We now know the semifinal pairings for the inaugural edition of the Superliga - the LA Galaxy will host DC United, while the Houston Dynamo picked up a tasty rematch against CF Pachuca - but, for whatever reason, I'm still sitting here pondering alternate realities.
Did the possibility of Club America and Monarcas Morelia playing to the required result to see Morelia through to the Superliga semifinals occur to anyone else? Y’know, a bit of Mexican solidarity in a tournament against Los Gringos? As a few noted, this was entirely possible, especially with DC United’s loss to Houston.
Things didn’t turn out that way, of course. But if you’ve ever played Risk and decided to sacrifice yourself in order to gang up on the player a) for whom you and another player share a deep hatred, or b) against whom you are excessively competitive, I’m confident you understand the impulse.
Ah, the way this would have recalled the “squalid non-aggression pact” between Austria and West Germany in the 1982 World Cup (you'll find a brief, unsatisfying discussion in the "first round" section here; I think I picked up "squalid non-aggression pact" from the World Cup 1982 video).
Would it have been sleazy? Yes. Would I have quietly applauded? Yeah...but that’s probably because I can’t think of a game of Risk, Monopoly, Hearts, etc. in which I didn’t play in this same spirit.
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