The MLS and Liga MX seasons have come to a break with the teams in both divisions combining to compete in the second season of the Leagues Cup, a tournament which looks to find out the best club side in this part of North America.
Not surprisingly, Inter Miami won this tournament last year when Lionel Messi led them to glory and they are in the field looking to make a successful defence of the title. 46 other teams will be aiming to take the title from them.
Recent Winners
2023 – Inter Miami
The Format
45 of the 47 teams compete in the first round of the tournament which sees them put into groups of three where all the teams play each other once with the top two in each group progressing to the second round where they will join the MLS champions Columbus Crew and the Liga MX winners Club America in a straight knockout. There are no draws in the group phase so any match that finishes level after 90 minutes goes to penalties to determine the winner. A winner in 90 minutes earns three points, a penalty shootout win is worth two points, you get a point for a penalty shootout loss while nothing is gained for losing in 90 minutes. Knockout matches also go straight to penalties if they are level after 90 minutes. The tournament takes place at the home venues of the MLS clubs although the top four Mexican sides have been given American home bases as a reward for their efforts last season. The final takes place on August 25.
The Favourites
Club America are the Mexican side through to the last 32 of the competition and they are the 8/1 favourites to win the tournament. They were beaten on penalties by the eventual finalists Nashville SC last season and will be out to deliver a much stronger showing this time around. Andre Jardine has CA playing some excellent football with a real technical core of players and if the break doesn’t catch them out they are expected to put up a decent showing throughout the knockout stage.
Inter Miami are the defending champions and they are 9/1 to make a successful defence of their crown but it remains to be seen how much the influential Lionel Messi, who played such a pivotal role in the success last season, will feature due to an injury he picked up in the Copa America. They are currently the best team in MLS but being in a group with two Mexican teams will test their fortitude. If they get to the knockout stages and Messi returns Miami could go close to defending their title successfully.
A trio of teams come next in the betting at 12/1. They are the MLS champions Columbus Crew, Los Angeles FC and Cruz Azul. The latter currently leads the way in Liga MX and are worthy of being this high in the betting while Columbus Crew and Los Angeles FC are definitely two of the better teams in MLS. Crew begin this tournament in the knockout stage which should be an advantage while Los Angeles will be expected to come out of a group featuring Vancouver Whitecaps and Tijuana and from there they could be dangerous.
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The Contenders
Two MLS teams come next in the betting at 18/1 as FC Cincinnati and New York Red Bulls begin their quest for a first Leagues Cup title at that price. Cincinnati were the best team in MLS until a few games ago and will need Luciano Acosta to be fit and available if they are to launch any bid for this title while the Red Bulls are much improved on last season but need Emil Forsberg to return from injury else they also look vulnerable to the better sides.
A pair of Liga MX teams come next at 20/1 in the form of Monterrey and Tigres, two sides who are currently in the top four in their competition back home. Monterrey were semi-finalists in this tournament a year ago when they came unstuck against a defensively sound Nashville SC side but they looked every bit the winners until that stage and should go well this time around too. Tigres were beaten by Monterrey in the last 16 season and will want to offer up a much stronger challenge here.
LA Galaxy are also a 20/1 shot to win this tournament and based on their recent form in MLS that could be a very big price as they are one of the better teams in the Western Conference at present. Their front four rivals anything in this competition including the Mexican sides and they should go much better than last season where they were a bit of a mess as they exited at the group stage in what looked like a favourable draw at the time. It is 25/1 bar.
Betting
I like two bets over the course of this tournament with the first of them being the Champions League winners in this part of the world in Pachuca, the team led up front by Salomon Rondon but who have so much talent in behind him. The fact that they got the better of the Columbus Crew in the Champions League final and Club America in the semi-final means that they beat the two teams who are into the knockout stages in this competition so the best the tournament has to offer. Pachuca have landed in a lovely draw with the New York Red Bulls struggling heading into the event and Toronto FC a little too up and down to me and the Mexican side with talent to burn look a big price at 40/1.
Portland Timbers have been one of the best teams in the MLS in the last couple of months and with both of their group matches on home soil and then a favourable last 32 tie should they qualify I think Phil Neville and his men are dark horses in this tournament. Portland score a lot of goals and if last season is anything to go by you have to score goals if you are going to win this event. I think the western side of the draw is a lot tougher than the eastern side of it but Portland are better than 50/1 shots especially with Real Salt Lake without Chicho Arango for their first group game. I like the Portland draw and they are overpriced here.
Tips
Back Pachuca to win Leagues Cup (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 41.00 with Bet365 (1/2 1-2)
Back Portland Timbers to win Leagues Cup (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 51.00 with Bet365 (1/2 1-2)
