Leagues Cup 2023 features the best clubs from the United States, Mexico, and Canada that play in LIGA MX and Major League Soccer. This Monday, the group stage ended with an interesting twist: all four game featured an MLS vs. LIGA MX matchup.
Throughout the first part of the tournament, there were high quality matches filled with tension and goals. Which of the two leagues wound up celebrating more?
The day began with a 4-1 Columbus Crew win over SC Club América. The win catapulted the Crew to the top spot in Group Central 1.
In Group Central 2, Club Puebla drew with the Chicago Fire and won the match in PKs. But the draw in regulation wasn’t enough for the LIGA MX side, who was eliminated. The Fire earned the top spot in the group.
Sporting Kansas City shutout Chivas de Guadalajara in a 1-0 win to lock up second place in Group Central 3 and a ticket to the knockout rounds. Chivas was eliminated from the tournament after losing both of its matches.
In the night cap, Toluca FC trounced the Colorado Rapids, 4-1 in a match that was delayed by two hours because of severe weather in the area. Toluca’s win clinched them the top spot in Group Central 4 while Nashville SC finished second in the group thanks to their tournament opening win over the Rapids.
On this final day of the group stage, MLS and LIGA MX split the matches, each league winning two games apiece. Across all of the group stage matches, LIGA MX had more wins (18-13) over MLS.
Will this trend carry over into the knockout rounds?
LIGA MX vs MLS: The Next Matches
Wednesday
Los Angeles Football Club vs FC Juarez
Mazatlan FC vs. Dallas FC
Club Pachuca vs. Houston Dynamo FC
Thursday
Club Atlas vs New England Revolution
Charlotte FC vs Cruz Azul
Club Leon vs. Real Salt Lake
Chicago Fire CF vs CS Club America
Friday
CF Monterrey vs. Portland Timbers
Club Tigres vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Sporting Kansas City vs. Toluca FC
