The revamped edition of the 2023 Leagues Cup will have several things to keep in mind, especially with a massive debut taking place in the first day of activity.
This tournament will be quite special for a number of reasons, starting with the format that will not allow any ties. Whenever a game ends in a draw, penalties will be taken to award one more point to the winner. That will eventually force teams to go all in for the win right from the start rather than trying to hold on to a draw. If you are not familiar with the specifics of the tournament, visit our Leagues Cup broadcast guide.
Now, on to the games that will start the tournament. Seven teams from the MLS and three more from Liga MX will have the honor of starting the 2023 edition, with two games being played at the same time to kick off, and the others being scattered in the following hours. Without further ado, here is our analysis of the five games that will be played on Friday.
Cruz Azul vs Inter Miami
The Herons are the biggest attraction of the tournament, after putting together an all-star cast that will feature Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, and more importantly, Lionel Messi. With the team being led by Tata Martino, their fans have high hopes for coming years, but their recent performances have not been as positive as expected, since the team holds the final spot in the Eastern Conference with not many games to play. The Leagues Cup will give them a chance to redeem themselves, and their opening match will be against Cruz Azul, one of Mexico's most popular teams who are also struggling this season under coach Ricardo Ferretti. It will be a clash between two inconsistent teams, but having Messi around (even if he does not start the game) will be enough reason to keep an eye on it.
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Orlando City vs Houston Dynamo
The first of two all-MLS ties will feature the fifth-best team in the Eastern Conference and a team struggling to make the playoffs in the Western. This will be the seventh match between these clubs, with each of them winning two and the others concluding in a draw. The last match where the Lions and the Orange Crush ended in a 2-1 win for Orlando City. Nevertheless, with the format the competition holds, something tells us that this clash will not be anything like others in the past.
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Austin vs Mazatlán
Two recently created teams will lock horns for the first time in history, with Austin getting to this game as favorites due to Mazatlán's shaky progress since their creation and after finishing last season in 18th place. The Oaks are fifth in the Western Conference, leaving them pretty close to the leaders. Meanwhile, Mazatlán are yet to win a game in the ongoing Liga MX season, which means that the Texans have the necessary credentials to take their first three points of the competition.
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Dallas vs Charlotte
Los Toros make it to this game after putting their MLS season in pause while in eighth place of the Western Conference. Meanwhile, Charlotte have only won six of their 23 games this season, good enough to be ranked 12th in the Eastern Conference. Despite playing in the same league, this will be the first match in history between Dallas and The Crown, who will try to do their best in this match to get an edge over Necaxa, the Liga MX team involved in their group.
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León vs Vancouver Whitecaps
The winners of the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League return to an international competition with high hopes for success, as they will return to a football pitch in the United States with almost the same team that defeated Los Angeles FC in the CCL's title match. On the other hand, Vancouver will try to prove themselves as a worthy opponent, especially since they have shown progress in the MLS by being ranked 7th before the Leagues Cup arrived. The 'Caps will face a Liga MX side for the third time in history, hoping to end their two-game losing streak against teams from that country and take a huge step forward to the next round.
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For more details surrounding the Leagues Cup, visit our broadcast guide or take a look at our bespoke Leagues Cup website.
