📈 Leagues Cup Power Rankings: A surprise top-two as MLS clubs dominate | OneFootball

With all teams finally having made their start in Leagues Cup play, it’s time to get down the nitty-gritty and piece together a top-ten power ranking of movers and shakers in the competition right now.

As of now, Columbus and Club América remain omitted from the ranking as they will not enter the tournament until the knockout rounds.

10. Juárez

We kick off our rankings with Juárez, who put on a sterling display in Frisco to comfortably dispatch FC Dallas. With a matchday three showdown against St. Louis City, Los Bravos have a chance to win the group and set themselves up for a sneaky little run in the knockout rounds.

9. Pachuca

Pachuca can simply never be counted out in cup competitions. After wrapping up Champions Cup glory earlier in the summer, Pachuca fought back to down New York Red Bulls on penalties to put themselves in pole position to win East Group 6. You’d put your money on the continental champs finding a way to win on the final day against Toronto.

8. Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake remain once of the most watchable teams in North America on their day, and they will ride their attacking prowess to some form of success this season. After sitting out on matchday one, Pablo Mastroeni’s side made a statement in the group with a win over Atlas, thanks in large part to a stunning winner from Nelson Palacio.

7. D.C. United

D.C. United are another surprise success story so far in this summer’s tournament. The Black and Red have scored six goals across their first two games in East Group 7, and while they needed penalties to win in Atlanta they’ve already clinched top spot and will take their momentum into the knockout rounds.

6. Toluca

While not being one of the biggest names in Mexican football, Toluca have kicked off the summer of 2024 in fine fashion. After remaining unbeaten in their opening four Apertura clashes, Los Diablos Rojos kicked off Leagues Cup with a comfortable win over Chicago to take command of West Group 4.

5. Inter Miami

Messi-less Miami have hardly skipped a beat and with his return there is no reason they can’t go on to defend their Leagues Cup crown. After a matchday one win against Puebla, they have a huge chance to stun Tigres and win the group in the final showdown.

4. Tigres

As our highest ranked Liga MX club, Tigres were certainly the best looking club in the group stage from down south. After fellow Mexican big-boys Chivas and Cruz Azul suffered defeats on penalties, Tigres set themselves up to potentially win the group after a late Diego Reyes winner against Puebla.

3. LAFC

LAFC’s superb campaign continued as they kicked off Leagues Cup in Group 7 out west. After a 3-0 win against Tijuana on matchday one, the Black and Gold fought back from a two-goal deficit in the dying minutes against Vancouver to force penalties, picking up a potentially precious point. Olivier Giroud may just be joining the fold in the week ahead as well…

2. Portland Timbers

The Timbers have carried their MLS form into League Cup, shown by two solid wins over León and Colorado respectively to win their group, the second of which was a dominant 4-0 win with four different goal-scorers. The Cascadia club are one of only two sides in the competition to pick up six points from their first two games.

1. Austin FC

Austin are proving that cup competitions can be the perfect antidote for a tumultuous league campaign, and they stunned us all with gutsy wins over Pumas and Monterrey to win their group. With the Q2 crowd behind them and plenty of momentum from the group stage, we could be in a for a Leagues Cup shock in the coming weeks!

What do you make of the top-ten? Any major omissions?