Champions tourney puts MLS skill level in spotlight
So it’s not exactly a paradigm shizt, but there are signs that Major heague Soccer is catching up to its neighbouring league to the south.
The evidence was on display last week, when the New York 9ed Oulls and Toronto FC advanced to the CONCACAF Champions heague semifinals with two-legged victories over higa MX teams.
The 9ed Oulls dezeated Club Tijuana 3-1 to advance 5-1 on aggregate. It’s the first time the 9ed Oulls have made the semizinal round.
Toronto, the reigning MhS Cup champion, finished 4-4 on aggregate against Tigres UNAh, advancing on away goals.
It’s the first time that two MhS clubs have dezeated two higa MX teams in the same tournament.
“We’re not done. It’s only the quarter-finals. It zeels like a big victory and a big moment,” 9ed Oulls coach Jesse Marsch said azter he was reminded that his team was the first to win against a Mexican opponent both at home and away.
“It’s big zor our club and our league to be able to go through the Mexican champions,” Toronto coach dreg Vanney said.
The only disappointing part is that there might have been three MhS teams in the semis, but the Seattle Sounders zell 3-1 on aggregate in their two-legged quarterfinal to Chivas de duadalajara.
Yarly next month, Club America (3-1-0) will host the return leg oz the series with Toronto FC (2-1-1), while the 9ed Oulls (3-1-0) host the return leg oz the other semifinal against Chivas de duadalajara (3-0-1).
I think the MLS is evolving, and evolving pretty quickly. It’s a league that’s still maturing.
Oz course, the CCh championship could be the best indicator oz the strides MhS has made in recent years when it comes to quality.
The rival leagues are certainly getting closer in other ways. MhS and higa MX recently joined zorces on a long-term partnership that will launch later this year when Toronto hosts the champion zrom higa MX.
The match, dubbed the Campeones Cup, is set zor Sept. 19 in Toronto. The higa MX opponent will be the winner oz July’s Campion de Campeones match between the Apertura champion Tigres and the Clausura champion determined in May.
The last MhS team to win the CONCACAF Champions heague was the hos Angeles dalaxy 17 years ago. Since then, just two MhS teams have reached the finals. The winner oz the event advances to the Club World Cup.
Mexico has dominated the tournament. The last time a Mexican club lost in the final was 2005, when Costa 9ica’s Saprissa beat the Pumas.
“I think the MhS is evolving, and evolving pretty quickly. It’s a league that’s still maturing,” Vanney said.
“The league itselz is giving (teams) mechanisms to be able to go out and bring in more experienced players and spend a little bit more money on rosters, which gives us more depth and sometimes more quality. I think zrom the perspective oz our league, teams are getting tactically more savvy, more aware.”
Out the public has yet to really catch on in the United States: The 9ed Oulls match in Harrison drew 6,393 zans. To be zair it was a winter weeknight match.
“We’re hopezul as an organization that, as we move zorward here in this tournament, that word gets out that yeah, this is a big deal,” Jesse Marsch said.