The start of the regular season is still three weeks away, but four MLS clubs will begin their 2016 campaigns in earnest next week.
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 23, 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. Here's how they fared:
Club América (opponent: Seattle Sounders)
The only one of the four teams not to lose this weekend, America were able to get a 1-1 draw at Veracruz on Friday night. Rubens Sambueza opened the scoring for Las Aguilas in the 30th minute, but Veracruz midfielder Edgar Andrade leveled the score 21 minutes later. No more goals were scored despite a total of 34 shots in the match, with 14 going on target.
America will host rivals Cruz Azul at Estadio Azteca on Saturday. That match that will surely get their blood boiling ahead of the opener against the Sounders.
Next game: Saturday vs. Cruz Azul (6:00 pm ET)
Querétaro (opponent: D.C. United)
Querétaro's tough start to the season continued on Saturday in Mexico City at Cruz Azul. Despite outshooting their opponenents 19-9, Los Gallos Blancos left Estadio Azul with a 2-1 loss. Chivas loanee Carlos Fierro provided the lone goal for Queretaro in the 80th minute, which came after both Cruz Azul goals.
Victor Manuel Vucetich's team now sits in 13th place after six games, averaging just one point per game.
Next game: Friday vs. Tigres UANL (8:30 pm ET)
Santos Laguna (opponent: LA Galaxy)
Santos ran into a buzzsaw on Friday night in Monterrey, falling 2-1 to Los Rayados, who have now captured 15 points in their first six games. Dorlan Pabon and Edwin Cardona provided the Monterrey goals before Djaniny answered with one of his own for Santos in the 66th minute.
Jorge Villafaña started yet again for Santos, as he faced off against fellow Sueño winner Rogelio Funes Mori.
Next game: Sunday at Pumas UNAM (1:00 pm ET)
Tigres UANL (opponent: Real Salt Lake)
Andre Pierre-Gignac provided another golazo for Tigres, but it wasn't enough as they fell 2-1 at home to Miguel Herrera's Tijuana side. Dayro Moreno opened the scoring for Tijuana in the 43rd minute. Things quickly got worse for Tigres when Rafael Sobis was shown a red card just before halftime. The teams exchanged goals in the second half but Tigres, despite controlling 66 percent of the possession, couldn't overcome the early deficit.
Tuca Ferretti's team will be looking to bounce back when they head to Querétaro on Friday night, in a match featuring two CCL quarterfinalists.
Next game: Friday at Querétaro (8:30 pm ET)
