CONCACAF Champions Cup round-up, February 6-8 (plus USL transfers & NISA news)

CONCACAF Champions Cup

Forge kicked off the 2024 North American senior season on Wednesday, entertaining Chivas Guadalajara at Tim Horton's Field in Hamilton, Ontario. The game started tentatively but Chivas took the lead through former San Jose Earthquakes man Cade Cowell after 26 minutes, only for the home side to force an equaliser 5 minutes later from Terran Campbell, much against the run of play. Cowell set one up for Ricardo Marin in first-half stoppage time to restore the Mexicans' lead, and the American finished the job midway through the second-half to give Forge a mountain to climb in Zapropan on Tuesday. Vancouver Whitecaps also took on Mexican opposition in the shape of UANL Tigres and actually went ahead through new signing Damir Kreilach on the half-hour. The game was played at Pacific's Starlight Stadium on Vancouver Island because of - it says here - a Home & Garden Show and a crowd of under 6,000 saw the Mexicans claw back a draw with a goal 2 minutes from time from Andre-Pierre Gignac. Whitecaps now travel to Monterrey on Wednesday.


USL Championship transfer round-up

Birmingham Legion brought in Brazilian forward Stefano Pinho, last seen at Indy Eleven, and Sierra Leone international striker Mohammed Buya Turay from the Danish SuperLiga.

Haitian striker Ronaldo Damus - who was on loan at San Diego last year - has joined Colorado Springs Switchbacks from the Swedish second tier.

Hartford Athletic's rebuild continues with defender Joey Akpunonu on loan from Cincinnati, Congolese winger Michee Ngalina from the Turkish second division, and promising young defender Pele Ousmanou from Cameroon.

Las Vegas Lights have signed midfielder Charlie Adams from Tulsa (who only signed him from San Diego Loyal a few weeks ago).

Former Oakland goalkeeper Taylor Bailey is now a Memphis 901 player.

Orange County added French midfielder Sofiane Djeffal to their squad from Austin.

San Antonio have taken defender Kendall Burks from Chicago.

Tampa Bay Rowdies found winger Nick Moon in the ashes of San Diego Loyal.

Tulsa have been busy, with three signings this week: Surinamese international goalkeeper Joey Roggeveen from the Dutch second tier, striker Stefan Stojanovic from Philadelphia II, and Scottish winger Harvey St Clair from Venezia.


USL League One transfer round-up

Not much business done in the third tier this week but Greenville Triumph secured the signature of Clemson University goalscorer Mohamed Seye, and Union Omahabrought in veteran Brazilian full-back Victor "PC" Giro from San Antonio and goalkeeper Wallis Lapsley from Tacoma.







NISA news

NISA will try to ensure reigning champions Flower City Union either defend their title or sit the season out, citing obligations met by previous rats Chattanooga, Oakland, and Detroit.​

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