Atlanta United to open Concacaf Champions League against Herediano

The draw for the 2019 Concacaf Champions League is set, and Atlanta United now know who their opening round opponents will be. Atlanta have been drawn with Costa Rican side Herediano in the first round of the competition, which begins in February.

Herediano are making their ninth apperance in the tournament, and put together a dream run to the semifinals in the 2014-15 edition. However, that’s as far as it’s gotten as it failed to get out of groups in the next two competitions. Last season, it lost to Tigres 5-3 on aggregate.

If Atlanta advance, it could have a tough quarterfinal matchup ahead of it as it would face either Mexican side Monterrey or Salvadoran side Alianza. Los Rayados are expected to be a heavy favorite to advance out of that pairing as it seeks to win its fourth Concacaf Champions League and its first since 2012-13. Meanwhile, Alianza are making a third appearance - it lost to FC Dallas in the preliminary round in 2011-12 and finished outside of the qualification zone of its group in 2016-17.

Here’s how the entire draw looks for all 16 teams, with the team on the left hosting the second leg in the Round of 16:

(A1) Santos Laguna vs. (B1) Marathón
(A2) RBNY or Portland Timbers/ (B2) Atletico Pantoja

(A3) Tigres vs. (B3) Saprissa
(A4) Houston Dynamo vs. (B4) Guastatoya

(A5) Toluca vs. (B5) Sporting KC
(A6) Toronto FC vs. (B6) Independiente

(A7) Atlanta United vs. (B7) Herediano
(A8) Monterrey vs. (B8) Alianza