# MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs and Showcase



## lafalafa (Jun 24, 2021)

The inaugural MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs and Showcase begin this Friday in the Dallas area with 128 teams vying for the first MLS Cup titles in the U-15, U-16, U-17 and U-19 age groups. The MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs follow a single-elimination format and bring together the top 32 teams






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Brackets:





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Playoffs are single elimination but teams can play 3 games. 

With our short SW season compared to some of the other regions should be interesting, but let's see our teams and players represent.

streaming schedule








						MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs 2021 streaming schedule
					

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## Toe poke (Jun 24, 2021)

Albion vs Nomads in the first round of U16.... that sure is creative


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## coyssocal (Jun 24, 2021)

Nice that a couple of SoCal teams (LA Surf and LAUFA) are going to be livestreamed tomorrow.


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## watfly (Jun 25, 2021)

Toe poke said:


> Albion vs Nomads in the first round of U16.... that sure is creative


At noon in Dallas heat and humidity.


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## Dargle (Jun 25, 2021)

watfly said:


> At noon in Dallas heat and humidity.


I think MLS was informed by the Dallas local organizers that avoiding 2-6 pm in the afternoon is the key, which is why they seem to have at least playoff games at 8, 10, 12, 6, and 8.  I guess so, but it doesn't make much difference and it's really worse at 6 than 12.  At 12 it's supposed to be 89 degrees (feels like 96 degrees) and at 6 it's predicted to be 94 degrees (feels like 101 degrees).  By 7 it drops to 92 (feels like 99) and at 8 it will be 90 (feels like 97).


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## watfly (Jun 25, 2021)

Dargle said:


> I think MLS was informed by the Dallas local organizers that avoiding 2-6 pm in the afternoon is the key, which is why they seem to have at least playoff games at 8, 10, 12, 6, and 8.  I guess so, but it doesn't make much difference and it's really worse at 6 than 12.  At 12 it's supposed to be 89 degrees (feels like 96 degrees) and at 6 it's predicted to be 94 degrees (feels like 101 degrees).  By 7 it drops to 92 (feels like 99) and at 8 it will be 90 (feels like 97).


You're right.  Time of game is largely irrelevant.  I fixed my previous comment to more correctly illustrate the problem:

At noon in Dallas heat and humidity.

Best of luck to SoCal teams.


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## watfly (Jun 25, 2021)

Albion v Nomads livestream


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## RedDevilDad (Jun 26, 2021)

LA Surf 06s lost 1-0 to San Jose..  free kick but LA Surf really couldn't get any possession going but was defensively sound under relentless pressure.  Did well against a very good team.  Now into the showcase.
Murrieta Surf lost 4-0. 
LAFC won their first round over Michigan Wolves then tied Sockers 2-2 and were eliminated from the playoffs on PKs 5-3. 
LAG won 3-0 over PA Classics but lost to Philadelphia Union 1-0. 
Albion lost 4-1 to Atlanta United. 
TFA beat Inter Miami 3-2 but lost to Real Salt Lake 5-3.  
Decent representation of SoCal at the 06 level but would have expected to see LAFC or LAG going a little further, granted 06 isn't either's strongest group.


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## focomoso (Jun 27, 2021)

Have they upped the U age brackets yet like they're doing at Surf Cup? Meaning, are U15s '06s or '07s?


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## funkedrumma (Jun 27, 2021)

focomoso said:


> Have they upped the U age brackets yet like they're doing at Surf Cup? Meaning, are U15s '06s or '07s?


No, as this is still the 20-21 season for MLS Next.


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## Patandpats (Jun 28, 2021)

RedDevilDad said:


> LA Surf 06s lost 1-0 to San Jose..  free kick but LA Surf really couldn't get any possession going but was defensively sound under relentless pressure.  Did well against a very good team.  Now into the showcase.
> Murrieta Surf lost 4-0.
> LAFC won their first round over Michigan Wolves then tied Sockers 2-2 and were eliminated from the playoffs on PKs 5-3.
> LAG won 3-0 over PA Classics but lost to Philadelphia Union 1-0.
> ...


06 Galaxy lost in pk's. They were up 1-0 and played a man down for about 3/4 of the game. Philly is a great team and scored a banger right at the end. Each team missed their 5th pk and Galaxy missed their 6th too.  Great game worthy of a final. Wouldn't judge our region based on those results.  Galaxy was #1 seed and had to play what is likely the best team in the tournament along with FC Dallas.


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## lafalafa (Jun 29, 2021)

Good atmosphere  & experience for the players.

Lots of college, scouts, and interesting observers.

Going from the playoffs to the showcase was a good way to get 3 games in, the motivation wasn't always evident but a good way to enjoy the journey.

The games came down to details or PK's in the case of our local MLS teams with the galaxy u15 or LAFC in u17.    Even though galaxy brought down their USL players they still couldn't break through.  LAFC decided not to and they where bested pretty good by Solar SC. 

With no SW teams in the final 4 in any of the age groups the very limited and late play season hurt those teams compared to some of other teams that played 2-3x more games.  

That's a wrap for my son's team, his college training starts mid July so not much R&R time.


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## RedDevilDad (Jun 30, 2021)

lafalafa said:


> That's a wrap for my son's team, his college training starts mid July so not much R&R time.


Good luck kid!


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