Two MLS teams booked their place in the Round of 32 on Tuesday night, continuing the competition’s US dominance.
William GittinsWillGittUpdate: Jul 31st, 2024 11:11 EDT0
Dustin SafranekUSA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
The second round of fixtures in the 2024 Leagues Cup kicked off on Tuesday evening. Once again, there were some statement wins for MLS teams against their Mexican counterparts and two dramatic penalty shoot-out wins.
Perhaps the most impressive of the MLS wins was a 2-0 victory for Austin FC against Liga MX giants Monterrey. Goals from Jáder Obrian and Daniel Pereira took Austin up to six points in Group A, enough to secure their place in the knockout rounds of Leagues Cup.
Elsewhere LAFC scored two late goals to earn a 2-2 draw against Vancouver Whitecaps, with Mateusz Bogusz scoring the crucial leveller in the fifth minute of stoppage time. The Whitecaps went on to win the resultant penalty shoot-out but, with four points to their name, LAFC have now booked a spot in the Round of 32.
Ahead of Wednesday’s Leagues Cup fixtures, Austin FC and LAFC are the only teams to have secured progression from their groups. The two seeded teams, Columbus Crew and Club América, are also guaranteed their place in the Round of 32.
Leagues Cup bracket and schedule
Since the overhaul in 2023, Leagues Cup now features all 47 teams in MLS and Liga MX. Domestic competition is put on hold for a month for the pan-continental tournament.
Leagues Cup begins with a 45-team group stage, with entrants divided into 15 groups of three teams. The top two in each group will progress to the Round of 32 phase, along with Club América and Columbus Crew. Here’s a look at the bracket for the 2024 Leagues Cup…
🤩 Every 🏆 starts with a journey 💪The #LeaguesCup2024 bracket pres. By @CoorsLight is here!47 Clubs from 🇨🇦🇲🇽🇺🇸 32 will move on to the knockout rounds! The #LeaguesCup2024 🗓️ is out 👀MoreThanSoccer this is #LeaguesCup
— Leagues Cup (@LeaguesCup) March 14, 2024
The second round of group stage fixtures continues on Wednesday and Thursday, with the final games to be played over the weekend. Once the group stage has concluded the Round of 32, the first knockout round, will begin on August 9. Columbus Crew and Club América will be among the first teams to play.
