MLS teams have begun their preparations for the 2016 season, as most squads are at least two weeks into their preseason training.
While most of these teams will have to wait until March 6 to get official matches going, four MLS teams will be playing in official matches in just two weeks.
D.C. United, the LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake and the Seattle Sounders will be participating in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League starting on February 22, with each team facing off against a Liga MX team in a two-legged series.
Liga MX is currently in season, and all four teams that will participating in the quarterfinals had matches this weekend. This is how they fared:
Club América (opponent: Seattle Sounders)
The defending champions have undergone a lot of changes since defeating the Montreal Impact in the 2015 CONCACAF Champions League finals. Their coach for that tournament was Gustavo Matosas. Less than a month later, the Argentine was fired after America were knocked out in the quarterfinals of the 2015 Clausura Liguilla.
Ignacio Ambriz was brought in for the 2015-16 season and the team advanced to the semifinals of the 2015 Apertura Liguilla. They have gotten off to a decent start in the Clausura, capturing 10 points in their first five games. This past weekend they faced off another team in the CCL quarters, Santos Laguna. They defeated the 2015 Clausura champions 2-0 at Estadio Azteca. Oribe Peralta scored in the 45th minute and Andres Andrade provided the clincher in the 93rd minute.
Next game: Friday at Veracruz (8:30 pm ET)
Querétaro (opponent: D.C. United)
It's been a rough year for Queretaro, after losing to Santos Laguna in the 2015 Clausura finals. They saw Ronaldinho leave the club, finished 11th in the 2015 Apertura and have had a rough start to the 2016 Clausura. They had a brief respite on Friday night, when they defeated Veracruz 2-1 at home.
After going down 1-0 in the 4th minute, Los Gallos Blancos earned a penalty kick that was finished off by Emanuel Villa, who scored 13 goals in the Apertura, in the 13th minute. Ricardo Esqueda provided the winner in the 83rd minute with a tap-in off a set piece. The team now sits in 11th in the Liga MX table after accruing six points in their first five games.
Next game: Saturday at Cruz Azul (6 pm ET)
Santos Laguna (opponent: LA Galaxy)
After taking down Queretaro in the 2015 Clausura finals, Santos Laguna saw a huge drop-off in form in the 2015 Apertura. They managed just 17 points in their 17 games and finished well outside Liguilla positioning. The 2016 Clausura has started off much better for Santos, under new head coach Luis Zubelida.
The former CCL champions acquired Portland Timbers left back Jorge Villafaña before the season, and "Sueño" has helped the team concede less than a goal per game in their first four games. The staunch backline had a bit of a blip on Saturday though, as they conceded two to Club America on the road.
Next game: Friday vs. Monterrey (10:30 pm ET)
Tigres UANL (opponent: Real Salt Lake)
Real Salt Lake will have to deal with perhaps the best team in region when they head down to Monterrey to face off against Tigres on February 24 (8 pm ET). Tigres captured the 2015 Apertura title after acquiring French international striker Andre-Pierre Gignac and Mexican international midfielder Javier Aquino. They also have rising Mexican star Jurgen Damm and a strong defense led by Jorge Torres Nilo and Juninho.
They have had another outstanding start to this season, collecting 10 points in their first five games. Their latest victim was Chiapas, who they trounced 3-1 in Chiapas on Friday night. Central midfielder Jesus Dueñas scored the first goal while Gignac added to his tally in the 57th minute. That goal turned out to be the game-winner, as substitute Lucas Zelarrayan provided the clincher in the 84th minute.
Next game: Saturday vs. Tijuana (8 pm ET)
