Philadelphia Union's Leagues Cup Knockout Round Path

The Union open knockout round play on Friday against CF Montreal.

The Philadelphia Union’s run through the Leagues Cup knockout round could look different than last season’s charge into the semifinals.

The Union are more at risk to play games on the road after Friday’s round-of-32 home clash with CF Montreal because of where they stand in the Leagues Cup rankings.

FC Cincinnati’s win over New York City FC on Monday night clinched their first-place spot in East Group 1 and gave us a clear look at what is ahead for the Union.

Seven of the eight teams are confirmed in the Union’s quadrant of the knockout round. The East Group 5 runner-up will be determined by Tuesday’s match between the New England Revolution and Nashville SC. New England, Nashville and Mazatlan, the other team in E5, are all below the Union in the Leagues Cup rankings, so nothing will change with those potential matchups.

So here’s the knockout-round path through the quarterfinals:

The Union will be at home in the round of 16 if Santos Laguna beats FC Cincinnati.

If FC Cincinnati beats Santos Laguna, the Union will head to TQL Stadium because FC Cincy was the highest-rated MLS team in the Leagues Cup rankings.

The most favorable path is for the Union to play Montreal and Santos Laguna at home to make it to the quarterfinals.

If the Union reach the final eight, they have hosting priority over every team in their quadrant with the exception of Orlando City.

The Union avoided a trip to Orlando in the round of 32 by winning their group. Orlando is the second-highest MLS team in the Leagues Cup rankings.

No one ever wants to make a trip to central Florida in the middle of August. Jim Curtin hinted that before and after Sunday’s game against Cruz Azul.

Ideally, the Union would want to face the winner of the D.C. United round of 32 game in the final eight, but at that point of the competition, the Union will take any opponent since they would still be alive.

Cruz Azul, D.C. and the East Group 5 runner-up would all come to Chester in a potential quarterfinal.

The Union are probably happy they aren’t in the bottom half of the East knockout bracket, because WOOF is that brutal. Tigres, Pachuca, Inter Miami and Columbus all in one section. It should make for great knockout-round soccer, but this is where the luck of the draw comes into play for the Union.

The Union have plenty of experience playing, and competing, in Cincinnati so that road trip will not seem as daunting as it would for other teams.

If the Union make it to the semifinal again, they would only go on the road if they face the Columbus Crew.

Tigres are directly above the Union in the Leagues Cup rankings, but they only had what the competition calls “hub privilege” through the group stage. Club America is the only Liga MX side with a “hub privilege” that extends into the semifinal.

So basically all you have to do is root against the Ohio teams for hosting priority.

After what we saw on Sunday, I don’t think the Union want to see Cruz Azul again, but if you have a personal rooting preference, I would say it’s for home games first and specific opponents second.

Photo courtesy of Philadelphia Union.