of the tournament, the SuperLiga had a format very similar to UEFA's Europa League in which the best clubs in the U.S. and Mexico not to qualify for the Champions League earned a berth into the tournament. The final SuperLiga championship involved Morelia of Mexico defeating New England Revolution of the United States, 2–1.

CFU Club championship

Main article: 2011 CFU Club Championship

The Puerto Rico Islanders, picture above, won their second-consecutive Caribbean club championship.

Puerto Rico Islanders won the 2011 edition of the CFU Club Championship, making it both their second ever CFU Club title and their second-consecutive subcontinental championship. Played at Providence Stadium in Providence, Guyana on 27 May, the Islanders defeated Tempête of Haiti, 3–1, in extra time, to win the CFU Club Championship. Puerto Rico's Jay Needham scored for the Islanders in the 34th minute of regulation, while Tempête's Junior Charles scored in the 42nd minute. In extra time, Puerto Rico's Jonathan Faña netted in the 100th and 113th minute of play.[4] For reaching the finals, both Puerto Rico Islanders and Tempête FC qualified into the preliminary round of the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League.

The third place match also determined the final entrant into the Champions League. There, Guyana's Alpha United became the first Guyanese club to qualify for the Champions League by defeating Trinidad and Tobago's Defence Force 4–3 in a penalty shoot-out.

Bracket

	Semi-finals				Final
	Tempête (pen.)	0 (4)
	Defence Force	0 (2)
					Tempête	1
					PR Islanders (a.e.t.)	3
	Alpha United	1
	PR Islanders (a.e.t.)	3
					Third place
					Defence Force	1 (3)
					Alpha United (pen.)	1 (4)

World Football Challenge

Main article: 2011 World Football Challenge

Table

Team	Pld	W	WPk	LPk	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Real Madrid	3	3	0	0	0	9	2	+7	17
Manchester United	3	3	0	0	0	9	3	+6	17
Manchester City	3	2	1	0	0	5	2	+3	13
Juventus	3	2	0	0	1	3	2	+1	9
Barcelona	3	1	0	0	2	4	6	−2	7
Guadalajara	3	1	0	0	2	4	5	−1	6
MLS Western^[N]	3	0	0	1	2	4	7	−3	4
MLS Eastern^[O]	3	0	0	0	3	3	10	−7	3
América	3	0	0	0	3	0	5	−5	0

Colors: Green = champion
Source: World Football Challenge Standings

Results for CONCACAF clubs

All times are in the EDT time zone (UTC−4) (Local Times in parentheses).[5]

2011 World Football Challenge

Results of CONCACAF clubs New England Revolution v Manchester United 13 July 2011 New England Revolution 1–4 Manchester United Gillette Stadium, Foxborough 20:00 (20:00 UTC−4) Mansally  56' Report Owen  51' Macheda  54', 61' Park  80' Attendance: 51,523 Referee: Mark Geiger América v Manchester City 16 July 2011 América 0–2 Manchester City AT&T Park, San Francisco 20:00 (17:00 UTC−7) Report McGivern  17' Wright-Phillips  27' Attendance: 11,250 Referee: Hilario Grajeda Los Angeles Galaxy v Real Madrid 16 July 2011 Los Angeles Galaxy 1–4 Real Madrid Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles 22:00 (19:00 UTC−7) Cristman  67' Report Callejón  31' Joselu  40' Ronaldo  53' Benzema  58' Attendance: 56,211 Referee: Jorge Gonzalez Vancouver Whitecaps v Manchester City 18 July 2011 Vancouver Whitecaps 1–2 Manchester City Empire Field, Vancouver 22:00 (19:00 UTC−7) Sanvezzo  30' Report Guidetti  68' Wright-Phillips  84' Attendance: 24,074 Referee: Mauricio Navarro Guadalajara v Real Madrid 20 July 2011 Guadalajara 0–3 Real Madrid Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego 23:00 (20:00 UTC−7) Report Ronaldo  73', 76' (pen.), 82' Attendance: 38,211 Referee: Ricardo Salazar Chicago Fire v Manchester United 23 July 2011 Chicago Fire 1–3 Manchester United Soldier Field, Chicago 17:00 (16:00 UTC−5) Gibbs  13' Report Rooney  66' Rafael  75' Nani  82' Attendance: 61,308 Referee: Terry Vaughn Philadelphia Union v Real Madrid 23 July 2011 Philadelphia Union 1–2 Real Madrid Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia 21:00 (21:00 UTC−4) M. Farfan  80' Report Callejón  2' Özil  11' Attendance: 57,305 Referee: Alex Prus Los Angeles Galaxy v Manchester City 24 July 2011 Los Angeles Galaxy 1–1 (6–7 p) Manchester City The Home Depot Center, Carson 16:00 (13:00 UTC−7) Magee  53' Report Balotelli  20' (pen.) Attendance: 24,897 Referee: Ricardo Salazar Penalties Keat Birchall Juninho Dunivant Stephens McBean Gonzalez McCarty DeLaGarza Milner Weiss Suárez Kolarov Guidetti Lescott De Jong Wright-Phillips Hart Juventus v América 26 July 2011 Juventus 1–0 América Citi Field, Flushing, Queens 19:30 (19:30 UTC−4) Pasquato  42' Report Attendance: 20,859 Referee: Jorge Gonzalez Juventus v Guadalajara 28 July 2011 Juventus 1–0 Guadalajara Carter–Finley Stadium, Raleigh 20:00 (20:00 UTC−4) Quagliarella  12' Report Attendance: 16,124 Referee: Mark Kadlecik Barcelona v Guadalajara 3 August 2011 Barcelona 1–4 Guadalajara Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens 20:00 (20:00 UTC−4) Villa  3' Report Fabián  60', 63' Casillas  72' Verduzco  90+3' Attendance: 70,080 Referee: Baldomero Toledo Barcelona v América 6 August 2011 Barcelona 2–0 América Cowboys Stadium, Arlington 16:00 (15:00 UTC−5) Villa  24' Keita  90' Report Attendance: 60,087 Referee: Ricardo Salazar

Domestic league champions and premiers

List of champions

Men's

The following list contains the champion of every men's association football league in the CONCACAF region.

Nation	League	Champion	Title	Last Honor
Anguilla	2010–11 AFA League	Kicks United	2nd	2007
Antigua and Barbuda	2010–11 Antigua and Barbuda Premier Division	Parham FC	4th	2003
Aruba	2010–11 Aruban Division di Honor	Racing Club Aruba	7th	2008
Bahamas	2011 BFA Senior League	IM Bears FC	4th	2010
Barbados	2011 Barbados Premier Division	Youth Milan	2nd	2006
Belize	2010–11 Belize Premier Football League	Belize Defence Force	2nd	2010
Bermuda	2010–11 Bermudian Premier Division	North Village Community Club	8th	2006
British Virgin Islands	2011 British Virgin Islands Championship	Islanders FC	2nd	2010
Cayman Islands	2010–11 Cayman Islands League	Elite SC	2nd	2009
Costa Rica	2011 Verano^[A]	Alajuelense	26th	2010
	2011 Invierno^[B]	TBD	TBD	TBD
Cuba	2010–11 Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Cuba	Villa Clara	11th	2004
Curaçao	2010–11 Sekshon Pagá
Dominica	2010–11 Dominica Premiere League
Dominican Republic	2011 Primera División de Republica Dominicana
El Salvador	2011 Clausura^[C]	Alianza	10th	2004
	2011 Apertura^[D]	TBD	TBD	TBD
French Guiana	2010–11 French Guiana Championnat National	Matoury	3rd	2006
Grenada	2011 Grenada Premier Division	Hard Rock FC	1st	—
Guadeloupe	2010–11 Guadeloupe Division d'Honneur	Moulien	3rd	2009
Guatemala	2010–11 Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala	Comunicaciones	24th^[E]	2008
Guyana	2011 GFF National Super League	Alpha United	3rd	2010
Haiti	2010–11 1. Ligue Haïtienne	Aigle Noir	4th	1970
Honduras	2010–11 Honduran Liga Nacional	Olimpia	23rd	2010
Jamaica	2010–11 National Premier League	Tivoli Gardens	5th	2009
Martinique	2010–11 Martinique Championnat National	Club Colonial	19th	1972
Mexico	2011 Clausura^[F]	UNAM	7th	2009
	2011 Apertura^[G]	TBD	TBD	TBD
Montserrat	2011 Montserrat Championship	Competition not held
Nicaragua	2011 Clausura^[H]	Real Estelí	10th	2010
	2011 Apertura^[I]	TBD	TBD	TBD
Panama	2011 Clausura^[J]	San Francisco	7th	2009
	2011 Apertura^[K]	TBD	TBD	TBD
St. Kitts and Nevis	2010–11 SKNFA Premier League	St Paul's United	3rd	2009
St. Lucia	2011 Saint Lucia Gold Division	VSADC	7th	2002
St. Martin	2010–11 Saint-Martin Championships	Junior Stars	11th	2003
St. Vincent and the Grenadines	2010–11 NLA Premier League	Avenues United	2nd	2010
Sint Maarten	2010–11 Sint Maarten League	No competition held
Suriname	2010–11 Hoofdklasse	Inter Moengotapoe	3rd	2008
Trinidad and Tobago	2010–11 TT Pro League	Defence Force	21st	1999
Turks and Caicos Islands	2010–11 MFL League	Provopool FC	1st	—
United States and Canada	2011 Major League Soccer	Los Angeles Galaxy	3rd	2005
U.S. Virgin Islands	2010–11 U.S. Virgin Islands Championship	Competition not held

Women's

The following list contains the champion of every women's association football league in the CONCACAF region.

Nation	League	Champion	Title	Last Honor
Canada and United States	2011 W-League^[M]	Atlanta Silverbacks Women	1st	—
United States	2011 Women's Professional Soccer	Western New York Flash	1st	—

List of premiers

Some CONCACAF nations determine their league champion through a post-season tournament. This list reflects on the team that won the premiership, often known as the team with the best regular season record. In seasons which the Apertura and Clasura and used to create an aggregate/relegation table for the season, the team with the better aggregate record is listed as the premier.

Nation	League	Premier	Title	Last Honor
Aruba	2010–11 Aruban Division di Honor	Racing Club Aruba	9th	2004
Belize	2010–11 Belize Premier Football League	Belize Defence Force	2nd	2010
British Virgin Islands	2011 British Virgin Islands Championship	Islanders FC	2nd	2010
Costa Rica	2011 Verano^[A]	Saprissa	18th	2008
	2011 Invierno^[B]	TBD	TBD	TBD
Cuba	2010–11 Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Cuba	Camagüey	1st	—
El Salvador	2011 Clausura^[C]	Alianza	2nd	2001
	2011 Apertura^[D]	TBD	TBD	TBD
Guatemala	2010–11 Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala	Municipal	8th	2009
Haiti	2010–11 1. Ligue Haïtienne	Tempête	4th	2005
Honduras	2010–11 Honduran Liga Nacional	Olimpia	20th	2008
Mexico	2011 Clausura^[F]	UANL	1st	—
	2011 Apertura^[G]	TBD	TBD	TBD
Nicaragua	2011 Clausura^[H]	Real Estelí	8th	2009
	2011 Apertura^[I]	TBD	TBD	TBD
Panama	2011 Clausura^[J]	Atlético Chiriquí	1st	—
	2011 Apertura^[K]	TBD	TBD	TBD
St. Kitts and Nevis	2010–11 SKNFA Premier League	St Paul's United	3rd	2009
Suriname	2010–11 Hoofdklasse	WBC	1st	—
United States and Canada	2011 Major League Soccer	Los Angeles Galaxy	4th	2010
U.S. Virgin Islands	2010–11 U.S. Virgin Islands Championship	Unique FC^[L]	1st	—

Domestic cup champions

Several CONCACAF nations, most notably nations that do not use the Apertura/Clasura system host a domestic knockout cup that parallels the league seasons. These cups are open to all divisions of each nation's respective pyramid.

Men's

Nation	Competition	Champion	Title	Last Honor
Aruba	2011 Torneo Copa Betico Croes
Belize	2010–11 Bahamas President's Cup	Cavalier FC	3rd	2010
Canada	2011 Canadian Championship	Toronto FC	3rd	2010
Suriname	2011 Surinamese Cup	Inter Moengotapoe	1st	—
United States	2011 U.S. Open Cup	Seattle Sounders	3rd	2010

Women's

Nation	Competition	Champion	Title	Last Honor
United States	2011 U.S. National Women's Cup	St. Louis JB Marine	1st	—

Deaths

Footnotes

A. ^ The 2011 Costa Rican Verano is part of the 2010–11 Costa Rican Primera División season.[6]

B. ^ The 2011 Costa Rican Invierno is part of the 2011–12 Costa Rican Primera División season.

C. ^ The 2011 Salvadoran Clausura is part of the 2010–11 Salvadoran Primera División.

D. ^ The 2011 Salvadoran Apertura is part of the 2011–12 Salvadoran Primera División.

E. ^ Guatemala's Comunicaciones won both the 2011 Apertura and Clausura titles.

F. 

G. 

H. 

I. 

J. 

K. 

L. ^ The U.S. Virgin Islands Championship hosted respective regular seasons for each island's soccer league, but a tournament to determine the champion was not held.

M. ^ The W-League, though the second division women's soccer league in the United States is the top division of women's soccer in Canada.

N. ^ In the 2011 World Football Challenge, Canadian MLS club Vancouver Whitecaps FC and American MLS clubs Los Angeles Galaxy and Seattle Sounders FC represented the MLS Western team.[7]

O. ^ In the 2011 World Football Challenge, American MLS clubs Chicago Fire, New England Revolution, Philadelphia Union represented the MLS Eastern Team.[7]

References

1. "Dallas beats Pumas, earns first MLS win in Mexico". CONCACAF. CONCACAF.com. 17 August 2011. Archived from the original on 3 July 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
2. Mayers, Joshua (23 August 2011). "Sounders FC pulls off historic win in Mexico, beating Monterrey, 1–0". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 14 January 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
3. Borg, Simon (29 March 2011). "World Football Challenge builds upon SuperLiga". mlssoccer.com. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
4. "Puerto Rico v. Tempete". CONCACAF. CONCACAF.GlobalSportsMedia.com. Archived from the original on 8 August 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
5. "World Football Challenge Schedule". MLS. Major League Soccer. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
6. Stokkermans, Karel (28 September 2011). "Costa Rica 2010/11". Rec.Sport.Soccer. Statistics Foundation. RSSSF.com. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
7. "World Football Challenge Rules of Competition" (PDF). Major League Soccer. MLSSoccer.com. Retrieved 26 October 2011.