MLS is Back: 3 things we learned from tournament draw

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MLS, Toronto FC, Alejandro Pozuelo (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

The MLS is Back draw took place on Thursday afternoon. Here are three things we learned from the results, including

On Thursday afternoon, Major League Soccer conducted the draw for the MLS is Back Tournament which will commence on July 8th. With the four conference finalists, Orlando City for hosting and Real Salt Lake for being the next-best team in last year’s regular season the six seeded teams, the draw was conducted, with the Western Conference featuring three groups with four teams each and the Eastern Conference featuring three groups, two with four teams and one with six.

Here are three takeaways from the draw.

LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 24: Los Angeles FC team celebrate a goal by forward Carlos Vela (10) during a MLS Western Conference semifinal match between the Los Angeles FC and the Los Angeles Galaxy on October 24, 2019, at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

3. Which is the group of death?

There is always a group of death. In every World Cup or international tournament or knockout competition that begins with a group-stage round, there is a group of death. And with this competition structured in exactly the same way, it is only fair to ask: which is it?

Well, it is likely Group F. You have the best team in MLS, Los Angeles FC, their hated rivals and fellow playoff team, the LA Galaxy, and the Portland Timbers, another playoff team that has been consistently elite for many years, including making MLS Cup in 2018. And then the Houston Dynamo are a dangerous outfit with the likes of Alberth Elis and Mauro Manotas in the team.

The other two groups with three playoffs teams are Group C and Group E. However, neither boasts a team at the level of LAFC and their last-placed team, Montreal Impact and FC Cincinnati respectively, bring the standard down. Add in the elite level of Portland in comparison to D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls, the second-best teams in their respective groups, and it is Group F that takes the cake as the toughest of the lot.

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