Due to a format change in January, the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League shrunk from six games to four for the 2012-13 tournament.

Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid would just as well have it shrink further heading into a 5 p.m. road game Thursday against Caledonia AIA of Trinidad.

"If we can win our next two games, then we can hopefully make the third game meaningless," Schmid said.

Here's how that works out:

Seattle currently leads a three-team Group 4 with a 1-0 record. Caledonia is 0-1-1 after a 3-1 loss at CenturyLink Field earlier this month and a scoreless tie against CD Marathon of Honduras (0-0-1).

So if the Sounders win Thursday and beat Marathon in a Sept. 19 road game, advancement to the quarterfinals would be clinched no matter what happens in an Oct. 24 group-stage finale against the Honduran club.

"That's our objective right now," Schmid said, "put ourselves in a situation where that last game on the last week of the (MLS regular season) becomes a game that doesn't matter."

International competition, however, provides some unique obstacles.

Travel to Port of Spain, Trinidad, by way of Dallas is approximately 4,400 miles — about as far as possible within the confederation that covers North and Central America and the Caribbean.

Additionally, the weather is expected to be hot and humid, preparation is more difficult against hard-to-scout opponents, and playing conditions are unpredictable.

"It's going to be a tough week," said forward Fredy Montero.

There is also the refereeing, which can be an adventure when playing abroad.

"We've got Caribbean referees again when we play a Caribbean team," said Schmid. "When we play a Central American team, we usually get Central American referees. I don't quite understand that, but it is what it is."

Indications are that forward Eddie Johnson didn't travel with the Sounders — Schmid said last week some players wouldn't make the trip to Trinidad on account of rest — and that would appear to provide an opportunity for Sammy Ochoa.

Ochoa, a reserve forward, scored his first league goal of the season off the bench Saturday at Chivas USA and has five goals in all competitions (MLS, CCL and the U.S. Open Cup). One of those was in the previous meeting with Caledonia.

"I'm there when Sigi asks for me," said Ochoa, whose nickname on the team is "El Tanque," Spanish for "The Tank."

"The past games I've been coming off the bench and doing (well), but as a player you don't want to come off the bench. You want to be in the starting 11. ... You've just got to keep working until you get your chance."

Note

• Defender Adam Johansson has been called up by the Swedish national team for a FIFA World Cup qualifier at home Sept. 11 against Kazakhstan. The 29-year-old right back is expected to miss a Sept. 8 Seattle home game.

Joshua Mayers: 206-464-3184 or jmayers@seattletimes.com

CONCACAF match, Sounders @ Caledonia, 5 p.m., FSC