The New York Red Bulls will begin their 2019 schedule with the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Round of 16 series against Atletico Pantoja. Leg 1 of the Round of 16 kicks off on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET in Felix Sanchez Stadium with coverage on YahooSports.com in English and Univision Deportes in Spanish and New York Red Bulls Radio in English.
Get to know Club Atletico Pantoja:
-The Dominican club was founded in 2000, and currently play in the Primera División de Republica Dominicana.
-Play their matches in Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez in Santo Domingo.
-Finished the 2018 regular season in third place in the Liga Dominicana de Fútbol with a 14-3-5 record.
-Los Guerreros, or "The Warriors", had the best defense in their league last season, allowing only 20 goals in 22 matches (.91 goals per game) and had a +11 goal-differential.
-This season marks the clubs first appearance in the Concacaf Champions League, qualifying by way of winning the 2018 Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship. The 15th ranked team in the Concacaf Champions League drawings, Atlético qualified over Arnett Gardens, winning the final match in a dramatic 6-5 penalty shootout.
-Pantoja forward Luis José Espinal finished with a tournament-best five goals, while center back Eduardo Centeno contributed two goals of his own for the club.
-The club is led by Oliver Mendoza, who took over for Lenín Bastidas as head coach in November of 2018.
