With all 36 of the MLS is Back Tournament group-stage games complete, the competition moves on to the knockout round as the field whittles down from 24 to 16 -- and with plenty of on-field drama along the way. Pretournament favorites like Atlanta United FC (who were held scoreless in all three of their games) and the New York Red Bulls are out, along with five-time MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy.
As we embark on the round of 16, new favorites have emerged, teams we've come to expect great things from, like LAFC, and outfits that have taken the tournament by surprise, like Columbus Crew SC.