New England acquire Parker, St. Louis acquire Kessler
The New England Revolution and St. Louis CITY SC have swapped veteran center backs in a trade. In the deal, New England get Tim Parker and $600,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM). Meanwhile, St. Louis receive Henry Kessler.
Four of the biggest teams on the continent met and Vancouver rolled to a group win. Let’s talk it out.
Leo Campana got the Herons back into this one for a moment, but Juan Pablo Vigón went ahead and made sure Tigres finished on top of group E3 after slamming a poor clearance off the underside of the crossbar. Tigres will now move on to face the loser of tonight’s Pachuca-Toronto match. Inter Miami will have to deal with the winner. Considering their record against the best of LIGA MX over the last year and considering the fact Pachuca, ya know, just won Concacaf Champions Cup, the Herons could be in a little trouble here.
Rogelio Funes Mori saved the day for Pumas with a late header against his old team. He didn’t celebrate, but Pumas ended up celebrating a penalty shootout win that gave them a spot in the Round of 32 and sent Monterrey packing. We knew one of these teams would come away from last night embarrassed about their group stage performance and Rayados drew the short straw.
We’re not a LIGA MX newsletter, but I’m just going to say one of (maybe the) highest-spending clubs in Concacaf should feel some type of way about faceplanting like that. It was a shocking performance from Monterrey.
Anyway, Pumas are moving on and they’ll face…
Vancouver cruised to a 3-1 win and a Group W7 win despite an early scare from Xolos. Fafà Picault equalized at the start of the second half. Levonte Johnson and Pedro Vite put them in front for good at the end of it. The Whitecaps finished one point ahead of LAFC in the group and sealed a meeting with Pumas in the Round of 32.
We talked yesterday about how they should consider just playing for a tie and losing the penalty shootout so they wouldn’t have to do that, but I guess winning the group is cool too. However, LAFC, the second-place team in W7, will face the W1 winner, Austin FC.
A full slate of games for you today. Here’s what to keep an eye on.
Atlanta United vs. Santos Laguna
Watch: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Sunday, 4 pm ET
Watchability Score: 23/50
Atlanta are trying to find their way while they wait for new DPs. This version of Santos Laguna isn’t exactly a powerhouse. Someone has to win and advance to the Round of 32 anyway.
Orlando City SC vs. Atlético San Luis
Watch: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Sunday, 8 pm ET
Watchability Score: 25/50
Orlando City are practically through to the Round of 32 as long as they don’t get clobbered here, because there’s a chance San Luis win and we have a scenario where all three teams in the group end up on three points. At that point, the tiebreaker is goal differential. Orlando would have to lose 5-0, or by six or more to not advance.
For San Luis, the tiebreakers mean they just need a win to advance and send Montréal home.
CF Pachuca vs. Toronto FC
Watch: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Sunday, 8 pm ET
Watchability Score: 30/50
This is a huge test for Toronto FC, but weirder things have happened this tournament. They’re already through to the Round of 32, but they can win the group with two points against Pachuca. Which would be great and all, but it’s a pick-your-poison situation. They’ll either win and face Inter Miami or lose and face Tigres. Tough draw.
Philadelphia Union vs. Cruz Azul
Watch: Apple TV - Free, UniMás, FS1 | Sunday, 8 pm ET
Watchability Score: 37/50
Cruz Azul are one of the favorites in this competition, but the Union have looked a lot more like the Union as of late. They’ve won three straight and allowed just one goal in that span. Cruz Azul, of course, are a much different test than New England, Nashville and Charlotte though. The Union will have to be at their best tonight. Then again, Charlotte were able to put Cruz Azul in a precarious situation here. Cruz Azul enter tonight at the bottom of the group and needing two points to advance to the Round of 32. The Union are already through.
St. Louis CITY SC vs. FC Juárez
Watch: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Sunday, 9 pm ET
Watchability Score: 15/50
Both of these teams are already through to the next round, but someone has to win the group. Winner gets either Colorado or León, loser gets a red-hot Portland team.
Chivas Guadalajara vs. LA Galaxy
Watch: Apple TV - MLS Season Pass | Sunday, 10:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 39/50
Chicharito is back to face off against his old team for the first time. Chivas will need him and the rest of the team at their best if they want to advance. They need two points to jump San Jose in the standings. The Galaxy are already through.
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Necaxa
Watch: Apple TV - Free | Sunday, 10:30 pm ET
Watchability Score: 25/50
Same as Orlando-San Luis. There’s a chance we get a three-way tie on points if Necaxa wins. At that point, Seattle’s fate would come down to goal differential. They basically have to avoid a four-goal loss and they’ll be fine.
- Inter Miami and Tigres met in a “prestige game.”
- Here’s who’s still in and who’s out at Leagues Cup.
Good luck out there. Just get it where it needs to go.
