It’s been three long months, but the 2021 Concacaf Champions League is back.
MLS representation is down to just the Philadelphia Union, who head to Estadio Azteca on Thursday night to face Club America in the first leg of their semifinal series (10 pm ET | FS1, Univision, TUDN).
The Union advanced by beating Costa Rican side Deportivo Saprissa and fellow MLS club Atlanta United in the opening two rounds. Kacper Przybylko scored five goals across those four matches, leading Extratime co-host Matt Doyle to say the forward tandem of Przybylko and Sergio Santos must rediscover that level to beat the Liga MX side.
“They looked like top-level MLS forwards. They have mostly not looked like that during the regular season,” Doyle said. “Philly have enough talent and they’re getting enough from those guys to be pretty well in the mix in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Their defense is very good, they obviously have a match-winner at goalkeeper, but you need your forwards, you need your goalscorers to be hot to win this type of tournament.”
Union head coach Jim Curtin has already called the match the biggest in his club’s history – and Philadelphia are trying to become the first MLS team to win the CCL's modern-day version. But to do so, they must navigate through a Liga MX gauntlet that starts with one of Mexico’s most decorated sides at one of the region’s most daunting venues.
An advantage the Union may have is the timing of the match. Many have argued MLS’ disadvantage in the competition comes down to the calendar, with the matches mostly played early in the MLS season. That’s not the case Thursday, with the Union at the midway point of their 2021 campaign and Las Águilas in the early stages of the Clausura.
Philadelphia could be without midfielder Jamiro Monteiro's presence amid a reported transfer exit, but co-host David Gass argued the tactical setup away at Azteca mitigates that a bit.
“He makes them better, he’s the best player on the team, I think, so not having him is a negative,” Gass said. “But I still think the structure of how they’re going to defend and their ability to hit on the counter, they can still do that without him in this game. The question is coming home and getting goals to me. That’s where you really miss him.”
Co-host Calen Carr points back to the Union midfield, which he said will need to fill the Monteiro void, especially after Alejandro Bedoya was among the players Curtin rotated in last weekend's trip to New England.
“Getting a well-rested or semi-rested Bedoya, they’re going to need to get a big performance from him as captain,” Carr said.
Check out more about the CCL, Leagues Cup and MLS in general from Extratime here.
