CONCACAF Champions League dates set

NEW YORK (AFP) –

David Beckham and other members of the Los Angeles Galaxy celebrate a goal during their 3-1 victory against the Houston Dynamo on December 1, 2012 in Carson, California. Two-time defending champion Monterrey and Major League Soccer champion Los Angeles Galaxy will open on the road in the CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final schedule unveiled on Wednesday.

Two-time defending champion Monterrey and Major League Soccer champion Los Angeles Galaxy will open on the road in the CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final schedule unveiled.

The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football two-leg playoff round opens March 5 with Santos Laguna of Mexico at Houston Dynamo, according to the schedule unveiled on Wednesday.

Mexican side Monterrey, third at this month’s FIFA Club World Cup in Japan, will visit Xelaju of Guatemala on March 6 for its first leg with Tigres of Mexico at the MLS Seattle Sounders the same night.

The Galaxy will visit Costa Rica to face Herediano on March 7 in the final first-leg match.

Monterrey and Tigres will host second-leg matches on March 12 with the Galaxy and Santos Laguna concluding their second legs the next day.

Two-leg semi-finals in April will match the Seattle-Tigres winner against either Santos or Houston, giving the Galaxy and Monterrey and chance to meet in the other semi.

The two-leg final matches will be April 24 and May 1. The eventual champion claims a berth in the 2013 Club World Cup at Morocco.