For the first time since match play was suspended March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Major League Soccer action will resume July 8 with the historic and unprecedented MLS is Back Tournament. This one-of-a-kind competition will see all 26 clubs descend on ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, marking the emphatic return of men's professional soccer in the United States after a near four-month hiatus.
As the opening match approaches, SportingKC.com is presenting a 20-day preview of the World-Cup style tournament from June 18 through July 7 called Countdown to MLS is Back presented by Children's Mercy Sports Medicine Center.
Sporting Kansas City will kick off their Group D campaign on July 12 against rivals Minnesota United FC before facing the Colorado Rapids on July 17 and Real Salt Lake on July 22, with all three games shown live nationally on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and the ESPN app. To visit the series homepage as it expands, head to SportingKC.com/MLSisBack.
When Major League Soccer's 26 clubs were divided into six groups for the MLS is Back Tournament last month, fans and pundits alike remarked on the numerous rivalry matchups within the groups. Orlando-Inter Miami in Group A, a dose of Cascadia in Group B, Canada's 401 Derby in Group C, the Hell is Real Derby in Group E and El Trafico in Group F.
Sporting's four-team pod was no exception, with Manager Peter Vermes' men set to face Minnesota United FC, the Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake, each of which has its own unique rivalry with Kansas City.
But how do each of the six group compare in terms of difficulty? Is there a definitive group of death? Conversely, is there a group that appears softer than the rest?
<strong>GROUP</strong> |
<strong>A</strong> |
<strong>B</strong> |
<strong>C</strong> |
<strong>D</strong> |
<strong>E</strong> |
<strong>F</strong> |
<strong>POSITION</strong> |
<strong>Eastern</strong> |
<strong>Western</strong> |
<strong>Eastern</strong> |
<strong>Western</strong> |
<strong>Eastern</strong> |
<strong>Western</strong> |
<strong>1</strong> |
ORL |
SEA |
TOR |
RSL |
ATL |
LAFC |
<strong>2</strong> |
MIA |
DAL |
NE |
SKC |
CIN |
LA |
<strong>3</strong> |
NYC |
VAN |
MTL |
COL |
RBNY |
HOU |
<strong>4</strong> |
PHI |
SJ |
DC |
MIN |
CLB |
POR |
<strong>5</strong> |
CHI |
|||||
<strong>6</strong> |
NSH |
Considering the fact that clubs haven't played in almost four months—and only had two games under their belts before play was suspended due to COVID—it's awfully hard to say. Teams that started slow in March might flip the switch in July, and vice versa. MLS has always been a league of parity, and the many wrinkles of the MLS is Back Tournament will make accurate predictions even harder to come by.
However, that won't stop us from trying to figure out which groups appear more formidable than most. Two means of measuring group strength are (1) the clubs' performance in 2020 thus far, and (2) the clubs' performance last season.
<strong>Group</strong> |
<strong>Teams</strong> |
<strong>2020<br>
Record</strong> |
<strong>2020<br>
Points</strong> |
<strong>2019<br>
PPG</strong> |
A |
ORL, MIA, NYC, PHI, CHI, NSH |
0-9-3 |
3 |
49.5 |
B |
SEA, DAL, VAN, SJ |
3-2-3 |
12 |
45.5 |
C |
TOR, NE, MTL, DC |
3-2-3 |
12 |
46.5 |
D |
RSL, SKC, COL, MIN |
6-0-2 |
20 |
46.5 |
E |
ATL, CIN, RBNY, CLB |
4-2-2 |
14 |
42 |
F |
LAFC, LA, HOU, POR |
2-3-3 |
9 |
53 |
Let's start with the first method. If we look at Groups A through F based on results after the first two weeks of 2020, Sporting's group is by far the best. Sporting, Minnesota, Colorado and Colorado went a combined 6-0-2 through Week 2, with the former three going a perfect 2-0-0 and RSL drawing twice. Group D has combined for 20 points thus far, six more than any other group. Incredibly enough, the six-team Group A went a combined 0-9-3 over the first two weeks.
An alternative approach to breaking down each group is by looking at 2019 results on a regular season points per game basis. By this metric, Group F containing Supporters' Shield holders LAFC, the LA Galaxy, Houston Dynamo and Portland Timbers is the toughest. Group E, consisting of Atlanta United FC, New York Red Bulls, FC Cincinnati and Columbus Crew SC is the weakest.
The MLS is Back Tournament will kick off a week from tonight as Orlando and Inter Miami square off at 7 p.m. CT. Sporting's group stage campaign will see the side face Minnesota on July 12, Colorado on July 17 and RSL on July 22. All three contests will be shown live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and the ESPN app.
