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MLS is Back: Top 5 teams to win tournament

By Andrew Dowdeswell

MLS, Seattle Sounders (Photo by Andy Mead/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
MLS, Seattle Sounders (Photo by Andy Mead/ISI Photos/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – NOVEMBER 10: The Seattle Sounders celebrate after defeating Toronto FC 3-1 to win the 2019 MLS Cup at CenturyLink Field on November 10, 2019, in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

The MLS is Back draw was made on Thursday afternoon. Now with a full schedule in hand, here are the top five teams most likely to win the tournament.

Major League Soccer unveiled its draw for the MLS is Back Tournament on Thursday afternoon. The draw, which was not nearly as random as it should have been, created six groups, three in each conference, with the four semi-finalists from last season, Orlando City as hosts, and Real Salt Lake as the next-best performing team in the Western Conference in the regular season named as number one seeds.

Off the back of the draw, and with the initial structure of the tournament now mapped out, here are the top five teams most likely to win it all.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 14: Alexandru Mitrita #28 of New York City FC celebrates after scoring the second goal during the first half of their game against San Jose at Yankee Stadium on September 14, 2019, in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 14: Alexandru Mitrita #28 of New York City FC celebrates after scoring the second goal during the first half of their game against San Jose at Yankee Stadium on September 14, 2019, in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /

5. New York City FC

New York City FC may have lost their first two matches in 2020, but that fails to tell the whole story. Ronny Deila only arrived as head coach in the offseason and had little time to work with his players, the team dealt with a red card in the opening-day loss to the Columbus Crew, and had to handle CONCACAF Champions League exploits, too.

Dig below the surface and there was plenty of reason for hope. NYCFC controlled their matches in possession, bar their defeat to Toronto FC, pressed with more intensity and coordination, and if not for some more clinical play in the final third, would have scored plenty of goals across all competitions.

They have also been handed a rather nice group. While there are six teams in Group A as MLS deals with the lopsided numbers, NYCFC are one of only two playoff teams in the group, the other being the Philadelphia Union. They have both expansion teams and the Chicago Fire and Orlando City. It is a group that NYCFC will expect to win. That will hand them an easier run in the knockout stages.

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