On Sunday, New York City FC face Atlas FC in the opening match of Leagues Cup, a World Cup-style tournament that includes all 47 teams in Liga MX and MLS. This midseason competition offers a unique opportunity for NYCFC to gain momentum, integrate their new signings from the Summer transfer window, and head back into MLS league games in good form.
Here are the keys to NYCFC mounting a deep run in Leagues Cup.
• Leagues Cup is here: Do you care?
NYCFC’s group is weak
Leagues Cup competition opens on July 21 with a brief group stage. Liga MX and MLS teams were placed into 15 groups with three teams each (Liga MX title winners Pachuca and MLS title winners LAFC advance directly to the knockout stage), and the top two teams in each group will advance. In other words, only 15 teams will fail to advance to the knockout stage.
NYCFC were drawn into East 3, along with Atlas and Toronto FC. Both of NYCFC’s games will be at “home,” with New York City hosting Atlas at Citi Field on Sunday, July 23, and hosting Sean Johnon’s Toronto at Red Bull Arena on Wednesday, July 26.
