2024 CONCACAF Central American Cup knockout stage

Last updated

The 2024 CONCACAF Central American Cup knockout stage was played from 24 September to 4 December 2024. [1] A total of eight teams competed in the knockout stage to decide the champions of the 2024 CONCACAF Central American Cup. [2]

Contents

Qualified teams

The winners and runners-up of each of the eight groups in the group stage advanced to the quarter-finals.

GroupWinnersRunners-up
A Flag of Costa Rica.svg Herediano Flag of Honduras (2022-).svg Motagua
B Flag of Costa Rica.svg Alajuelense Flag of Guatemala.svg Comunicaciones
C Flag of El Salvador.svg Águila Flag of Guatemala.svg Antigua
D Flag of Costa Rica.svg Saprissa Flag of Nicaragua.svg Real Estelí

Seeding

Teams were seeded 1–8 based on results in the group stage and assigned a position in a fixed bracket. For example, the first semi-final was contested between the winner of the 1 vs. 8 quarter-final and the winner of the 4 vs. 5 quarter-final. For each round, the host of the second leg was determined based on performance in all previous rounds, including the group stage.

Format

The knockout stage will be played on a single-elimination tournament with the following rules: [2]

Bracket

The bracket of the final stages was determined as follows: [2]

RoundMatchups
Quarter-finals(Group winner team host second leg)
Play-in round(Higher-ranked team in each tie host second leg)
Semi-finals(Higher-ranked team in each tie host second leg)
Finals(Higher-ranked team host second leg)
  • Winner SF1 vs. Winner SF2

The bracket was decided based on the quarter-finals seeding.

Play-in Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
7 Flag of Nicaragua.svg Real Estelí 202
2 Flag of El Salvador.svg Águila 101
Flag of El Salvador.svg Águila 022 Flag of Nicaragua.svg Real Estelí (a)022
Flag of Honduras (2022-).svg Motagua 224 Flag of Costa Rica.svg Herediano 022
6 Flag of Honduras (2022-).svg Motagua 202
3 Flag of Costa Rica.svg Herediano (a)202
Flag of Nicaragua.svg Real Estelí 112
Flag of Costa Rica.svg Alajuelense 123
5 Flag of Guatemala.svg Antigua 033
4 Flag of Costa Rica.svg Saprissa 000
Flag of Costa Rica.svg Saprissa 134 Flag of Guatemala.svg Antigua 000
Flag of Guatemala.svg Comunicaciones 112 Flag of Costa Rica.svg Alajuelense 011
8 Flag of Guatemala.svg Comunicaciones 112
1 Flag of Costa Rica.svg Alajuelense 213

Quarter-finals

In the quarter-finals, the teams were seeded based on their results in the group stage, with the group winners seeded 1–4, and the group runners-up seeded 5–8. The group winners hosted the second leg. [3]

SeedGrpTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsMatchups
1 B Flag of Costa Rica.svg Alajuelense 4400116+512Match QF1
2 C Flag of El Salvador.svg Águila 4310101+910Match QF3
3 A Flag of Costa Rica.svg Herediano 431041+310Match QF4
4 D Flag of Costa Rica.svg Saprissa 430162+49Match QF2
5 C Flag of Guatemala.svg Antigua 422073+48Match QF2
6 A Flag of Honduras (2022-).svg Motagua 421196+37Match QF4
7 D Flag of Nicaragua.svg Real Estelí 421163+37Match QF3
8 B Flag of Guatemala.svg Comunicaciones 421154+17Match QF1
Source: CONCACAF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Away goals scored; 5) Wins; 6) Away wins; 7) Disciplinary points (1 point for yellow card, 3 points for second yellow card/indirect red card, 4 points for direct red card, 5 points for yellow card and direct red card); 8) Drawing of lots (Regulations Article 12.11.4). [2]

Summary

The first legs were played on 24–26 September, and the second legs were played on 1–3 October 2024. [3]

Team 1 Agg. Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Comunicaciones   Flag of Guatemala.svg 2–3 Flag of Costa Rica.svg   Alajuelense 1–2 1–1
Antigua   Flag of Guatemala.svg 3–0 Flag of Costa Rica.svg   Saprissa 0–0 3–0
Real Estelí   Flag of Nicaragua.svg 2–1 Flag of El Salvador.svg   Águila 2–1 0–0
Motagua   Flag of Honduras (2022-).svg 2–2 (a) Flag of Costa Rica.svg   Herediano 2–2 0–0

Matches

Comunicaciones Flag of Guatemala.svg 1–2 Flag of Costa Rica.svg Alajuelense
  • Mejía Soccerball shade.svg3'
Report
Alajuelense Flag of Costa Rica.svg 1–1 Flag of Guatemala.svg Comunicaciones
Report

Alajuelense won 3–2 on aggregate, advanced to the semi-finals (Match SF1) and qualified for the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup Round One, at minimum. Comunicaciones advanced to the play-in.


Antigua Flag of Guatemala.svg 0–0 Flag of Costa Rica.svg Saprissa
Report
Estadio Pensativo, Antigua Guatemala
Referee: Oliver Vergara (Panama)
Saprissa Flag of Costa Rica.svg 0–3 Flag of Guatemala.svg Antigua
Report

Antigua won 3–0 on aggregate, advanced to the semi-finals (Match SF1) and qualified for the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup Round One, at minimum. Saprissa advanced to the play-in.


Real Estelí Flag of Nicaragua.svg 2–1 Flag of El Salvador.svg Águila
Report Sosa Soccerball shade.svg4'
Estadio Independencia, Estelí
Referee: Cristopher Corado (Guatemala)
Águila Flag of El Salvador.svg 0–0 Flag of Nicaragua.svg Real Estelí
Report
Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador
Referee: David Gómez (Costa Rica)

Real Estelí won 2–1 on aggregate, advanced to the semi-finals (Match SF2) and qualified for the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup Round One, at minimum. Águila advanced to the play-in.


Motagua Flag of Honduras (2022-).svg 2–2 Flag of Costa Rica.svg Herediano
Report
Herediano Flag of Costa Rica.svg 0–0 Flag of Honduras (2022-).svg Motagua
Report

Tied 2–2 on aggregate, Herediano won on away goals, advanced to the semi-finals (Match SF2) and qualified for the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup Round One, at minimum. Motagua advanced to the play-in.

Play-in

In the play-in, the team in each tie which have the better performance across all previous rounds (group stage and quarter-finals) host the second leg.

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsHost
1 (PI1) Flag of Costa Rica.svg Saprissa 631265+110Second leg
2 (PI1) Flag of Guatemala.svg Comunicaciones 62227708First leg
1 (PI2) Flag of El Salvador.svg Águila 6321113+811Second leg
2 (PI2) Flag of Honduras (2022-).svg Motagua 6231118+39First leg
Source: CONCACAF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Away goals scored; 5) Wins; 6) Away wins; 7) Disciplinary points (1 point for yellow card, 3 points for second yellow card/indirect red card, 4 points for direct red card, 5 points for yellow card and direct red card); 8) Drawing of lots (Regulations Article 12.11.4). [2]

Summary

The first legs were played on 22 and 23 October, and the second legs were played on 29 and 30 October 2024. [4]

Team 1 Agg. Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Comunicaciones   Flag of Guatemala.svg 2–4 Flag of Costa Rica.svg   Saprissa 1–1 1–3
Motagua   Flag of Honduras (2022-).svg 4–2 Flag of El Salvador.svg   Águila 2–0 2–2

Matches

Comunicaciones Flag of Guatemala.svg 1–1 Flag of Costa Rica.svg Saprissa
Casas Soccerball shade.svg57' Report East Soccerball shade.svg63'
Saprissa Flag of Costa Rica.svg 3–1 Flag of Guatemala.svg Comunicaciones
Report Londoño Soccerball shade.svg83'

Saprissa won 4–2 on aggregate and qualified for the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup Round One.


Motagua Flag of Honduras (2022-).svg 2–0 Flag of El Salvador.svg Águila
Report
Águila Flag of El Salvador.svg 2–2 Flag of Honduras (2022-).svg Motagua
Report
Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador
Referee: Keylor Herrera (Costa Rica)

Motagua won 4–2 on aggregate and qualified for the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup Round One.

Semi-finals

In the semi-finals, the team in each tie which have the better performance across all previous rounds (group stage and quarter-finals) host the second leg.

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsHost
1 (SF1) Flag of Costa Rica.svg Alajuelense 6510148+616Second leg
2 (SF1) Flag of Guatemala.svg Antigua 6330103+712First leg
1 (SF2) Flag of Costa Rica.svg Herediano 633063+312Second leg
2 (SF2) Flag of Nicaragua.svg Real Estelí 632184+411First leg
Source: CONCACAF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Away goals scored; 5) Wins; 6) Away wins; 7) Disciplinary points (1 point for yellow card, 3 points for second yellow card/indirect red card, 4 points for direct red card, 5 points for yellow card and direct red card); 8) Drawing of lots (Regulations Article 12.11.4). [2]

Summary

The first legs were played on 22 and 24 October, and the second legs were played on 30 and 31 October 2024. [4]

Team 1 Agg. Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Antigua   Flag of Guatemala.svg 0–1 Flag of Costa Rica.svg   Alajuelense 0–0 0–1
Real Estelí   Flag of Nicaragua.svg 2–2 (a) Flag of Costa Rica.svg   Herediano 0–0 2–2

Matches

Antigua Flag of Guatemala.svg 0–0 Flag of Costa Rica.svg Alajuelense
Report
Estadio Pensativo, Antigua Guatemala
Referee: Katia García (Mexico)
Alajuelense Flag of Costa Rica.svg 1–0 Flag of Guatemala.svg Antigua
Parkins Soccerball shade.svg45+4' Report

Alajuelense won 1–0 on aggregate and advanced to the finals.


Real Estelí Flag of Nicaragua.svg 0–0 Flag of Costa Rica.svg Herediano
Report
Herediano Flag of Costa Rica.svg 2–2 Flag of Nicaragua.svg Real Estelí
Report Ochoa Soccerball shade.svg86', 90+8'

Tied 2–2 on aggregate, Real Estelí won on away goals and advanced to the finals.

Finals

In the finals, the team which has the better performances across all previous rounds (group stage, quarter-finals and semi-finals) host the second leg.

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsHost
1 Flag of Costa Rica.svg Alajuelense 8620158+720Second leg
2 Flag of Nicaragua.svg Real Estelí 8341106+413First leg
Source: CONCACAF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Away goals scored; 5) Wins; 6) Away wins; 7) Disciplinary points (1 point for yellow card, 3 points for second yellow card/indirect red card, 4 points for direct red card, 5 points for yellow card and direct red card); 8) Drawing of lots (Regulations Article 12.11.4). [2]

Summary

Team 1 Agg. Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Real Estelí   Flag of Nicaragua.svg 2–3 Flag of Costa Rica.svg   Alajuelense 1–1 1–2

Matches

Real Estelí Flag of Nicaragua.svg 1–1 Flag of Costa Rica.svg Alajuelense
Vargas Soccerball shade.svg13' Report Borges Soccerball shade.svg36' (pen.)
Estadio Independencia, Estelí
Referee: Selvin Brown (Honduras)
Alajuelense Flag of Costa Rica.svg 2–1 Flag of Nicaragua.svg Real Estelí
Report Medina Soccerball shade.svg90+1'

Alajuelense won 3–2 on aggregate and qualified for the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16.

References

  1. "Concacaf confirms important details for 2024 Concacaf Central American Cup". CONCACAF. 9 May 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "CONCACAF Central American Cup 2024 Regulations" (PDF). CONCACAF. 11 June 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Concacaf confirms 2024 Concacaf Central American Cup Quarterfinal pairings and schedule". CONCACAF. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  4. 1 2 "2024 Concacaf Central American Cup Semifinals and Play-In matchups and schedule confirmed". CONCACAF. 4 October 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2024.