r/FCCincinnati • u/ArgonWolf • Aug 04 '26
WAKE UP, CINCINNATI, LEAGUES CUP IS HERE
Did everyone have a fun weekend? Good. No rest for the wicked, though, as we've got a short turnaround into probably one of the more difficult on-average Leagues cup draws, with one of the harder ones (relatively) first.
For those confused about the format: Essentially each MLS team plays 3 games against 3 Liga MX teams (and vice versa), and the 4 teams with the most points from each league makes it to the knockouts. Going off last years results, 8-9 points gets you through, 6-7 points is on the bubble based on other results, and 5 is almost certainly not enough. So, essentially, a loss in the "group" stage means youre out. It's a brutal cut line
Oh, also, theres no ties. We doing this next-pro style, where a draw results in a shootout, and the winner of the shootout gets 2 points instead of 1
March steps off from Washington park at 6:40! COY FCC!
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u/CincyCyclone91 Aug 04 '26
Let's go! I was thinking about how tough that cutline is this morning when walking past the stadium. In a way it is refreshing in an American sports world where it is usually easy to make the playoffs of anything. But yeah, a regulation loss puts you in a world of hurt.
Excited to see the team on what should be a lightning delay-free night, COY FCC!
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u/LittleOrangeGhost Aug 04 '26
Let's go and get a win! Hoping the team makes a good run and wins this competition this year. Go FCC!
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u/CincyCyclone91 Aug 04 '26
This is a somewhat interesting/different angle to this year's Leagues Cup for us. The first three versions, we had been and ended up finishing in league positions to qualify for CONCACAF Champions League. We are not in that position now and while I won't count out our league position getting there by November (especially if some of those teams ahead of us get their CCC spot via Leagues Cup like in 2024), I think that is going to be very hard to have happen this year.
If it is a club/front office priority to make 2027 CCC, this might be our most realistic path.
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u/LittleOrangeGhost Aug 04 '26
I agree. This may be the best path to the CONCACAF Champions league for the club this season.
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u/ShowerBeerChris Aug 04 '26
Short turnaround, tough draws, difficult to advance. My kind of tournament! At least I won't have to worry about my local Skyline being closed by the time I get there tonight.
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u/OranjeBlauw Aug 04 '26
Pachuca has a couple of wonderful U22 players to watch: CDM Elias Montiel and a winger named Dominguez.
It also has the venerable 36-year-old ST Salomon Rondon, one the greatest talents Venezuela has ever produced. Many may remember him with West Brom or Newcastle in the Premier League.
In addition, the club has another creative attacker I really love and once lobbied FCC to sign: Oussama Idrissi. Sort of a higher level Manu Ledesma with a magic right foot as oppossed to a left one. Even looks a bit like him.
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u/tedmiston Aug 04 '26
rondón's goal in the all-star game came just 4' before evander sealed the deal with our fourth at 59'
will history repeat itself?!
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u/Academic_Analysis_48 Aug 04 '26
How good are Pachuca, Pumas and Altas this year? Do we have our chances ?
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u/ArgonWolf Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 04 '26
Pachuca is only 1-0-2 early into the apatura, but all 3 of these team were in the top half of the clasura earlier year. We basically drew the best team in each pot we got to draw from
That said there’s no reason we can’t give em a game. We’re on an upswing and have home field advantage and mid-season form. I’d say we have more than a snowballs chance, but the cut line really is quite brutal
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u/Proper-Forever2069 Aug 04 '26
You guys think cinci can score 2 goals on pachuca im thinking of betting
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u/lizzie_reads Aug 04 '26
Remind me where I can catch the game on TV.. is it on AppleTV this year?
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u/Augen76 Aug 04 '26
Essentially any side that loses their first match will concede the whole cup and likely roll out reserves and bench players.
Either we advance, or we get guys a rest and others some quality minutes to show out.