Arabe Unido (pictured) convenes for a team photo prior to its Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League match against visiting Monterrey on September 14, 2016, in Panama City, Panama. (Photo: Mexsport)

With eight days remaining in the year, CONCACAF.com will use each one to take a look at the eight 2016/17 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinalists.

First on the list is Panama’s Arabe Unido, the competition’s surprise package, which captured the top spot in Group D with a perfect 4W-0D-0L record.

ARABE UNIDO (4W-0D-0L; 12GF, 5GA)

Group Stage Summary

Arabe Unido joined the Vancouver Whitecaps as the only two sides to navigate through the SCCL group stage with an unblemished 4W-0D-0L record.  Jose Gonzalez led the team in scoring with five goals, becoming the only player in the current competition to net in all four of his team’s games.  The Expreso Azul scored two or more goals in each encounter, while positing only one clean sheet in a 2-0 win over visiting Don Bosco in the last game.

Group Stage Highlight

Arabe Unido’s biggest group-stage moment came in its opener, earning a 3-2 win at three-time champion Monterrey.  The Expreso Azul took a 3-1 lead after 50 minutes and held on for arguably the biggest upset in SCCL history.  Monterrey pulled within a goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time, but the host couldn’t avoid defeat.

Key Player

Midfielder Jose Gonzalez was a revelation for Arabe Unido, completing the group stage as joint-top scorer with Hirving Lozano (Pachuca) and Cristian Techera (Vancouver Whitecaps) on five goals each.  In addition to finding the back of the net in all four games, he also assisted on Joseph Cox’s goal against visiting Monterrey on September 14.

After the Group Stage

After finishing the 2016 Panamanian Apertura regular season in fourth place with an 8-5-5 record, Arabe Unido captured the title by getting past Tauro in the semifinals (agg: 5-3) and defeating Plaza Amador, 2-0, in the final.  It was the Expreso Azul’s 15th all-time domestic title, including 13 in the Liga Panameña de Fútbol.

2016/17 SCCL MATCHES

GROUP D

17.08.16 Monterrey 2, Arabe Unido 3

Edwin Cardona 23', 90’+6 / Jose Gonzalez 11’; Fidel Caesar 29’; Edgar Yoel Barcenas 50’

24.08.16 Don Bosco 2, Arabe Unido 5

Dumy Fede 33'; Ednel Lucien 88' / Amilcar Henriquez 4', 23’; Joseph Cox 45'; Jose Gonzalez 54'; Edgar Yoel Barcenas 61'

14.09.16 Arabe Unido 2, Monterrey 1  

Joseph Cox 43'; Jose Gonzalez 46' / Cesar Montes 56’

18.10.16 Arabe Unido 2, Don Bosco 0

Jose Gonzalez 11', 90’+2

QUARTERFINALS

23.02.17 FC Dallas v Arabe Unido (at Toyota Stadium – Frisco, Texas, USA)

01.03.17 Arabe Unido v FC Dallas (Estadio Maracana – Panama City, Panama)

STATS & FACTS

GOALS

Jose Gonzalez (5); Edgar Yoel Barcenas, Joseph Cox, Amilcar Henriquez (2); Fidel Caesar (1)

ASSISTS

- Edgar Yoel Barcenas (3); Gabriel Chiari, Joseph Cox, Jose Gonzalez, Daniel Ortiz (1)

- Arabe Unido has appeared in two previous SCCL quarterfinals: 2009/10: v Cruz Azul (agg: 0-4); 2013/14: v Alajuelense (agg: 0-2), acquiring only a point in four games (0-1-3) and never advancing to the semifinals.