Campeones Cup Final tomorrow
The Columbus Crew could lift their third trophy in less than a year when hosting LIGA MX titans Club América in Wednesday night's 2024 Michelob Ultra Campeones Cup. Kickoff is set for 7:30 pm ET. Here’s how to watch.
US Open Cup Final tomorrow
LAFC host Sporting Kansas City tomorrow in the 2024 US Open Cup Final. Kickoff is set for 10:30 pm ET. Here’s how to watch.
Canadian Championship Final tomorrow
Vancouver Whitecaps FC host Toronto FC in the 2024 Canadian Championship Final at 10 pm ET. A 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup spot is up for grabs.
Tomorrow is a big day. Five MLS teams will be playing for trophies. Here’s what a win would mean for all of them.
The Crew are in yet another legacy game tomorrow. Of the four trophy games they’ve been in over the past year, this is probably the least critical to that legacy. But, another piece of silverware would certainly continue to establish this group as one of the greatest MLS teams of all time. They may already technically be the greatest of all time considering their run from MLS Cup winners to Champions Cup runners-up to Leagues Cup winners. This is just stat-padding at this point.
Adding another trophy to their shelves won’t come easy. It might be slightly easier than expected though? Something… weird is happening with Club América. I’m not going to pretend to be a LIGA MX expert, but América being 10th nine games into the Apertura is unsettling. They have 13 points and a +1 goal differential. Last year, they finished first in both the Apertura and Clausura. They won everything you can win in LIGA MX. And now… this. I don’t have an explanation for it. Just a tilted head.
Anyway, the Crew are a step away from adding to the most impressive resumé we’ve seen in MLS. Just another day for them at this point.
Suddenly, the US Open Cup feels a lot more vital for LAFC. They may still be the best team in the Western Conference and they may still end up in MLS Cup presented by Audi. They haven’t looked like it lately, though.
LAFC are winless in their last five games. They defeated Seattle in the USOC semifinals, but that’s just the middle of the sandwich between five straight poor results and a Leagues Cup Final loss to Columbus.
Basically, this isn’t just a trophy game. This is a get-right game. If LAFC, at home, don’t take down a Sporting KC side sitting 12th in a winner-take-all final, then it’s time to ask serious questions. If they do, then maybe this is the game that gets them back on track for the final four games of the season as they approach the playoffs.
LAFC need a confidence boost almost as much as they need the trophy. They also really need the trophy, though, especially after losing their last four (2023 Concacaf Champions Cup, 2023 Campeones Cup, 2023 MLS Cup, Leagues Cup 2024) finals.
This is the season. Sporting KC are already eliminated from playoff contention and are getting set for a renovation-heavy offseason. The roster needs some work and the club as a whole needs to retool. A US Open Cup Final win would give them some positive momentum for the first time since last year’s opening round of the playoffs. It’s the first bit of joy they can give to their fans in almost a calendar year.
The Canadian Championship is mostly just a three-team race between the MLS teams above the border, but winning it is still a lot better than not winning it and letting some other Canadian team have it. Plus, a title gets you into the next season’s Concacaf Champions Cup.
That being said, I don’t think either team “needs” this one. However, it’s still likely the only trophy game either team will play in this year. Toronto are in real danger of missing the playoffs outright at this point, and the Whitecaps still have that whole thing where they can’t beat great teams. We saw it last weekend in their 4-2 loss to the Galaxy. Until Vancouver find their edge against the best of the best, this is what they have to play for. However, a trophy is a trophy.
Pec named Player of the Matchday: Gabriel Pec has LA Galaxy on the verge of locking down the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference thanks to a standout Matchday 34 performance that earned him MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra honors. The Brazilian winger scored a goal and added two assists in LA's 4-2 home win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC, extending their lead atop the West to seven points.
- Sacha Kljestan looked at whose stock is up and whose stock is down.
- The Crew are ready for Campeones Cup.
- Here’s your Team of the Matchday presented by Audi.
- Take a look at Cucho Hernández's guide to Columbus.
Good luck out there. Take a swing at the ball and see what happens.
