By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Mar 16, 2022) US Soccer Players – New York City FC survived its Concacaf Champions League quarterfinal series against Comunicaciones of Guatemala. Only CF Montreal lost their first-leg, with New England and Seattle both carrying three-goal leads into their deciding games. MLS should expect greater representation than just its defending champion in the final four. The scenario is simple. The more MLS teams get through to the semifinal round, the greater the chances are that an MLS team finally wins it.
If that were to happen, the victorious MLS team who will finally have broken through the barrier and reigned supreme will not be from Los Angeles. For all the trendsetting that the LA Galaxy has done and for all the attention LAFC has grabbed since joining the league a few years ago, neither is in a position to break through one long-standing barrier.
Major League Soccer’s white whale may soon be caught, but the LA teams aren’t even on the boat looking for it. The disappointing 2021 seasons for the LA Galaxy and LAFC have hindered the teams’ international hopes.
Somewhere on the list of goals for both the LA Galaxy and LAFC should be to get back to Concacaf Champions League. Both clubs have their sights set higher. MLS Cup or bust is the sentiment here. Falling short of that but still reaching the Champions League would be a solid consolation prize.
Now, the Galaxy will argue that it has already broken through the international barrier, and it has. The Galaxy won a previous version of Concacaf’s champions in 2001. The tournament that year played out over a week in Southern California. LAFC nearly won it in 2020, a Covid-impacted tournament with the later rounds played out in an empty stadium in Orlando that December. No MLS team has won the Champions League in its current iteration. The one that almost always requires results against Liga MX teams on Mexican soil.
That alone is no novelty. MLS teams have won in Mexico before. However, winning a two-leg final against a Liga MX opponent? That hasn’t happened yet.
If this turns out to be the year for an MLS team to lift that particular trophy, it’s a statement for the team that does it. With an MLS team in each of the quarterfinals, there’s even the possibility of an all-MLS final. When an MLS team finally wins, it changes the reputation of that club.
For years, DC United supporters were quick to remind anybody interested that they not only won Concacaf, they won the old Copa Interamericana. The Galaxy should’ve been the first MLS team to play in the FIFA Club World Cup, but that tournament stuttered and missed a cycle. With it went the Galaxy’s chance at a worldwide trophy.
Both of those early MLS dynasties included the Concacaf title. All of these years later, that’s still part of what should be the overall achievement level for the best in MLS. Both of the LA representatives would like to be the ones to set that standard.
To get there requires qualifying for the Champions League. For that to happen, the Galaxy and/or LAFC would have to have a highly successful season. Winning MLS Cup would do the trick, but there are other ways to get entry into the Champions League.
Winning the Supporters’ Shield means a spot, which is how the New England Revolution joined MLS Cup holders New York City FC in this year’s tournament. The conference winner who did not win the Shield also gets in. That was Colorado this year, with the Rapids crashing out in the round of 16 against Comunicaciones. After a two-year absence, the US Open Cup winner returns as well.
The Open Cup arguably is the most straightforward route to the Champions League. The tournament champion only needs to win six games versus having to play an entire MLS season at minimum to get to the Champions League.
Still, whatever route the Galaxy or LAFC would take to the Champions League requires success. Neither team has found much of that over the past few years, but there are a variety of goals in this league. We all know that every competitive team starts with MLS Cup over the rest. In 2022, that will leave 27 teams disappointed.
What the Champions League can represent here is another validation of a season. A team has to win something to get in, but it doesn’t have to be MLS Cup. While it’s doubtful that any team would want to describe their season like that so early, it’s a way of creating what could be a more attainable goal.
Both LA teams have gotten off to a promising start this season. The Galaxy lost to Seattle on the weekend, but that followed consecutive shutout wins. While the Sounders scored three goals past the Galaxy on the weekend, two clean sheets at the start of the season is encouraging. The Galaxy will need its defense to come through, but Chicharito Hernandez has scored twice in three games. New signing Douglas Costa has a goal as well.
LAFC, meanwhile, has looked strong in its three matches. LAFC has two shutout wins as well, 3-0 against the Rapids and 2-0 at Inter Miami, and drew 1-1 against Portland. So far, the Steve Cherundolo Era is solid as LAFC sits atop the Western Conference with seven points. It’s still rather early. If Carlos Vela re-signs and stays healthy, then LAFC should challenge for first place in the Western Conference.
The year is long, and optimism abounds at the start. If things work out, then perhaps an LA club will rightfully be contending for Champions League glory a year from now. Whether they’re playing to be the first MLS club to parade the modern version of the trophy is still the question.
Luis Bueno is a veteran soccer writer. Follow him on twitter @BuenoSoccer.
More From Luis Bueno:
- Liga MX after Queretaro
- MLS Power Rankings: Starting with NYCFC
- The Galaxy and LAFC in a city now used to champions
- The Western Conference in the Concacaf Champions League
Logo courtesy of Liga MX
