The CONCACAF Champions League Group Stage kicked off on Tuesday (August 18) when the MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew defeated last season's semifinalists the Puerto Rico Islanders 2-0 in Columbus.

The same night Marathon beat D.C. United 3-1 while Pumas knocked off Comunicaciones 1-0.

Following a two-week Preliminary Round, the remaining 16 teams were placed into four groups.

Group A - Isidro Metapan, Arabe Unido, the Houston Dynamo and Pachuca.

Group B - D.C. United, Marathón, San Juan Jabloteh and Toluca.

Group C - Columbus Crew, Cruz Azul, Saprissa and the Puerto Rico Islanders.

Finally, Group D - Comunicaciones, Pumas UNAM, Real España and W Connection.

For more information on the Champions League, please click here .

In a much awaited match up, Mexico defeated the United States 2-1 at the Estadio Azteca on Wednesday (August 12). Charlie Davies put the Americans out front early in the match before Israel Castro and Miguel Sabah answered for the Mexicans.

Later that day in Port of Spain, Trinidad knocked off El Salvador 1-0 to keep its World Cup hopes alive. The Soca Warriors' lone goal came from forward Cornell Glen in the first half.

In the final game of the night Honduras routed Costa Rica 4-0 at home in San Pedro Sula to move into second place in the CONCACAF final round standings. Star forward Carlo Costly scored two goals in the win.

This week two of FIFA's courses will arrive to Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica.

Focusing on women's soccer, The Com-Unity Programme Course will be held in Trinidad on August 17. Each Com-Unity course is a three day program organized by member associations with FIFA which brings together representatives from the government, NGOs, media and soccer organizations.

Starting on Wednesday, August 19, FIFA will hold a Futuro III Referee course in Jamaica. The Futuro III Referee courses seek to provide instructors with the necessary tools and training to enable them to offer similar courses to referees at the local level.

Jamaica and Ecuador drew 0-0 last Wednesday (August 12) at Giants Stadium. The match featured a squad that included Jamaica's foreign based players.

Several days later on Sunday (July 16) a squad made up of exclusively domestic players beat St. Kitts and Nevis 1-0 at Warner Park in Bassaterre. Devon Hodges scored the game's lone goal in the 55th minute.

Final Round

06.03.2009: San José, COSTA RICA; Estadio Ricardo Saprissa (20:00)

COSTA RICA - USA 3:1 (2:0)

06.06.2009: San Salvador, EL SALVADOR; Estadio Cuscatlan (19:00)

EL SALVADOR - MEXICO 2:1 (1:0)

06.06.2009: Bacolet, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO; Dwight Yorke Stadium (18:05)

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - COSTA RICA 2:3 (1:1)

06.06.2009: Chicago, Illinois USA; Soldier Field (19:27)

USA - HONDURAS 2:1 (1:1)

06.10.2009: Ciudad de México, MEXICO; Estadio Azteca (20:00)

MEXICO - TRINIDAD &TOBAGO 2:1 (1:1)

06.10.2009: San Pedro Sula, HONDURAS; Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano (19:30)

HONDURAS - EL SALVADOR 1:0 (1:0)

NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Friendlies

06.06.2009: Kingston, JAMAICA; National Stadium

JAMAICA - PANAMA 3:2 (1:1)

06.19.2009: Port-Au-Prince, HAITI; Stade Sylvio Cator

HAITI - PANAMA 1:1 (0:0)

06.24.2009: Atlanta, Georgia USA; Georgia Dome (19:30)

MEXICO - VENEZUELA 0:0 (4:0)

06.27.2009: Montreal, Quebec, CANADA; Stade Saputo

HAITI - SYRIA 1:2 (1:2)

06.28.2009: San Diego, California USA; Qualcomm Stadium (17:30)

MEXICO - GUATEMALA 0:0 (0:0)

06.28.2009: St. George's, Grenada; National Stadium

GRENADA - ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA 2:2 (1:1)

06.28.2009: Cary, North Carolina, USA; WakeMed Soccer Park

PANAMA - HONDURAS 0:2 (0:1)

06.28.2009: George Town, Cayman Islands; Truman Bodden Stadium

CAYMAN ISLANDS - JAMAICA 1:4 (1:2)

06.30.2009: Oxnard, California, USA; Oxnard College

GUATEMALA - CANADA 0:3 (0:1)

07.12.2009: Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis; Warner Park

ST. KITTS AND NEVIS - TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 2:3 (0:2)

08.07.2009: Houston, Texas, USA; Robertson Stadium

EL SALVADOR - COLOMBIA 1:2 (0:1)

08.12.2009: East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Giants Stadium

JAMAICA - ECUADOR 0:0 (0:0)

08.16.2009: Bassaterre, St. Kitts and Nevis; Warner Park

JAMAICA - ST. KITTS AND NEVIS 1:0 (0:0)