2021 Leagues Cup

Last updated

2021 Leagues Cup
Las Vegas (5152659900-Cropped2).jpg
The Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada hosted the final
Tournament details
DatesAugust 10 – September 22
Teams8 (from 2 associations)
Final positions
Champions Flag of Mexico.svg León (1st title)
Runners-up Flag of the United States.svg Seattle Sounders FC
Tournament statistics
Matches played7
Goals scored21 (3 per match)
Attendance98,635 (14,091 per match)
Top scorer(s) Flag of Ecuador.svg Ángel Mena
(3 goals)
2020

The 2021 Leagues Cup was the second edition of the Leagues Cup organized by Major League Soccer (MLS) and Liga MX. The tournament was originally planned to include sixteen teams but was later reduced to eight teams.

Contents

The 2020 edition of the tournament was canceled in May 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in North America. [1] In the final at Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, Nevada, near Las Vegas, León defeated Seattle Sounders FC 3–2 to win their first title.

Qualification

The top two Major League Soccer teams from each conference in the 2020 season who did not qualify for the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League qualified for the Leagues Cup. [2]

The top four Liga MX from the 2020–21 season aggregate table who are not competing in the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League semifinals or the 2021 Campeones Cup qualified for the Leagues Cup. [3]

Matchups and schedule

On July 7, 2021, Major League Soccer and Liga MX announced the Leagues Cup schedule as well as the opening round matches. [4] [5]

Results

 
Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
 
          
 
August 12 – Orlando, FL
 
 
Flag of the United States.svg Orlando City SC 0
 
September 14 – Seattle, WA
 
Flag of Mexico.svg Santos Laguna 1
 
Flag of Mexico.svg Santos Laguna 0
 
August 10 – Seattle, WA
 
Flag of the United States.svg Seattle Sounders FC 1
 
Flag of the United States.svg Seattle Sounders FC 3
 
September 22 – Paradise, NV
 
Flag of Mexico.svg UANL 0
 
Flag of the United States.svg Seattle Sounders FC 2
 
August 11 – New York, NY
 
Flag of Mexico.svg León 3
 
Flag of the United States.svg New York City FC 1 (2)
 
September 15 – Houston, TX
 
Flag of Mexico.svg UNAM (p)1 (3)
 
Flag of Mexico.svg UNAM 0
 
August 10 – Kansas City, KS
 
Flag of Mexico.svg León 2
 
Flag of the United States.svg Sporting Kansas City 1
 
 
Flag of Mexico.svg León 6
 

Quarterfinals

Orlando City SC Flag of the United States.svg 0–1 Flag of Mexico.svg Santos Laguna
Report
  • Otero Soccerball shade.svg30'
Exploria Stadium, Orlando, Florida
Attendance: 750
Referee: Selvin Brown (Honduras)


Seattle Sounders FC Flag of the United States.svg 3–0 Flag of Mexico.svg UANL
Report
Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington
Attendance: 17,077
Referee: John Pitti (Panama)

Sporting Kansas City Flag of the United States.svg 1–6 Flag of Mexico.svg León
Report
Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas
Attendance: 15,579
Referee: Juan Gabriel Calderón (Costa Rica)

Semifinals

Seattle Sounders FC Flag of the United States.svg 1–0 Flag of Mexico.svg Santos Laguna
Report
Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington
Attendance: 12,201
Referee: Keylor Herrera (Costa Rica)

León Flag of Mexico.svg 2–0 Flag of Mexico.svg UNAM
Report
BBVA Stadium, Houston, Texas
Attendance: 10,928
Referee: Walter López (Guatemala)

Final

León Flag of Mexico.svg 3–2 Flag of the United States.svg Seattle Sounders FC
MLS
ESPN
Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, Nevada
Attendance: 24,824
Referee: Iván Barton (El Salvador)

Top goalscorers

  Club eliminated for this round.
RankPlayerClubGoalsBy round
QFSFF
1 Flag of Ecuador.svg Ángel Mena Flag of Mexico.svg León 312
2 Flag of Argentina.svg Santiago Colombatto Flag of Mexico.svg León 211
Flag of Colombia.svg Omar Fernández Flag of Mexico.svg León 2
Flag of Peru (state).svg Raúl Ruidíaz Flag of the United States.svg Seattle Sounders FC 11
5 Flag of France.svg Nicolas Benezet Flag of the United States.svg Seattle Sounders FC 11
Flag of Argentina.svg Valentín Castellanos Flag of the United States.svg New York City FC 1
Flag of Chile.svg Víctor Dávila Flag of Mexico.svg León 1
Flag of the United States.svg Cameron Duke Flag of the United States.svg Sporting Kansas City 1
Flag of Argentina.svg Emmanuel Gigliotti Flag of Mexico.svg León 1
Flag of Uruguay.svg Nicolás Lodeiro Flag of the United States.svg Seattle Sounders FC 1
Flag of Chile.svg Jean Meneses Flag of Mexico.svg León 1
Flag of Colombia.svg Fredy Montero Flag of the United States.svg Seattle Sounders FC 1
Flag of Peru (state).svg Santiago Ormeño Flag of Mexico.svg León 1
Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Ferney Otero Flag of Mexico.svg Santos Laguna 1
Flag of the United States.svg Cristian Roldan Flag of the United States.svg Seattle Sounders FC 1
Flag of Brazil.svg Rogério Flag of Mexico.svg UNAM 1

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References

  1. "MLS All-Star Game, Leagues Cup and Campeones Cup canceled for 2020" (Press release). Major League Soccer. May 19, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  2. Straus, Brian. "MLS Reveals Leagues Cup Participants, Campeones Cup Date". Sports Illustrated.
  3. "Tigres, Pumas, León and Santos Laguna set to represent Liga MX in the 2021 Leagues Cup". Leagues Cup. July 7, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  4. "2021 Leagues Cup schedule and Liga MX participants announced". Major League Soccer. July 7, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  5. "2021 Leagues Cup: Semifinal matchups, locations & times". Major League Soccer. August 13, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.