After an unbeaten start to the unofficial second half of the MLS season following the World Cup break, NYCFC has to prepare to play international opponents as domestic play breaks for the Leagues Cup.
This year marks the sixth edition of the North American tournament, where every team from MLS and Liga MX competes not only for the trophy but also for automatic qualification to the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
The Boys in Blue begin their hunt for the Leagues Cup on Thursday at home against Santos Laguna, who currently sit in 17th place in the Liga MX. New York is yet to win this tournament and looks to turn that around this year.
Although NYCFC has yet to lose, the squad is coming off a disappointing 1-1 draw against Toronto FC, who haven’t won a game since April. In the game, Nicolas Fernandez scored the opener from the spot, but the team looked uninspired afterward and eventually conceded an equalizer.
“If you play decent up until the pen, that’s one thing, but you have to continue playing like that or even step on the gas just a little bit more when you see your opponent is struggling to play in a certain way against us. But we didn’t do that. So that is one of the lessons we have to take with us. And the Leagues Cup is an important tournament. But we have to make sure that we check how everybody came out of this game in order to prepare ourselves,” head coach Pascal Jansen said after the game.
After Thursday’s game against Santos Laguna, New York continues their journey for the Leagues Cup by finishing up group play against sixth-place Cruz Azul and eighth-place Necaxa.
Cruz Azul has won two of its first three league games and boasts the best attack in Liga MX, scoring seven during that short period. Necaxa also has six points from three games and has scored five goals but has also conceded five goals to start their Liga MX campaign.
New York’s attack will need to keep its current form to compete during the Leagues Cup. The forwards spearheaded by MLS top scorer Fernandez have done their job, finding the back of the net in every game since the 2026 World Cup break.
The defense, led by captain Thiago Martins and James Sands, has looked solid over the past three games as well but has conceded multiple goals due to mental lapses in the back, which have been exploited by MLS attackers.
“It’s a big, big compliment to a couple of guys in the team also, because if you see Jimmy tonight or even Thiago, how they kept themselves alive and kept the team alive, that is really impressive. They maintain such a high standard in their performance, which helps the team get through. That is a big compliment to these 2 guys,” Jansen said after the Toronto game.
NYCFC takes a step away from its Supporters Shield Push and turns its attention towards the League Cup as the team attempts to win silverware this season.
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