The LA Galaxy are headed back to the CONCACAF Champions League.
By virtue of Real Salt Lake's 1-0 defeat to Chivas USA, the Galaxy can finish no lower than second in the Western Conference which will allow LA to clinch a berth in the 2015/16 CONCACAF Champions League even if they are not successful in their bid to win the Supporters’ Shield.
With at least a second place finish in the Western Conference assured and Seattle already holding a CCL berth after winning the 2014 U.S. Open Cup, the Galaxy will hold a CCL place even if the Sounders win the Supporters’ Shield. The Galaxy will also still hold the place even if they finish in third in the shield chase to current Eastern Conference leaders as both Seattle (USOC) and DCU (Eastern Conference) will already possess CCL berths.
CONCACAF’s official verbiage on what occurs when a team holds two CCL spaces is as follows, “If a single MLS team occupies more than one of the U.S. slots, or a Canadian team captures any of the above (Canada has one CONCACAF Champions League berth awarded to the Canadian Championship winner), the berth would go to the next best US-based MLS team based on regular-season record.”
In addition to clinching a berth in next year’s CCL, the Galaxy will also host at least one second leg match in the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs.
