The Leagues Cup is a fast, brutal tournament: We’re three games in and 28 of the competition’s 36 teams have already been eliminated. Just eight teams — four from Major League Soccer and four from Liga MX —remain in contention for the trophy. Most of those eight are North America’s usual suspects. Inter Miami cruised into the knockout rounds on the back of three straight wins. (Shoutout to Jordi Alba’s 91st-minute leveler against Necaxa to take Game 2 to penalties.) Regular LigaMX challenger Toluca pushed through without breaking a sweat, dispatching NYCFC, Montreal and the mighty Columbus Crew. And Seattle? Seattle ended the first round of the Leagues Cup as MLS’ best team after hammering recent Concacaf Champions Cup winner Cruz Azul, 7-0. One advancing team, though, raised eyebrows: the Los Angeles Galaxy. The beleaguered club, last in MLS since the start of the season, pulled off two major victories over Tijuana and Santos Laguna to snatch a place in the knockout rounds. “I think as we’ve navigated thisRead More
MLS’ most beleaguered club finds new strength in Leagues Cup
