Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Club America's soccer marathon
Club America's extraordinary marathon continues this week as the Mexican club face two games in three days 7,400 km apart.
America, who beat arch-rivals Guadalajara 1-0 away on Sunday to reach the Mexican championship final, travel to Brazil to face Santos in a Libertadores Cup quarter-final second leg on Wednesday night.
After a two-hour bus trip to Sao Paulo followed by a nine-hour flight back to Mexico City, they then take on Pachuca in the first leg of the Mexican final on Friday barely 48 hours later.
They second leg is away to Pachuca on Sunday and, if they beat Santos, they will play the first leg of their Libertadores Cup semi-final the following week.
Although not part of the South American Football Confederation (CSF), Mexico's clubs have taken part in the Libertadores Cup since 1998.
The Mexican federation, however, has failed to allow for the Libertadores in its calendar, creating a clash between the final stages of the South American competition and the knockout stages of the domestic championship, in which teams play twice a week.
America, who beat arch-rivals Guadalajara 1-0 away on Sunday to reach the Mexican championship final, travel to Brazil to face Santos in a Libertadores Cup quarter-final second leg on Wednesday night.
After a two-hour bus trip to Sao Paulo followed by a nine-hour flight back to Mexico City, they then take on Pachuca in the first leg of the Mexican final on Friday barely 48 hours later.
They second leg is away to Pachuca on Sunday and, if they beat Santos, they will play the first leg of their Libertadores Cup semi-final the following week.
Although not part of the South American Football Confederation (CSF), Mexico's clubs have taken part in the Libertadores Cup since 1998.
The Mexican federation, however, has failed to allow for the Libertadores in its calendar, creating a clash between the final stages of the South American competition and the knockout stages of the domestic championship, in which teams play twice a week.
