Major League Soccer

Earthquakes, Chicago learn Champions Cup opponents.

NEW YORK (Thursday, January 15, 2004) -- The Major League Soccer champion San Jose Earthquakes will face Costa Rican power LD Alajuelense while the Chicago Fire will take on CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh of Trinidad & Tobago in the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals following a draw held yesterday.

Each quarterfinal will be competed in a two-game, home-and-away format with aggregate goals determining the winner.

San Jose qualified for the Champions Cup by winning the 2003 MLS Cup in November. The Earthquakes, who have never played a team from Costa Rica, travel to the Central American country first, then will host Alajuelense at Spartan Stadium. The tentative dates for the matches are March 17 and 24.

"We are looking forward to competing in the Champions Cup for the third straight year," Sane Jose's new coach Domenic Kinnear said in a team press release. "LD Alajuelense has always been a strong team in the region and we expect an exciting series against them."

In 2002, the Earthquakes defeated CD Olimpia of Honduras 1-0 and 3-1 in the Round of 16, before being eliminated by Pachuca CF of Mexico in the quarterfinals 3-1 on aggregate. Last year, CSD Municipal of Guatemala eliminated the Earthquakes in the Round of 16, winning the first leg 4-2 at home. San Jose came back to tie the series by taking a 2-0 lead in the second leg at Spartan Stadium, but a late Municipal goal clinched the series 5-4.

Alajuelense is one of the most storied teams in Costa Rica, winning over 20 league championships. If the Earthquakes advance to the semifinals on April 14 and April 21, they will face the winner of the series between Mexico's CF Monterrey and El Salvador's CD F.A.S.

Chicago will travel to Trinidad & Tobago in the Caribbean March 7 to face San Juan Jabloteh with the return match at Soldier Field on March 14.

"This is an important tournament and we look forward to representing MLS," Fire general manager Peter Wilt said in a club press release. "It will be a great opportunity to introduce the 2004 Fire to Chicago and to showcase international soccer at Soldier Field."

The Fire, making its third overall Champions Cup appearance, earned its spot by capturing the MLS Supporters Shield, awarded to the team with the best regular-season record.

San Juan Jabloteh claimed its first ever berth in the Champions Cup by winning the Caribbean Football Union crown last month. The squad, which joined Trinidad and Tobago's Professional Football League in its inaugural season in 1999, won its first title in 2003 and can wrap up its second straight title with a victory in one of its remaining three league contests.

The winner of the series moves on to face the survivor of the quarterfinal between Deportivo Saprissa of Costa Rica and Mexico's CF Pachuca.

"We're excited about the opportunity to be in another Cup competition," Fire coach Dave Sarachan said in the release. "Last year's season provided us with this chance, and it is an honor to have an opportunity to challenge yourself inside the CONCACAF region with a championship at stake."

The championship series will be played May 4 and May 11. The winner of this year's Champions Cup will qualify, along with the 2003 titlist, CD Toluca FC of Mexico, as the CONCACAF representatives to the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship which will be played in the CONCACAF region of North America, Central America and the Caribbean.