Charlotte FC Scenarios to Qualify for 2024 Leagues Cup Knockout Round

August 1, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
Charlotte FC News Release

Now that Charlotte FC has finished their group stage of the 2024 Leagues Cup, the team has to wait for results to go their way on Sunday to qualify for the Round of 32.

CLTFC is in a group with the Philadelphia Union (MLS) and Cruz Azul (Liga MX). The team won a thrilling penalty shootout over Cruz Azul at Bank of America Stadium on Wednesday night, but they fell 1-0 last Saturday on the road at Philadelphia.

Per Leagues Cup rules, teams receive an extra point for winning a penalty shootout after a draw in regulation (for two points total). Otherwise, the point system is the usual three points for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a win.

So, the current standings of the three-team group are:

1. Philadelphia Union – 3 points, 1 GP

2. Charlotte FC – 2 points, 2 GP

3. Cruz Azul – 1 point, 1 GP

As such, the knockout round qualification scenarios facing CLTFC are pretty straightforward when Philadelphia hosts Cruz Azul for the final match of the group on Sunday.

Philadelphia Wins

Should the Philadelphia Union win at home – either in regulation or in a penalty shootout – then Charlotte FC will advance.

If Philadelphia wins in regulation, then Cruz Azul would finish on one point, and CLTFC would go through in second place on two points.

If Philadelphia wins in a shootout, then Cruz Azul and CLTFC would be tied on two points each. However, Charlotte holds the head-to-head tiebreaker from their shootout win over the Liga MX team at home, which would put them through in second place.

Cruz Azul Wins

Should Cruz Azul win – again, either in regulation or in a penalty shootout – then Charlotte FC would be eliminated.

If the Liga MX team wins in regulation, Philadelphia would have three points and Cruz Azul would have four points, leaving CLTFC on the outside looking in with two points.

If Cruz Azul wins in a shootout, then both Philadelphia and Cruz Azul would have three points, one more than CLTFC’s two points.

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