MIAMI, Florida – The 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf League kicks off this Tuesday with Santa Lucia of Guatemala hosting Metropolitan of Puerto Rico in the first leg of the Preliminary Round at the Estadio Doroteo Guamuch Flores in Guatemala City, Guatemala.
For both sides, it will be their debut in the tournament and they are two of five clubs appearing in the SCL for the first time.
Santa Lucia are the fifth different team from Guatemala to compete in the SCL after qualifying as 2021 Clausura champions of Guatemalan football.
Metropolitan’s semifinal finish at the 2021 Flow Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship earned the Boricuas a place in the tournament, becoming the first Puerto Rican side in SCL history.
They are also the first Puerto Rican club to participate in a Concacaf club tournament since Bayamon featured in the 2014-15 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League,
Fresh off their first ever Guatemalan domestic title, Santa Lucia started their 2021 Apertura in Guatemala with a full three points in rallying from a 1-0 deficit to defeat Malacateco, 2-1.
Diego Ruiz and Kendel Herrarte supplied the goals for Head Coach Mario Acevedo, whose side already got a taste of international competition when they defeated reigning Salvadoran champions FAS, 1-0, in a preseason friendly.
Meanwhile, Metropolitan are managed by Head Coach Jorge Silvetti and bulked up this offseason with two key additions, veteran Venezuelan FW Giancarlo Maldonado and Puerto Rico DF Joshua Calderon.
There is also experience in the back with GK Sebastian Uranga, who also works as the GK coach for the Puerto Rico National team.