Leagues Cup resumes tonight
Group stage play continues with three matches. Two of those matches are pretty big deals. Check out the schedule here or head to The Preview below.
New England acquire Langoni from Boca Juniors
The New England Revolution have acquired forward Luca Langoni from Argentine powerhouse Boca Juniors. Langoni, signed via the U22 Initiative, is under contract through 2027 with an option for 2028. He arrives for reportedly around $7 million, making him New England's new club-record signing.
St. Louis acquire German defender Horn
St. Louis CITY SC have acquired left back Jannes Horn on loan from 1. FC Nürnberg through June 2025. Additionally, St. Louis have a purchase option through June 2026 with another option for the remainder of 2026.
It’s a “quality over quantity” kind of night. It won’t be the longest preview you’ve ever read, but there’s still plenty to sink your teeth into as part of your almost-daily Leagues Cup diet. Starting with…
Tigres UANL vs. Inter Miami CF
Watch: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Saturday, 8 pm ET
Watchability Score: 40/50
This one lost a little bit a shine after both teams easily dismissed Puebla in their first game of the group stage. Both sides are already through to the Round of 32. But there are still stakes here. We still need a winner from group East 3.
Whoever comes out on top will likely end up with a pretty decent prize. Unless Toronto FC pull off a major upset, the winner of East 3 will likely get a very winnable matchup against the Reds out of East 6. Even better, they’ll get to avoid the likely winner of East 6: Reigning Concacaf Champions Cup winners Pachuca. Wouldn’t you rather just go ahead and have to work overtime once instead of twice?
That should be enough incentive for both teams to approach this with some sense of urgency. That’s great news for you and me. We should get André-Pierre Gignac and Luis Suárez going head-to-head as two of the best strikers to ever play in Concacaf try and vault their team to the top of the group. We should get two of the most talented (and popular) teams in the region putting the work in while a huge crowd in Houston urges them on. It’s gonna rule.
CF Monterrey vs. Pumas UNAM
Watch: Apple TV - Free, Univision | Saturday, 10 pm ET
Watchability Score: 45/50
The best game of the night comes with surprising stakes. Both Rayados and Pumas found out in their first game that you can’t just let Austin FC hang around when the odds are against them. They thrive in those kinds of scenarios. And by thrive I mean they become the greatest finishing team of all time for no explainable reason, which, to be fair, is really, really funny. But it’s also difficult to provide a real analysis other than “LOL LOOKIT THE LIGA MX BIG BADS GETTING SMOKED BY MCCONAUGHEY’S TEAM, HORNS UP BABY LMAO.”
Anyway, I think it’s fair to say neither Pumas or Monterrey took Austin as seriously as they should have and got burned for it. Monterrey, in particular, decided their first Leagues Cup game offered a great time to find out if you can defend on nothing but wishing real hard that the open guy will miss the net. You can’t. They lost 2-0.
Both teams have no points and their backs against the wall heading into their final group stage game. Winner advances. Loser has to go home and sheepishly try and explain what happened. The good news is when LIGA MX’s Apertura resumes, they’ll both still be tied for the league lead in wins through four matchdays. But still, you’d much rather get out of the group stage… right?
Their reward for that would be potentially facing off against LAFC. It all kind of depends on…
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Club Tijuana
Watch: Apple TV - Free | Saturday, 10 pm ET
Watchability Score: 30/50
This one could quietly define the rest of the tournament. A Whitecaps win would hand them a spot at the top of the group. That would reward them with a test against the second-place team from West 7: The winner of Monterrey-Pumas. And if Vancouver are dealing with them, then second-place LAFC will be off to face the winner of West 7: Austin FC.
Kind of seems like Vancouver should consider a punt here? The problem is a Xolos win would send Vancouver home and give LAFC the top spot in the group. A draw that ends with a Vancouver penalty shootout win would still give Vancouver the top spot and that matchup with Monterrey or Pumas. A draw that ends with Tijuana on top would send Tijuana home and give Vancouver a Round of 32 meeting with Austin.
So. Yeah. The plan here is to lose? But only kind of?
It’s a weird spot to be in. I guess Vancouver should try and take care of business here and ignore all that. Tijuana aren’t the kind of LIGA MX team you tend to worry about. LAFC dismissed them without much thought. If Vancouver want to hang with the big boys, they have to do the same and then get ready to take on much stiffer competition. Either way, LAFC will be keeping a close eye on this one.
USA exit Olympics in quarterfinal loss to Morocco: Team USA's adventure at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics adventure ended on Friday with a 4-0 quarterfinal loss to Morocco.
LAFC loan Ángel to Phoenix Rising: LAFC have loaned forward Tomás Ángel to reigning USL Championship winners Phoenix Rising FC for the remainder of the 2024 season. The 21-year-old Colombian youth international, who started his career at Atlético Nacional, has one goal in five MLS appearances since joining the Black & Gold in January.
LAFC loan González to FC Famalicão: LAFC have loaned striker Mario González to Portuguese top-flight side FC Famalicão through 2024 with a purchase option. González, 28, spent the first half of the year on loan in the Spanish second division with Sporting de Gijón.
FC Cincinnati coach Noonan suspended by MLS Disciplinary Committee: The MLS Disciplinary Committee has suspended FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan for one additional match and fined Noonan an undisclosed amount for irresponsible behavior under Disciplinary Committee Parameter 2 in the 96th minute of Cincinnati’s match against Chicago Fire FC on July 17. Noonan's suspension does not apply to Cincinnati's Leagues Cup participation (separate competition).
Good luck out there. Learn from the best.
