MIAMI, Florida – A pair of Concacaf giants are set to clash as Motagua of Honduras take on Guatemala’s Comunicaciones in the Preliminary Round of the 2020 Scotiabank Concacaf League on Thursday night at the Estadio Nacional in Tegucigalpa.
Motagua are no strangers to the SCL, finishing as runners-up in the 2018 and 2019 editions. After completing the 2019/20 Honduran season with the second-best aggregate record among non-champion clubs, Motagua’s quest for a first SCL title begins against a Comunicaciones side appearing in their second SCL.
The Chapines eliminated Marathon of Honduras and fellow Guatemalan side Guastatoya to reach the quarterfinals before being eliminated by Honduran side Olimpia, but not before clinching a berth in the 2020 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League.
Comunicaciones are now back in the SCL thanks to a strong domestic campaign in which they had the best aggregate record among non-champion clubs in Guatemala.
Thursday’s affair marks the third-ever meeting for Comunicaciones against a Honduran club in the SCL, with the 2019 Preliminary Round victory over Marathon and the subsequent quarterfinal defeat to Olimpia serving as the previous encounters.
Meanwhile, Motagua last tangled with a Guatemalan club in Concacaf play in the Preliminary Round of the 2011-12 SCCL when they eliminated Municipal, 4-2.
Motagua have a plethora of weapons, with FW Rubilio Castillo and DF Juan Pablo Montes each with five career SCL goals, plus MF Matias Galvaliz and his five career SCL assists.
Comunicaciones will look to counter with danger man Alejandro Galindo, who scored four goals for Guatemala in the 2019-20 Concacaf Nations League and veteran FW Agustin Herrera, a player with 149 career goals in Guatemalan football.
Kick-off is scheduled for 10 PM ET and can be seen via TSN.ca/TSN App (Canada), TUDN (USA-Spanish), FS1 (USA-English), ESPN 2 (Central America) and Fox Sports 2 (Mexico).