Mexican clubs who disappointed in the Leagues Cup
Although several Liga MX teams remain in the competition, more clubs have been eliminated than expected ahead of the Last 16.
The Leagues Cup brings together the Liga MX and MLS in a competition to define which league is the best in North America. However, in the current edition, many Mexican teams have already been eliminated. Much more was expected from the Liga MX teams.
The Round of 16 set to get underway this weekend a nd so far just one Mexican team, Querétaro, has made it through, with five others (América, León, Toluca, Monterrey and Tigres) aspiring to join them.
Several others however, didn’t get past the Round of 32 when they were expected to go much further.
One of them is Cruz Azul, who was eliminated by Charlotte in a 4-3 penalty shootout. Chivas meanwhile returned home after failing to make it past the group stage. Pumas lost to their compatriots, Querétaro - Angel Sepulveda’s solitary strike sending the university team packing in the round of 32 and, finally, Pachuca lost 3-5 on penalties to the Houston Dynamo and them too, the tournament is over.
So it will be down to León, América, Toluca, Monterrey and Tigres to fly the flag for Mexico in the remaining Round of 32 ties - all of them against MLS teams. However, is it not guaranteed that all will go through.
2023 Leagues Cup: remaining Round of 32 ties with Liga MX teams
- Chicago vs América
- León vs Real Salt Lake
- Toluca vs Sporting KC
- Monterrey vs Portand
- Tigres vs Vancouver
Another point of note is that only half of the Liga MX teams were eliminated from the competition between the group phase and Round of 16: Necaxa, Santos Laguna, Atlético San Luis, Tijuana, Puebla, Mazatlán and Juárez. Now there are just a handful left competing in a tournament that was created just a few years ago and which just two Mexican teams have won: La Fiera and La Máquina.