Leagues Cup 2024

Before we get to tomorrow night's game a quick update on our international players.  Djordje Mihailovic had the first goal off a free kick (think of his LAFC goal, pretty similar) in the U.S.'s 3-0 victory over Guinea.  With the win they made the quarterfinals and will play Morocco at 7am on Friday.  If they win they get the winner of Japan-Spain in the middle of next week.  If they lose there's a chance Djordje could be back in time for the Leon game on Monday night.

In the CONCACAF U-20 tournament the U.S. won its quarterfinal over Guatemala 1-0.  The win included an 89th minute PK save by Rapids keeper Adam Beaudry to protect the shutout and the win.  With the result the U.S. qualifies for the U-20 World Cup next year in Chile.  The U.S. plays the winner of Panama-Canada in the semis on Friday night, which turns out to be Panama.  Kimani Stewart-Baynes got the start for Canada but the team was eliminated by a Panamanian goal in the first half of extra time.  This also eliminates them from qualifying for the U-20 World Cup.  KSB should be available next Monday.

Ok, now on to the Leagues Cup.  A quick refresher on how this tournament works.  The teams are separated into 3 team groups and the top two teams from each group advance to the knockout rounds.  There are no ties in Leagues Cup, a game that's tied after 90 minutes goes directly to PKs.  Teams get 3 points for a regulation win, 2 for a PK win, 1 for a PK loss, and 0 for a regulation loss.  Tiebreaker is head-to-head (with the winner of PKs considered to be the winner for the tiebreaker), or goal differential/total goals if its a 3-way tie.

Sunday night Portland played Leon in Portland (technically Leon is the home team for both matches but the MLS team's stadium is used.  Long story.) and won on a last minute goal 2-1.  So that give Portland 3 points and Leon 0, with both of them having a game against the Rapids.  First up is tomorrow night as the Burgundy Boys also head to Portland.  Because of how the point system works the Rapids can't clinch or be eliminated, but the result could make the work they need to do against Leon easier.  Portland can clinch a spot in the knockouts with any result against us other than losing in regulation.

If we win tomorrow (in regulation or PKs), we need to get to PKs against Leon, doesn't matter if we win or lose them.  Losing to Leon in regulation after beating Portland in regulation would be the 3-way tiebreaker scenario

If we lose tomorrow (in regulation or PKs) we need to beat Leon (in regulation or PKs)

tl;dr - Winning tomorrow means anything but a loss in regulation to Leon is enough

All of that to say, I don't really know what to expect tomorrow.  It sounds like Armas is going to put out a strong lineup, but will it be the full lineup or will we see somebody like Anderson get some minutes?  And what will Portland do?  Knowing they only need a PK loss to qualify will they go all out?  A PK win is all they need to clinch first place in the group.

If I had to guess I think we see a full lineup tomorrow, assuming everyone is healthy.  Bassett pushes up for the missing Mihailovic and Ronan moves in behind him, with Lewis and Harris on the wings.

Prediction: 1-1 draw, goal by Bassett.  Rapids lose in PKs.  These are two very even teams, and we aren't the same Rapids who got blitzed in the season opener in Portland.  I think missing Mihailovic though is enough to only get a draw, and not having our top penalty taker costs us in the kicks.