2023 Leagues Cup group stage

The 2023 Leagues Cup group stage was played from July 21 to 31, 2023. A total of 45 teams competed in the group stage to decide the 30 of the 32 places in the knockout stage of the 2023 Leagues Cup.[1]

Format

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In each of the 15 groups, teams played against each other in a round-robin format. The top two teams of each group advanced to the round of 32.[2]

Besides the teams receiving byes, the top 15 remaining teams from each league were placed into groups in reverse order (for example, the 2nd-ranked MLS club was drawn against the 16th-ranked Liga MX club). The remaining teams (13 MLS and 2 Liga MX) were drawn into groups and divided into geographical regions.[3]

Teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win in regulation, 2 points for a win in a penalty shoot-out, 1 point for a loss in a penalty shoot-out, 0 points for a loss in regulation).[2] If, at the end of the group stage, two or more clubs were tied in points, their positions in the table were determined according to a set of tie-breaking criteria.[4]

  1. In case only two teams were tied on points, the direct head-to-head match result between the tied clubs determined the ranking (for clarity, a victory on penalties was considered a win for purposes of this tiebreaker);
  2. In case three teams were tied on points, the following criteria would apply (if, after applying a criterion, only two teams remained tied, their head-to-head match result would determine their ranking):[a]
    1. Direct head-to-head match result between the tied clubs (for clarity, a victory on penalties was considered a win for purposes of this tiebreaker);
    2. Better overall goal differential between goals scored and goals conceded during the group stage;
    3. Greater number of goals scored during the group stage;
    4. Fewer number of goals conceded during the group stage;
    5. Clubs' fair-play table
      • First yellow card: –1 point
      • Second yellow card (indirect red card): –3 points (The first yellow card would not be considered)
      • Direct red card: –3 points
      • Yellow card followed by a direct red card: –4 points;
    6. A draw organized by the organizing committee.

Notes

  1. ^ When there were two or more teams tied in points, criteria 1–6 were applied. After these criteria were applied, they may have defined the position of some of the teams involved, but not all of them. For example, if there was a three-way tie on points, the application of the first three criteria may only have broken the tie for one of the teams, leaving the other two teams to still be tied. In this case, the result between the remaining two teams would break the tie.

Groups

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The matches were played on July 21–23, July 25–27, and July 29–31, 2023.

Times are EDT, as listed by CONCACAF (local times, if different, are in parentheses).

West 1

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Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification UAN POR SJE
1   UANL 2 2 0 0 0 3 1 +2 6 Advance to knockout stage 2–1 1–0
2   Portland Timbers 2 1 0 0 1 3 2 +1 3 2–0
3   San Jose Earthquakes 2 0 0 0 2 0 3 −3 0
Source: Leagues Cup
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Portland Timbers  2–0  San Jose Earthquakes
  • Evander   33'
  • Mora   86'
Report
Attendance: 21,137
Referee: Víctor Alfonso Cáceres Hernández

UANL  2–1  Portland Timbers
Report
Attendance: 21,755
Referee: Walter López

UANL  1–0  San Jose Earthquakes
Report
Attendance: 17,449
Referee: Marcos de Oliveira

West 2

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Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification MON RSL SEA
1   Monterrey 2 2 0 0 0 7 2 +5 6 Advance to knockout stage 3–0 4–2
2   Real Salt Lake 2 1 0 0 1 3 3 0 3 3–0
3   Seattle Sounders FC 2 0 0 0 2 2 7 −5 0
Source: Leagues Cup
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Real Salt Lake  3–0  Seattle Sounders FC
Report
Attendance: 10,507
Referee: Guillermo Pacheco

Monterrey  3–0  Real Salt Lake
Report
Attendance: 20,734
Referee: Rosendo Mendoza

Monterrey  4–2  Seattle Sounders FC
Report
Attendance: 33,508
Referee: Bryan López

West 3

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Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification LEO VAN LAX
1   León 2 1 1 0 0 3 2 +1 5 Advance to knockout stage
2   Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 1 0 1 0 4 3 +1 4 2–2
3   LA Galaxy 2 0 0 0 2 1 3 −2 0 0–1 1–2
Source: Leagues Cup
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
León  2–2  Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Report
Penalties
16–15

LA Galaxy  0–1  León
Report
Attendance: 20,776
Referee: Juan Calderón

LA Galaxy  1–2  Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Report

Central 1

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Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification CLB CAM STL
1   Columbus Crew 2 2 0 0 0 6 2 +4 6 Advance to knockout stage 2–1
2   América 2 1 0 0 1 5 4 +1 3 1–4 4–0
3   St. Louis City SC 2 0 0 0 2 1 6 −5 0
Source: Leagues Cup
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Columbus Crew  2–1  St. Louis City SC
Report
Attendance: 20,533
Referee: Reon Radix

América  4–0  St. Louis City SC
Report
Attendance: 22,430
Referee: Selvin Brown

América  1–4  Columbus Crew
Report
Attendance: 20,217

Central 2

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Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification CHI MIN PUE
1   Chicago Fire FC 2 1 0 1 0 4 3 +1 4 Advance to knockout stage
2   Minnesota United FC 2 1 0 0 1 6 3 +3 3 2–3
3   Puebla 2 0 1 0 1 1 5 −4 2 1–1 0–4
Source: Leagues Cup
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Puebla  0–4  Minnesota United FC
Report
Attendance: 19,609
Referee: Selvin Brown

Minnesota United FC  2–3  Chicago Fire FC
Report
Attendance: 18,419
Referee: Nima Saghafi

Puebla  1–1  Chicago Fire FC
Report
Penalties
10–9
Attendance: 12,619
Referee: Jesús López Valle

Central 3

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Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification CIN SKC GUA
1   FC Cincinnati 2 1 1 0 0 6 4 +2 5 Advance to knockout stage 3–3
2   Sporting Kansas City 2 1 0 1 0 4 3 +1 4
3   Guadalajara 2 0 0 0 2 1 4 −3 0 1–3 0–1
Source: Leagues Cup
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
FC Cincinnati  3–3  Sporting Kansas City
Report
Penalties
4–2
Attendance: 24,524
Referee: Daniel Quintero Huitrón

Guadalajara  1–3  FC Cincinnati
Report
Attendance: 25,143
Referee: Benjamin Pineda

Guadalajara  0–1  Sporting Kansas City
Report
Attendance: 20,373
Referee: Lukasz Szpala

Central 4

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Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification TOL NAS COL
1   Toluca 2 2 0 0 0 8 4 +4 6 Advance to knockout stage 4–1
2   Nashville SC 2 1 0 0 1 5 5 0 3 3–4 2–1
3   Colorado Rapids 2 0 0 0 2 2 6 −4 0
Source: Leagues Cup
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Nashville SC  2–1  Colorado Rapids
Report
Attendance: 16,087
Referee: David Gómez

Nashville SC  3–4  Toluca
Report
Attendance: 19,817
Referee: Ricardo Montero

Toluca  4–1  Colorado Rapids
Report
Attendance: 15,388
Referee: Selvin Brown

South 1

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Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification MAZ JUA AUS
1   Mazatlán 2 1 1 0 0 4 2 +2 5 Advance to knockout stage 1–1
2   Juárez 2 1 0 1 0 4 2 +2 4
3   Austin FC 2 0 0 0 2 2 6 −4 0 1–3 1–3
Source: Leagues Cup
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Austin FC  1–3  Mazatlán
Report
Attendance: 20,738
Referee: Randy Encarnación Solano

Mazatlán  1–1  Juárez
Report
Penalties
4–2
Attendance: 958[7]
Referee: Víctor Alfonso Cáceres Hernández

Austin FC  1–3  Juárez
Report
Attendance: 20,738
Referee: Ismael Rosario López

South 2

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Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ORL HOU SAN
1   Orlando City SC 2 1 1 0 0 4 3 +1 5 Advance to knockout stage 1–1
2   Houston Dynamo FC 2 0 1 1 0 3 3 0 3
3   Santos Laguna 2 0 0 1 1 4 5 −1 1 2–3 2–2
Source: Leagues Cup
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Orlando City SC  1–1  Houston Dynamo FC
Report
Penalties
5–4
Attendance: 14,005
Referee: Filip Dujic

Santos Laguna  2–2  Houston Dynamo FC
Report
Penalties
4–5
Attendance: 12,627
Referee: Ismael Cornejo

Santos Laguna  2–3  Orlando City SC
Report
Attendance: 16,313
Referee: Victor Rivas

South 3

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Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification MIA CAZ ATL
1   Inter Miami CF 2 2 0 0 0 6 1 +5 6 Advance to knockout stage 4–0
2   Cruz Azul 2 0 1 0 1 2 3 −1 2 1–2 1–1
3   Atlanta United FC 2 0 0 1 1 1 5 −4 1
Source: Leagues Cup
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Cruz Azul  1–2  Inter Miami CF
Report

Inter Miami CF  4–0  Atlanta United FC
Report

Cruz Azul  1–1  Atlanta United FC
Report
Penalties
5–4
Attendance: 41,108
Referee: Oliver Vergara

South 4

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Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification CLT DAL NEC
1   Charlotte FC 2 1 1 0 0 6 3 +3 5 Advance to knockout stage
2   FC Dallas 2 1 0 1 0 5 2 +3 4 2–2 3–0
3   Necaxa 2 0 0 0 2 1 7 −6 0 1–4
Source: Leagues Cup
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
FC Dallas  2–2  Charlotte FC
Report
Penalties
1–4
Attendance: 10,425
Referee: Jorge Abraham Camacho Peregrina

FC Dallas  3–0  Necaxa
Report
Attendance: 6,149
Referee: Joseph Dickerson

Necaxa  1–4  Charlotte FC
Report
Attendance: 29,575
Referee: Guido Gonzales Jr.

East 1

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Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification PHI QFC TIJ
1   Philadelphia Union 2 2 0 0 0 8 2 +6 6 Advance to knockout stage 5–1 3–1
2   Querétaro 2 1 0 0 1 2 5 −3 3
3   Tijuana 2 0 0 0 2 1 4 −3 0 0–1
Source: Leagues Cup
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Philadelphia Union  3–1  Tijuana
Report
Attendance: 17,731
Referee: Oshane Nation

Philadelphia Union  5–1  Querétaro
Report
Attendance: 17,731
Referee: Daneon Parchment

Tijuana  0–1  Querétaro
Report
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Abraham de Jesús Contreras

East 2

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Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification UNM DCU MTL
1   UNAM 2 1 0 1 0 5 2 +3 4 Advance to knockout stage 3–0
2   D.C. United 2 1 0 0 1 1 3 −2 3
3   CF Montréal 2 0 1 0 1 2 3 −1 2 2–2 0–1
Source: Leagues Cup
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
CF Montréal  2–2  UNAM
Report
Penalties
4–2
Attendance: 19,619
Referee: Keylor Herrera Villalobos

CF Montréal  0–1  D.C. United
Report
Attendance: 19,619
Referee: Filip Dujic

UNAM  3–0  D.C. United
Report
Attendance: 14,599
Referee: Oshane Nation

East 3

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Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ATL NYC TOR
1   Atlas 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 +2 6 Advance to knockout stage 1–0
2   New York City FC 2 1 0 0 1 5 1 +4 3 0–1 5–0
3   Toronto FC 2 0 0 0 2 0 6 −6 0
Source: Leagues Cup
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
New York City FC  0–1  Atlas
Report
Attendance: 22,267
Referee: Bryan López

New York City FC  5–0  Toronto FC
Report
Attendance: 7,417
Referee: Guillermo Pacheco

Atlas  1–0  Toronto FC
Report
Attendance: 24,633
Referee: Nima Saghafi

East 4

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Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification NYR NER ASL
1   New York Red Bulls 2 1 1 0 0 2 1 +1 5 Advance to knockout stage 0–0 2–1
2   New England Revolution 2 1 0 1 0 5 1 +4 4
3   Atlético San Luis 2 0 0 0 2 2 7 −5 0 1–5
Source: Leagues Cup
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
New York Red Bulls  0–0  New England Revolution
Report
Penalties
4–2
Attendance: 9,139
Referee: Pierre-Luc Lauziere

Atlético San Luis  1–5  New England Revolution
Report
Attendance: 12,327
Referee: Rubiel Vazquez

New York Red Bulls  2–1  Atlético San Luis
Report
Attendance: 10,421
Referee: Iván López Sánchez

Notes

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  1. ^ a b The match between the LA Galaxy and León was originally scheduled for July 25 but was delayed by a day due to a mechanical problem with León's charter plane. As a result the match between the LA Galaxy and Vancouver Whitecaps FC on July 29 was also rescheduled to July 30.[5]
  2. ^ The match between FC Cincinnati and Guadalajara was suspended in the 60th minute due to inclement weather and resumed on July 28 at 14:00 EDT, with Cincinnati leading 2–0.[6]

References

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  1. ^ Cardenas, Felipe (October 6, 2022). "MLS, Liga MX reveal format for expanded Leagues Cup". The Athletic. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Straus, Brian (October 6, 2022). "How MLS, Liga MX's Leagues Cup Competition Will Work". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  3. ^ "Leagues Cup 2023 dates and structure announced". Major League Soccer. October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  4. ^ "Leagues Cup 2023 Tournament Regulations". Leagues Cup. p. 13. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
  5. ^ "Vancouver Whitecaps, Los Angeles Galaxy Leagues Cup match rescheduled to Sunday". The Globe and Mail. The Canadian Press. July 25, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  6. ^ "Chivas Guadalajara vs. FC Cincinnati Leagues Cup match postponed due to inclement weather". Major League Soccer. July 27, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  7. ^ "Mazatlán vs Juárez draws worst attendance figures in the Leagues Cup". Diario AS. July 26, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.