MLS Clubs Looking For CL Breakthrough

Will this be the week when a Major League Soccer club finally experiences a victory in the CONCACAF Champions League? Both D.C. United and the Houston Dynamo will have a crack at restoring some of the league's credibility in the group stage, though a lot of damage has been done already.
First up, Houston will go on the road Tuesday night to face Pumas in Mexico City. Coach Dominic Kinnear has opted to bring a mix of young players and veterans into the high altitude for the game, and will likely do the same for Saturday's league match against Colorado (also at altitude), in an attempt to have some fresh legs available for both matches. Houston has only played one match in the group stage, forging a 0-0 tie against San Francisco FC; Pumas is 1-0-1 in group play.

On Wednesday, a road-weary and injury-depleted United squad hosts Cruz Azul, another match that is expected to end in disappointment. Having seen themselves slip out of the final MLS playoff spot, D.C. has also gotten off to a blistering 0-2-0 start in the Champions League, while Cruz Azul is 1-1-0 in group play.

Combined, Major League Soccer's record in the inaugural edition of the CCL is a woeful 0-5-2. Making things worse at the same time, USL clubs have stolen the spotlight, with the Puerto Rico Islanders and Montreal Impact both currently leading their respective division.