Chivas vs. FC Cincinnati Leagues Cup match postponed due to inclement weather
Thursday night's Leagues Cup match between FC Cincinnati and Chivas Guadalajara has been postponed to Friday at 2 pm ET due to inclement weather. The MLS side had a 2-0 advantage before the game was stopped with 30 minutes left to play after a lightning-related weather delay. The match will resume from the time at which it went into a delay.
Houston Dynamo loan Ferreira to Brazil's Vasco da Gama
Houston Dynamo FC have loaned striker Sebastián Ferreira to Brazilian top-flight side Vasco da Gama through the end of 2023. The Paraguayan international has seen a diminished role in 2023 under new head coach Ben Olsen, playing just shy of 300 league minutes across 11 appearances (two starts). Last year, the club-record signing was acquired from Paraguay's Club Libertad and finished as Houston's leading scorer with 13g/3a across 31 games (29 starts).
DC United sign Santos midfielder Pirani on loan
D.C. United have acquired central midfielder Gabriel Pirani on loan from Brazilian Serie A powerhouse side Santos. The 21-year-old arrives on loan through December 2023 with a purchase option. He has amassed eight goals and five assists in 111 professional appearances across time with Santos, Fluminense and Cuiabá in his native Brazil.
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Some interesting scenarios as we begin closing out the group stage this weekend…
What happened?: Brandon Vazquez scored twice in the first eight minutes against the team he supported as a kid and Cincy rolled for 60 minutes until weather postponed the game. Cincy have 30 minutes to defend a 2-0 lead today at 2 pm ET.
So did we learn anything?: Extremely cool moment for Vazquez and it looks for now like Cincy are on their way to yet another home win. Today is a new day, though. The final 30 minutes aren’t a given.
What happened?: A Bongokuhle Hlongwane brace gave Minnesota the lead a couple of times, but Chicago got back in it, then got back in it, then took the lead for good.
So did we learn anything?: Chicago were eggs while Minnesota United were potatoes. Hard to view this as anything other than a collapse by the Loons. It’s also hard to view Bongokuhle Hlongwane as anything other than an elite winger, but we’ve been trying to tell y’all that for months now. Anyway, huge win for Chicago. They continue to do things that might just convince us soon that they’re genuinely going to give this whole “making the playoffs” thing a shot down the line.
By the way, Minnesota’s home struggles continue to be super weird. I don’t have any explanation for it.
What happened?: About a million things. But more of the good things happened to Toluca. They were the better team in a wild game.
So did we learn anything?: I think this just happened to be the game the universe picked to be our first truly wild Leagues Cup game? Not sure we should read too much into it. We’d like more of these games though, please and thanks.
What happened?: América boat raced them. Not even close.
So did we learn anything?: We’ve gotten a nice reminder the last couple of days that the teams at the top of Liga MX are among the strongest in the region. There’s levels to these things. Gut call based on the results so far: We might see a higher percentage of MLS teams make it into the knockout rounds, but the knockout rounds could see Liga MX’s best start to flex their pedigrees.
Anyway, not the worst thing for St. Louis to take a few weeks off to rest up and get healthy.
No games today (besides 30 minutes of Chivas-Cincy). Every group has now played two games though. Let’s take a look at where we’re at.
West 1:
1. Tigres UANL - 3 pts.
2. Portland Timbers - 3 pts.
3. San Jose - 0 pts.
All eyes on San Jose here. They need a major upset against Tigres. If the Quakes do pull off the upset though, we get a three-way tie in the group with goal differential as the tiebreaker. Which means San Jose need to win by two to advance. And that Portland have secured a spot in the knockout round.
West 2:
1. Monterrey - 3 pts.
2. RSL - 3 pts.
3. Seattle Sounders - 0 pts.
Seattle have an even steeper uphill battle than the Quakes. After getting clobbered 3-0 by RSL, they’ll need to beat Monterrey by at least three to get things to a three-way tie. And if they win 3-0 exactly, then it will be the most three-way tie possible. Like… "having to go to Fair Play rules to decide who advances" level of tie.
West 3:
1. Club León - 5 pts.
2. Vancouver Whitecaps - 1 pt.
3. LA Galaxy - 0 pts.
Finally, something simple. The winner of Vancouver-LA moves on.
Central 1:
1. Club América - 3 pts.
2. Columbus Crew - 3 pts.
3. St. Louis CITY SC - 0 pts.
Another easy one. After beating up on St. Louis, the Crew and América can just mail this last game in if they feel like it. They’re both onto the knockout round and will end up playing one of the beatable teams from Central 2.
Central 2:
1. Chicago Fire FC - 3 pts.
2. Minnesota United - 3 pts.
3. Puebla - 0 pts.
And we’re right back to me having to use my liberal arts degree brain to do math. One sec…
One sec…
Ok, so Puebla need a regulation-time win over Chicago to survive, but they need to win by three to advance on goal differential. Minnesota are guaranteed to advance.
Central 3:
1. FC Cincinnati - 2 pts.
2. Sporting KC., 1 pt.
3. Chivas Guadalajara - 0 pts.
If Cincy hold on to a 2-0 lead today, it all comes down to the winner of SKC and Chivas.
Central 4:
1. Toluca - 3 pts.
2. Nashville SC - 3 pts.
3. Colorado Rapids - 0 pts.
Colorado need to do a better job of containing Toluca than Nashville did and somehow pick up a win to advance. Unfortunately for them, a regular one-goal win won’t do the trick. All three teams would be tied on points and goal differential, so it would come down to goals scored. Basically, a 5-4 Colorado win would get the job done for the Rapids at that point. Or a two-goal win. But doesn’t the 5-4 game sound like way more fun?
South 1:
1. Mazatlán - 5 pts.
2. Juárez - 1 pt.
3. Austin - 0 pts.
The winner of Austin-Juárez moves on to face LAFC. Good luck to all involved.
South 2:
1. Houston Dynamo - 3 pts.
2. Orlando City - 2 pts.
3. Santos Laguna - 1 pt.
I know this scenario looks complicated, but that’s only because it’s extremely complicated. If Santos win a penalty shootout against Orlando City, all three teams would have three points and a goal differential of zero. At that point it would come down to goals scored as the next tie-breaker. An outright Orlando win or Orlando loss would make this a lot simpler.
South 3:
1. Inter Miami - 6 pts.
2. Atlanta United - 0 pts.
3. Cruz Azul - 0 pts.
Winner of the “We lost to Messi with like 12 million people watching” Cup moves on.
South 4:
1. FC Dallas - 4 pts.
2. Charlotte FC - 2 pts.
3. Necaxa - 0 pts.
Charlotte will advance as long as they don’t lose outright. Dallas already secured a spot.
East 1:
1. Philadelphia Union - 6 pts.
2. Club Tijuana - 0 pts.
3. Querétaro - 0 pts.
Easy: Tijuana-Querétaro winner is onto the knockout round.
East 2:
1. D.C. United - 3 pts.
2. CF Montréal - 2 pts.
3. Pumas UNAM - 1 pt.
Montréal are huge D.C. United fans here. A win of any kind for D.C. means Montréal would advance. Unfortunately for Montréal, D.C. don’t need to do anything to advance. Maybe if Montréal ask D.C. real nicely they’ll go all out?
East 3:
1. Atlas - 3 pts.
2. NYCFC - 3 pts.
3. Toronto FC - 0 pts.
A three-way tie on points is possible here, but let’s be real: Toronto are kind of just mailing it in at this point. If they do wake up and pull out a win, they’re still going to be in trouble after their 5-0 loss to NYCFC set them back in a major way on goal differential. They need to win by at least 3 goals to advance.
East 4:
1. New England - 4 pts.
2. New York Red Bulls - 2 pts.
3. San Luis - 0 pts.
The Red Bulls just need to not lose here. Simple as that.
- Nashville believe Sam Surridge is "tailor-made" to lead their attack with Hany Mukhtar.
- Jonathan Sigal looked at which MLS teams could be busy before the summer window closes.
- Take a look at the biggest moves so far during this transfer window.
Good luck out there. Go ahead and get all your work done early.
