CONCACAF’s categories of soccer fashioned a fantastic regional tournament at the 2002 CONCACAF Champions Cup. A highly competitive tournament run by the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), brought to life exciting encounters with elite teams battling for regional supremacy. Held in the USA, it was North America’s top club competition and draws football fans from across the region to see their favorite teams battling for a place at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Format of The Tournament
The 2002 CONCACAF Champions Cup was composed of a knockout tournament with the participation of 16 clubs from all over different countries in the confederation. The qualifying teams were the qualifiers that had finished in their domestic leagues or won their respective tournaments to qualify for the Champions League. The tournament started at the Round of 16 stage and ties were played out over two legs (home and away). It was high stakes with the winner of the tournament securing a berth to represent CONCACAF at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Among the notable teams were:
Club América (Mexico)
Monarcas Morelia (Mexico)
Alajuelense (Costa Rica)
D.C. United (United States)
Kansas City Wizards (USA)
Instant Red Hot Rivalries
This has meant that the matches in Round of Sixteen were more evenly contested as sides from different parts of the region squared off. Club América was one of the leading teams before this tournament, signing a preview. They lined up against Jamaica’s Arnett Gardens and breezed past with a 4-2 aggregate win. Mexico for their part showed the kind of attacking flair that would later become a hallmark, with goals from then-young stars like Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Jesús Mendoza.
D.C. United, meanwhile, demonstrated why they are the top Major League Soccer (MLS) club as they hardly dislodged Comunicaciones of Guatemala. The American team showed off their attacking flair, winning the series by an aggregate score of 6-2 thanks to standout performances from Marco Etcheverry and Jaime Moreno – two of MLS’ best players at that time.
Quarter-Finals: Mexico In Charge
By the time we got to the quarterfinals, this tournament was all but a Mexican coronation. In Costa Rica, Monarcas Morelia was pressed by a Saprissa team which David Patiño’s men gave the home fans great joy. Monarcas Morelia were 4-3 aggregate winners after a tightly contested two-legged tie. Star striker Adolfo Bautista played a huge role in helping his club win the Apertura, scoring vital goals when it mattered most.
The Wizards were no match for Club América, who paced to a 6-1 aggregate. The Wizards had few answers for the speed and creativity of América’s attack, led by Cuauhtemoc Blanco; it was hard to argue that any rival — not even Lionel Messi or Kaka in D.C. United vs. FC Barcelona, a week earlier — has been as good over three weeks as the 34-year-old Mexican maestro has been.
One of the biggest surprises in this year’s tournament was Costa Rica club Alajuelense knocking out D.C. United. In total, it was a 3-2 victory for the Costa Rican side as striker Rolando Fonseca had one of those days. DC United was unable to turn it around in the second leg even with a home advantage.
Semifinals: 2002 CONCACAF Champions Cup
The remaining semifinal had Monarcas Morelia square up against Pachuca, another side from Mexico that boasted a strong showing throughout the tournament. Morelia just got past Pachuca with a nail-biting 3-2 win on aggregate after ‘keeper Moises Muñoz and the consistent Adolfo Bautista were headliners of an instant classic. As a result, this laid the groundwork for an all-Mexican final which properly reflects how strong Mexico is in football right now.
The Final: A Mexican Affair
The carrying of weight for the 2002 CONCACAF Champions Cup final between Mexican giants Club América and Monarcas Morelia was massive. The final was reduced to just one game since it would ensure a more intense affair as there was no margin for error especially when players were tired during added time.
Aside from that the match was pretty much a tale of two teams in good form coming off wins at home and also notching 2 goals on their respective opponents last time around. It just took three for Cluy Blanco and Mendoza up front) To begin their reign of terror, they controlled the game from the first whistle. Monarcas Morelia, however, got a good defense and applied the weight of Bautista’s overpaying offense to try to harm The Eagles.
The game was somewhat balanced until the 79th minute when Cuauhtémoc Blanco scored his goal, which would give Club América a minimal advantage in said series. Morelia battled desperately for an equalizer, but America’s defense anchored by Duilio Davino stood firm. Sign in and Credit all photos, no GIFs (this is mandatory.
Conclusion
The 2002 CONCACAF Champions Cup featured an edge-of-your-seat, world-class football that was being played in the biggest tournament held by the region at its time. The tournament showed the power of Mexican clubs, and Club América in particular were very worthy winners. Their journey to the Championship was dogged with hardship, but through a mix of tactically sound brilliance and individual skill; along with an endless reserve of determination they emerged champions.
