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MLS Week 2: Top 7 storylines to watch

By Joshua Bowers

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 3: 3252 Supporters Group during Los Angeles FC's MLS match against Sporting Kansas City at the Banc of California Stadium on March 3, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles FC won the match 2-1 (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 3: 3252 Supporters Group during Los Angeles FC's MLS match against Sporting Kansas City at the Banc of California Stadium on March 3, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles FC won the match 2-1 (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images) /
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HARRISON, NJ – MARCH 05: Santos Laguna defender Hugo Nervo (5) after winning the CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal Soccer game between the New York Red Bulls and Santos Laguna on March 5, 2019 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HARRISON, NJ – MARCH 05: Santos Laguna defender Hugo Nervo (5) after winning the CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal Soccer game between the New York Red Bulls and Santos Laguna on March 5, 2019 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

1. How do CCL Teams deal with disappointment?

Four MLS teams competed in the CONCACAF Champions League quarter-finals during the week. All four suffered devastating losses.

  • NY Red Bulls lost 0-2 to Liga MX’s Santos, at home
  • Houston lost 0-2 to Liga MX giants, Tigres, at home
  • Sporting KC lost 1-2 to Independiente in Panama
  • Atlanta United went to Monterrey and lost 0-3

All four face likely elimination (although Sporting KC can overcome a 1-2 deficit, especially since they are coming home) next week. Before then, though, three of those four teams need to face an MLS opponent this weekend. It will be interesting to see how each team a) lines up with a fourth-straight midweek match, and b) handles the challenge of coming back from a humiliating loss.

The Red Bulls are the fortunate team. They have a bye this week and will get to rest their squad to they face Santos again. At least the Houston Dynamo, Sporting KC, and Atlanta are all at home this weekend. Toronto showed last year how detrimental a slow MLS start can be.

  • Atlanta is at home against FC Cincinnati Sunday 5:00 pm EST on ESPN
  • Sporting KC is at home against the Philadelphia Union Sunday at 3:00 pm EST
  • Houston is at home against the Montreal Impact Saturday at 5:00 pm EST
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