PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – National Pro League champions Joe Public left here Monday for Costa Rica where they will clash with Brujas in their first leg of the preliminary round of the CONCACAF Champions League tonight.

Joe Public, owned by regional football mogul Jack Warner, qualified for this year’s tournament after placing second to Puerto Rico Islanders, in the CFU Club Championships held here earlier this year.

The winner of the two-leg series will then join American MLS side Columbus Crew and Municipal of Guatemala, who have already secured automatic places in Group B in the second round.

Joe Public, two-time Caribbean Football Union club winners, boast a strong side for the trip with national duo Trent Noel and Kerry Baptiste, as well as fellow T&T internationals, Marvin Phillip Makan Hislop and Hayden Tinto, all included.

Brujas, meanwhile, qualified for the tournament by winning its domestic league crown and is coached by former former Costa Rican international Maurico Wight, who is the second manager in the club history after taking over in 2007.

Pro League club San Juan Jabloteh is the other team contesting the Champions League and were scheduled to play Mexican Clausura runner-up Santos Laguna in the first-leg of their preliminary round series last night.