Inaugural Leagues Cup between MLS and LIGA MX kicks off tonight

• Inaugural Leagues Cup between MLS and LIGA MX kicks off tonight
• Leagues Cup splits Mexico’s 2019 Gold Cup champions between MLS, LIGA MX rosters
• Leagues Cup rivalries fostered by MLS-LIGA MX connections
• Vela chasing Martínez’s goalscoring record as LAFC hosts Atlanta
• Week 21 Notes

Top Things to Know in MLS This Week:

Inaugural Leagues Cup kicks off tonight:
Pride is on the line as the MLS vs. LIGA MX rivalry reaches a new level in the inaugural Leagues Cup.
This Saturday, MLS All-Star festivities begin in Orlando:
MLS’ midsummer celebration of soccer and culture begins on Saturday with nearly a week of fan and media activities before the best in MLS take on Atlético de Madrid on July 31.  For more information, visit the
2019 MLS All-Star Media Center
.
New England ‘Revving’ up an unbeaten streak:
The New England Revolution are unbeaten in their past 10 regular season games, sitting one game away from their longest single-season streak of 11 games set back in 2005. They also currently hold the best 2019 record in MLS since May 11.
Fernandez keeps contributing for Timbers:
24-year-old Portland Timbers forward Brian Fernandez hit a brace to take down Seattle last week.  The 24-year-old has eight goals and one assist, contributing to nine goals in his first nine MLS games. Fernandez and Portland face the LA Galaxy this Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1 / FOX Deportes)
Leg 2 of Canadian Championship set Wednesday:
MLS clubs get set for Leg 2 of the Canadian Championship this Wednesday.
Wednesday, July 24

• Montreal Impact vs. York9 (7:30 p.m. ET, OneSoccer.ca)
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Calvary (10:30 p.m. ET, OneSoccer.ca)

Leagues Cup kicks off tonight with familiar faces on both sides of the ball

Tonight marks the inaugural matches of Leagues Cup, and final rosters are in. Six of the Mexican National Team players who hoisted the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup are among the 23-man rosters for the eight competing teams, some on opposites sides of the ball.
CLICK HERE
for the full rosters.
CLICK HERE
for Leagues Cup Competition Guidelines
LEAGUES CUP SCHEDULE
Tuesday, July 23

• Chicago Fire vs. Cruz Azul (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+ / TUDN / TSN / TVA Sports)
  
• LA Galaxy vs. Club Tijuana (11 p.m. ET, ESPN / TUDN / TSN / TVA Sports)
  

Wednesday, July 24

• Houston Dynamo vs. Club America (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+ / TUDN / TSN / TVA Sports)
  
• Real Salt Lake vs. Tigres UANL (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+ / TUDN / TSN / TVA Sports)
  

LA Galaxy’s Joe Corona to face his former Club Tijuana
When the LA Galaxy face Club Tijuana on Tuesday, Galaxy midfielder
Joe Corona
will revisit his history with their LIGA MX opponent. After splitting his formidable years between Tijuana, Mexico and San Diego, Corona – now in his first MLS season with 19 appearances – began his professional career with Xolos in 2010, scoring six goals in his 34 starts to help lift Club Tijuana into the Primera Division.
Chicago’s Bornstein signs in MLS on Monday, set to face Cruz Azul on Tuesday
Recently signed to the Chicago Fire this Monday after nine years in Mexico and abroad, defender
Jonathan Bornstein
has LIGA MX roots that feature a stint with fellow Leagues Cup participants Tigres UANL from 2010-14, including a 2011-12 Apertura title.
Club Tijuana manager Oscar Pareja knows the MLS competition
Appearing in eight MLS seasons as an FC Dallas player before capturing the Supporters’ Shield-Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup double in 2016 as the team’s head coach,
Oscar Pareja
was a key component in building young talent through the FC Dallas academy system before he joined Club Tijuana at the end of last MLS season. Leagues Cup will be the first time he faces MLS competition at the helm of a new club.
Former MLS Golden Boot winner Sanvezzo turned Club Tijuana front man
Club Tijuana’s
Camilo Sanvezzo
will be in familiar territory against the LA Galaxy on Tuesday, as the former Whitecaps FC forward faces one of his previous MLS Western conference rivals. Over three seasons from 2011-13, Sanvezzo struck often for Whitecaps FC, netting 39 goals, and 16 assists in 92 appearances, and staking his claim on the 2013 MLS Golden Boot award as the league’s leading scorer with 22 finishes in that campaign.
Junihno went LA Galaxy, to Club Tijuana, and back before facing Xolos this Tuesday
A three-time MLS Cup champion (2011, 2012, 2014) and two-time Supporters’ Shield winner (2010, 2011) with the LA Galaxy,
Juninho
has seen both sides of rivalry, and he knows first-hand what matchups between the top two North American soccer leagues means. In 2012 Concacaf Champions League play, he scored braces for the Galaxy against Chivas Guadalajara and Toronto FC en route to becoming the club’s all-time leading scorer in CCL action. Following the 2015 MLS season, he joined Club Tijuana for a three-year span that also included a stint on loan with the Chicago Fire in 2017. Now back with the Galaxy in 2019, Juninho will face his former Liga MX side as LA’s opening Leagues Cup competition.
Tigres center back Salcedo developed defensive roots with Real Salt Lake
Carlos Salcedo
is a Real Salt Lake academy product, who signed his first professional contract at age 21 as an MLS homegrown player in January 2013. Over two seasons he featured in 25 games, helping RSL to an 8-3-2 record during all rookie season appearances before seeing action in 12 games during the 2014 season. A 2018 World Cup participant, Salcedo has also earned caps for the Mexican National Team during 2015 Copa América, Copa América Centenario, 2016 Rio Olympic Games, and 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.
Club Tijuana’s Erick ‘Cubo’ Torres could face his former Houston Dynamo
In his five years of MLS experience,
Erick “Cubo” Torres
spent three of them with the Houston Dynamo. A dynamic midfielder who scored 14 goals with three assists for the club in his 2017 final MLS season, could have the chance to face his former MLS Club in the Leagues Cup final.

Vela chasing Martínez’s goalscoring record as LAFC hosts Atlanta for first time ever

Two of the most dangerous attacking players in MLS history will square off when the Los Angeles Football Club host Atlanta United for the first time ever at Banc of California Stadium on Friday (10 p.m. ET, ESPNESPN Deportes/TSN2). With 21 goals scored through 20 matches played this season, LAFC’s
Carlos Vela
is on track to break Atlanta forward
Josef Martínez
’s MLS-record 31 goals scored in a season, set last year.
Vela leads MLS this season with 21 goals while his 12 assists rank second in the league. With 13 games remaining this season, Vela’s 33 combined goals and assists are already tied for fourth-most in league history that has the Mexican dreaming of MLS MVP honors. LAFC hopes Vela’s heroics can help the club capture a win over Atlanta for the first time after falling 5-0 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the only matchup between the two clubs last April.
Martínez, meanwhile, is tied for second in the league with 16 goals, only one goal off his 2018 pace through 19 matches played. The 26-year-old has scored in four straight matches and is chasing Vela in hopes of repeating as the MLS MVP and Golden Boot winner.
LAFC is also on pace to break the MLS single-season record for points in one season, with the club projected to surpass the current record of 71 points set last year by the New York Red Bulls based on its current 2.19 points per game. As the only team in MLS remaining with an unbeaten home record, this historically strong LAFC club will look to stave off an Atlanta United team that has rebounded from early season struggles to a current second-place standing in the Eastern Conference.

MLS Regular Season: Week 21 Notes

Friday, July 26
New York City FC vs. Sporting Kansas City, 7:30 p.m. ET

• NYCFC put an end to a brief two-game losing skid, coming back for a 2-1 win against the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Saturday evening. Héber scored for a second consecutive game, his eighth goal of the season.
  
• Sporting had their two-game winning run put to an end, falling 2-0 to FC Dallas at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday evening.
  
• The teams met once a season ago, and NYCFC took a 2-0 win on March 4 at Children’s Mercy Park in the season opener for both clubs.
  
• Over their four meetings all-time, the home team has won twice, and the away team twice. Sporting won the first two meetings between the clubs, once at each ground, in 2015 in Kansas City and in 2016 at Yankee Stadium. NYCFC took the last meeting in the Bronx, a 1-0 win there on Sept. 6, 2017.
  

Los Angeles Football Club vs. Atlanta United, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN, ESPN Deportes, TSN)

• LAFC had their three-game winning run put to a halt, falling 3-2 to the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Park on Friday evening.
  
• Carlos Vela scored both LAFC goals, now atop the MLS Golden Boot standings with 21 goals. He becomes the fourth player in MLS history to record at least 20 goals and 10 assists in the same season.
  
• Atlanta United won for a second consecutive match, both by shutout, defeating D.C. United 2-0 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
  
• Pity Martínez scored his third goal of the season and set up his sixth assist of the year, that coming on Josef Martínez’s 16th goal of the campaign – both goals coming after the 89th minute.
  
• The teams met once in LAFC’s inaugural season. Miguel Almíron scored two goals and set up a third as Atlanta United steamed to a 5-0 win at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on April 7.
  

Saturday, July 27
New England Revolution vs. Orlando City SC, 7 p.m. ET

• The Revolution extended their undefeated streak to 10 games, defeating FC Cincinnati 2-0 at Nippert Stadium on Sunday evening. The 10-game streak is the second-longest in the club’s 24-year history, after a 12-game run over the end of 2004 and start of 2005.
  
• Carles Gil scored for a third consecutive game, while Gustavo Bou collected an assist in his second MLS game after scoring on his Revolution debut.
  
• Orlando City SC saw their three-game undefeated run put to a halt, falling 1-0 to the New York Red Bulls at Exploria Stadium on Sunday evening.
  
• The teams met twice a season ago. The Revolution took a 2-0 win in the second meeting, Oct. 13 at Gillette Stadium, breaking the deadlock after the clubs had evenly split their first eight meetings (2 wins each, with 4 draws). The first meeting was a 3-3 result in Orlando.
  
• The away team has never won in the all-time series, in eight meetings. The Revolution have won three of the four meetings at Gillette Stadium, including each of the past two years. Orlando City had won their previous two home matches vs. New England, before last year’s draw.
  

New York Red Bulls vs. Columbus Crew SC, 7:30 p.m. ET

• The Red Bulls snapped a four-game road run without a victory, defeating Orlando City SC by the game’s only goal at Exploria Stadium on Sunday evening. Brian White netted the lone tally, his seventh of the season.
  
• Crew SC defeated the Montréal Impact 2-1 at Mapfre Stadium on Saturday evening, putting an end to their 10-game stretch without a triumph. Josh Williams scored his second goal of the season to give Crew SC the lead, then David Accam netted the game-winner early in the second half.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Andreas Ivan gave the Red Bulls a sixth-minute lead, but Gaston Sauro leveled just before halftime for Crew SC, leaving the teams in a 1-1 draw in the season opener for both clubs on March 2 at Mapfre Stadium.
  
• Crew SC have a four-game undefeated streak in the series in league play, winning the last meeting at Red Bull Arena, a 3-2 victory last July 28. The Red Bulls have not won in Columbus since March 28, 2015, a span of five games; Crew SC have won two of those, with three draws.
  
• The teams also met in the Eastern Conference Semifinals a year ago. Crew SC won the first leg 1-0 at home, but the Red Bulls took the second leg 3-0 at Red Bull Arena, winning the series 3-1 on aggregate.
  

Chicago Fire vs. D.C. United, 8 p.m. ET

• The Fire went down to a 2-0 defeat to the Philadelphia Union at Talen Energy Stadium on Saturday evening.
  
• D.C. United had a two-game undefeated run come to an end, falling 2-0 to Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Ulises Segura scored twice for D.C. United canceling out a two-goal Fire lead after the opening quarter-hour, but Chicago’s Francisco Calvo netted in stoppage time to leave the teams in a 3-3 draw May 29 at Audi Field.
  

FC Dallas vs. Real Salt Lake, 8 p.m. ET

• FC Dallas won for a second time in three games, getting goals from Dominique Badji and Jesús Ferreira for a 2-0 win against Sporting Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Park.
  
• Real Salt Lake gained a fifth result from their past six matches, reaching a 1-1 draw with Minnesota United FC at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday evening. Marcelo Silva netted his second goal of the year for the RSL tally.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Paxton Pomykal netted a pair of goals and Michael Barrios set up the other two as FC Dallas took a 4-2 win on March 30 at Rio Tinto Stadium.
  
• The teams last met at Toyota Stadium on March 3 of last year, playing to a 1-1 draw. RSL is 1-13-3 at FC Dallas all-time in league games between the clubs, FCD undefeated in the last five meetings there. FC Dallas has also won a home game in the MLS Cup Playoffs (in 2010) and a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal (in 2011). The lone RSL win in Frisco came on July 13, 2013, a 3-0 victory.
  

Houston Dynamo vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 8 p.m. ET

• The Dynamo put an end to a three-game slide in impressive fashion, rolling to a 3-0 win against Toronto FC at BMO Field on Saturday evening. Mauro Manotas netted his eighth goal of the season, also setting one up with his fifth assist of the year.
  
• Sounders FC saw their 13-game undefeated streak at CenturyLink Field come to an end, falling 2-1 to the Portland Timbers on Sunday evening. The streak was one game shy of the club record, set March 16-Sept. 29, 2013.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Cristian Roldan scored the game’s only goal after five minutes, leading Sounders FC to the win May 11 at CenturyLink Field, their fourth in a row in the series.
  
• Sounders FC won the last meeting between the teams at BBVA Stadium, a 3-2 win there last Oct. 21, their first ever in Houston in league play. In the first eight meetings there, the Dynamo won four, with four draws.
  
• Sounders FC have never lost to the Dynamo in Seattle. In 10 league meetings all-time, Seattle has won eight, with two draws, outscoring Houston 16-3. Sounders FC also won a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match at home vs. Houston; the teams played to a scoreless draw in Seattle in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs.
  

Minnesota United FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 8 p.m. ET (TSN)

• Minnesota United had their winning run put to an end but still extended their MLS club record undefeated streak to five games, reaching a 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday evening. Darwin Quintero netted his seventh goal of the season.
  
• Whitecaps FC fell 3-1 to the San Jose Earthquakes at BC Place on Saturday evening. Doneil Henry scored his second goal of the season for the Vancouver tally.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Darwin Quintero scored one goal then set up two others as Minnesota United FC claimed a 3-2 win the season opener for both teams, March 2 at BC Place.
  
• The teams split their season series a year ago, each winning on their home ground. MNUFC won 1-0 on May 5 at TCF Bank Stadium, their first win ever against Vancouver. Whitecaps FC then won 4-2 on July 28 at BC Place, their second win in two home meetings vs. Minnesota United.
  

Montreal Impact vs. Philadelphia Union, 8 p.m. (TVA Sports)

• The Impact fell 2-1 to Columbus Crew SC at Mapfre Stadium. Zakaria Diallo netted his third goal of the season, his second in the last four matches.
  
• The Union snapped a brief two-game winless slide, defeating the Chicago Fire 2-0 at Talen Energy Stadium on Saturday evening. Marco Fabian scored his fourth goal of the season, his second in the last four games.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Cory Burke, Haris Medunjanin and Alejandro Bedoya all netted goals as the Union claimed a 3-0 win on April 30 at Talen Energy Stadium.
  
• The Union claimed the last meeting at Stade Saputo, a 2-0 win last May 12; the Impact have won six of the nine meetings all-time at Stade Saputo. The win in the first meeting this year ended a four-game Impact undefeated streak at Talen Energy Stadium. It was the Union’s first home win in the series since 2014.
  

Toronto FC vs. FC Cincinnati, 8 p.m. ET (TSN)

• Toronto FC had their two-game winning run put to an end, falling 3-0 to the Houston Dynamo at BMO Field on Saturday evening.
  
• FC Cincinnati suffered a 2-0 loss to the New England Revolution at Nippert Stadium on Sunday evening.
  
• The teams are meeting for the first time in their histories, the first of two league meetings this season. They will meet again on Sept. 7 at Nippert Stadium.
  

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Colorado Rapids, 10 p.m. ET

• The Quakes won their third game in a row – the last two on the road – posting a 3-1 victory against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place on Saturday evening. Vako Qazaishvili scored for a second consecutive game, now with six goals on the year, while Chris Wondolowski netted his ninth goal of the campaign.
  
• The Rapids suffered a 2-1 defeat by New York City FC at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Saturday evening. The lone Colorado goal came from Sebastian Anderson – at 16 years, 346 days, the youngest player to score a goal in the Rapids’ 24-year club history.
  
• The teams met twice a year ago. Bismark Adjei-Boateng netted the game-winner in second-half stoppage time, giving the Rapids a 2-1 win on Aug. 11 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park; they then reached a goalless draw Oct. 21 at Avaya Stadium.
  
• The Rapids are undefeated in the past seven meetings with the Quakes in Commerce City, Colo., the last San Jose win there coming in 2013. The Rapids have won three times, with four draws. The Rapids win at home on Oct. 13, 2016, ended a 14-game overall winless streak in the series.
  
• The Quakes are undefeated in the four meetings all-time at Avaya Stadium, winning the first three by 1-0 scorelines before last year’s draw. San Jose has not conceded a home goal to Colorado since a 1-1 draw on May 18, 2013, a span of 604 scoreless minutes for the Rapids in the Bay Area.
  

Portland Timbers vs. LA Galaxy, 10:30 p.m. ET (FS1, FOX Deportes)

• The Timbers extended their undefeated streak to five matches, defeating Seattle Sounders FC 2-1 at CenturyLink Field on Sunday evening. Brian Fernández scored both Timbers goals, now with eight goals in his nine matches since his arrival in MLS.
  
• Zlatan Ibrahimović netted a hat trick – his second in MLS, and both coming against the Los Angeles Football Club – as the Galaxy took the first installment of El Tráfico in a 3-2 win at Dignity Health Sports Park on Friday evening. Ibrahimović is now tied for second place in the MLS Golden Boot standings with 16 goals.
  
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Ibrahimović scored a pair of goals, both from penalty kicks, as the Galaxy took a 2-1 win on March 31 at Dignity Health Sports Park.
  
• The Timbers have won once in the past five home games in the series, a 3-1 win on Aug. 6, 2017, their first vs. the Galaxy in Portland since 2013. The last meeting at Providence Park finished in a 1-1 draw, last June 2. The Timbers have won just twice all-time in Carson, last in a 1-0 victory on March 12, 2017.