Battle of Backbone Mountain

The 1971 CONCACAF Champions' Cup was the 7th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CONCACAF region (North America, Central America and the Caribbean), the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. It determined that year's club champion of association football in the CONCACAF region. It was played from August 22, 1971, till April 19, 1972, under the home/away match system.

The teams were split into 3 zones (North American, Central American and Caribbean), each one qualifying two teams to the final tournament, played for the first time in a group system. After the end of the group, a playoff match had to be played because two teams ended with the same points in the lead of the group. This tournament included the Rochester Lancers, the only team from the original North American Soccer League to take part.

Cruz Azul from Mexico won the final, and became for the third time in its history became CONCACAF champion.[1][2]

North American Zone

October 3, 1971 Elizabeth United States 0–0 Mexico Cruz Azul
October 13, 1971 Cruz Azul Mexico 2–0
(2–0 agg.)		 United States Elizabeth
Note: Elizabeth S.C. forfeit.
September 19, 1971 Rochester Lancers United States 4–1 Bermuda Pembroke Hamilton
Note: [3]
September 26, 1971 Pembroke Hamilton Bermuda 3–1
(4–5 agg.)		 United States Rochester Lancers
Note: [4]
  • Cruz Azul and Rochester Lancers advanced to the CONCACAF Final Tournament.

Central American Zone

Preliminary round

August 22, 1971 Diriangén Nicaragua 0–5 Guatemala Comunicaciones
Omar Larrosa
Enrique Mendoza
Hector Tambasco
August 29, 1971 Comunicaciones Guatemala 10–1
(15–1 agg.)		 Nicaragua Diriangén Guatemala City, Guatemala
Hernán Godoy
Omar Larrosa
TBD
  • Comunicaciones advanced to the First Round.

First round

August 22, 1971 Aurora Guatemala 2–1 El Salvador Atlético Marte
Alex Frank
Edgar Gonzalez 		TBD
August 29, 1971 Atlético Marte El Salvador 1–1
(2–3 agg.)		 Guatemala Aurora San Salvador, El Salvador
Sergio Mendez Edgar Gonzalez Stadium: Flor Blanca Stadium
September 19, 1971 Motagua Honduras 0–3 Costa Rica Saprissa Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Hernán Morales 10'
Fernando Hernández 18'
Edgar Marín 60'		 Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino
Referee: Ramón Molinero (GUA)
September 26, 1971 Saprissa Costa Rica 2–0
(5–0 agg.)		 Honduras Motagua San José, Costa Rica
Odir Jacques 22' 65' Stadium: Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá
Referee: Ramón Molinero (GUA)
September 26, 1971 Comunicaciones Guatemala 5–2 El Salvador FAS
Omar Larrosa
Oscar Molina
Hugo Torres 		David Cabrera
Ricardo “la Tuca” Gómez
October 3, 1971 FAS El Salvador 0–3
(2–8 agg.)		 Guatemala Comunicaciones Santa Ana, El Salvador
Hernán Godoy
Peter Sandoval
Hugo Torres 		Stadium: Municipal de Santa Ana Stadium
September 26, 1971 Olimpia Honduras 0–0 Costa Rica Alajuelense Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino
October 12, 1971 Alajuelense Costa Rica 1–0
(1–0 agg.)		 Honduras Olimpia Alajuela, Costa Rica
Walter Elizondo Stadium: Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium
Attendance: 5,775
  • Aurora, Saprissa, Comunicaciones and Alajuelense advanced to the Second Round.

Second round

November 7, 1971 Aurora Guatemala 1–2 Guatemala Comunicaciones Estadio Del Ejército
Rolando Valdez Oscar Molina
November 14, 1971 Comunicaciones Guatemala 1–0
(3–1 agg.)		 Guatemala Aurora
(o.g.)
November 14, 1971 Saprissa Costa Rica 1–5 Costa Rica Alajuelense
Carlos Solano 52' Mario Vega 27'
Alfredo Piedra 47'
Chávez 49'
Victor Ruiz 65'
Oscar Cordero 88'
November 21, 1971 Alajuelense Costa Rica 0–3
(5–4 agg.)		 Costa Rica Saprissa
Francisco Hernández 5'
Jaime Grant 10' 48'

Caribbean Zone

September 30, 1971 Transvaal Suriname (Kingdom of the Netherlands) 3–1 Guyana Thomas United
Pierre
October 5, 1971 Thomas United Guyana 0–3
(1–6 agg.)		 Suriname (Kingdom of the Netherlands) Transvaal
Estrella Netherlands Antilles w.o.Haiti Aigle Noir

CONCACAF Final Tournament

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Cruz Azul 5 3 2 0 17 4 +13 8 Forced to a playoff
2 Alajuelense 5 4 0 1 8 5 +3 8
3 Comunicaciones 5 2 1 2 15 7 +8 5
4 Rochester Lancers 5 2 1 2 6 5 +1 5
5 Transvaal 5 1 2 2 3 8 −5 4
6 Estrella 5 0 0 5 1 21 −20 0
Source: [citation needed]
Team 1  Score  Team 2
Rochester Lancers United States 2–0 Suriname (Kingdom of the Netherlands) Transvaal
Comunicaciones Guatemala 7–0 Netherlands Antilles Estrella
Alajuelense Costa Rica 2–1 Netherlands Antilles Estrella
Cruz Azul Mexico 1–1 Suriname (Kingdom of the Netherlands) Transvaal
Cruz Azul Mexico 1–1 United States Rochester Lancers
Comunicaciones Guatemala 3–1 Suriname (Kingdom of the Netherlands) Transvaal
Rochester Lancers United States 2–0 Netherlands Antilles Estrella
Comunicaciones Guatemala 1–2 Costa Rica Alajuelense
Alajuelense Costa Rica 2–0 Suriname (Kingdom of the Netherlands) Transvaal
Cruz Azul Mexico 9–0 Netherlands Antilles Estrella
Cruz Azul Mexico 3–1 Costa Rica Alajuelense
Comunicaciones Guatemala 3–1 United States Rochester Lancers
Transvaal Suriname (Kingdom of the Netherlands) 1–0 Netherlands Antilles Estrella
Alajuelense Costa Rica 1–0 United States Rochester Lancers
Cruz Azul Mexico 3–1 Guatemala Comunicaciones
  • After the end of the group stage a playoff match had to be played due to Cruz Azul and Alajuelense ended with the same points in the lead of the group.
  • The final tournament was played in Guatemala City.
Rochester Lancers United States 2–0 Suriname (Kingdom of the Netherlands) Transvaal Guatemala City, Guatemala
Eli Durante
Carlos Dell’Omodarme 		Stadium: Mateo Flores Stadium
Attendance: 42,000
March 16, 1972 Comunicaciones Guatemala 7–0 Netherlands Antilles Estrella Guatemala City, Guatemala
Héctor Tambasco
Carlos Guzmán
Enrique Mendoza
Antonio Rojas
Oscar Molina 		Stadium: Mateo Flores Stadium
Attendance: 42,000
March 14, 1972 Alajuelense Costa Rica 2–1 Netherlands Antilles Estrella
Emilio Valle Ismael Croes
March 14, 1972 Cruz Azul Mexico 1–1 Suriname (Kingdom of the Netherlands) Transvaal Guatemala City, Guatemala
Octavio Muciño Edwin Schal Stadium: Mateo Flores Stadium
March 16, 1972 Cruz Azul Mexico 1–1 United States Rochester Lancers Guatemala City, Guatemala
Manfred Seissler José Luis Desachy Stadium: Mateo Flores Stadium
Attendance: 25,000
March 16, 1972 Comunicaciones Guatemala 3–1 Suriname (Kingdom of the Netherlands) Transvaal Guatemala City, Guatemala
Héctor Tambasco Edwin Schal Stadium: Mateo Flores Stadium
Attendance: 25,000
March 20, 1972 Rochester Lancers United States 2–0 Netherlands Antilles Estrella Guatemala City, Guatemala
Francisco Escos
Charlie Mitchell 		Stadium: Mateo Flores Stadium
Attendance: 20,000
March 20, 1972 Comunicaciones Guatemala 1–2 Costa Rica Alajuelense Guatemala City, Guatemala
Antonio Rojas Walter Elizondo Stadium: Mateo Flores Stadium
Attendance: 20,000
March 22, 1972 Alajuelense Costa Rica 2–0 Suriname (Kingdom of the Netherlands) Transvaal Guatemala City, Guatemala
Roy Saénz
Emilio Valle 		Stadium: Mateo Flores Stadium
Attendance: 6,000
March 22, 1972 Cruz Azul Mexico 9–0 Netherlands Antilles Estrella Guatemala City, Guatemala
Octavio Muciño
Cesareo Victorino
Alberto Gómez
Fernando Bustos
Antonio Munguía 		Stadium: Mateo Flores Stadium
March 23, 1972 Cruz Azul Mexico 3–1 Costa Rica Alajuelense
Fernando Busto
Octavio Muciño 		Carlos Mejía
March 23, 1972 Comunicaciones Guatemala 3–1 United States Rochester Lancers
Oscar Molina
Peter Sandoval 		Manfred Seissler
March 26, 1972 Transvaal Suriname (Kingdom of the Netherlands) 1–0 Netherlands Antilles Estrella Guatemala City, Guatemala
Edwin Schal Stadium: Mateo Flores Stadium
Attendance: 1,500
March 26, 1972 Alajuelense Costa Rica 1–0 United States Rochester Lancers Guatemala City, Guatemala
Walter Elizondo Stadium: Mateo Flores Stadium
Attendance: 40,000
March 26, 1972 Cruz Azul Mexico 3–1 Guatemala Comunicaciones Guatemala City, Guatemala
Octavio Muciño
Javier Guzmán 		Oscar Molina Stadium: Mateo Flores Stadium
Attendance: 40,000

Playoff

Playoff
Cruz Azul Mexico5–1Costa Rica Alajuelense
Bustos 16'
Vera 25', 60'
Muciño 70', 75' (pen.)		 Villalobos 43'
Referee: Henry Dandawer (USA)

Champion

CONCACAF Champions' Cup
1971 Champion
Mexico
Cruz Azul
Third title

References

  1. ^ Copa de Campeones 1971 by Jim Goloboy and Karel Stokkermans on the RSSSF
  2. ^ "Tercera Copa de Campeones CONCACAF 1971" on Reino Azul (blogsite), April 26, 2014
  3. ^ Rickey, Jim (September 20, 1971). "Lancers Rout Bermuda, 4-1; DeRosa Says He's Quitying". Democrat and Chronicle. pp. 1D, 3D. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  4. ^ "Lancers Win in Overtime". Democrat and Chronicle. September 27, 1971. pp. 1D, 3D. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1971_CONCACAF_Champions%27_Cup