The Red Bulls were unfairly denied a chance to win the International Champions Cup

Paris Saint-Germain is the champion* of the 2015 International Champions Cup for the North American division.

Usually, this blog would take a congratulatory tone to the Ligue 1 champions for their valiant effort in the prestigious tournament, but not when a grave injustice has turned this tournament INTO A SHAM.

Both the New York Red Bulls and PSG ended the tournament with 10 points from 4 games. PSG ended up taking the trophy after having a +5 goal differential scoring one more goal than the Red Bulls overall. On the surface this seems normal, and fair. The surface lies to you.

Back on April 26, the New York Red Bulls played the Los Angeles Galaxy to a 1-1 tie in MLS play. A second half goal from Felipe salvaged a point for the Red Bulls against the 2014 MLS Cup champions. No one thought anything more about it at the time, but in reality the seeds of the Red Bulls' second place finish in the ICC were sowed there.

This match mattered because the Los Angeles Galaxy were also participants in the 2015 ICC. So each team earned one point for their travails.

Here's where things get complicated: the ICC uses a 3-2-1-0 point system, rather than the standard 3-1-0 system used in soccer.

That means in ICC play, after a tie in regulation, the two teams will go to a penalty shootout. If a team wins a shootout it will earn 2 points, and if it loses it will earn 1 point. But, since the Red Bulls-Galaxy match doubled as MLS play, there was no penalty shootout after the match, also PSG participated in one after drawing Chelsea 1-1, leading to a Chelsea victory in the shootout.

The ICC assigned the Red Bulls 1 point for the tie, the equivalent of a shootout loss. But there was no shootout.

If the ICC took itself seriously and cared about awarding a PROPER champion, it would organize a penalty shootout between the Red Bulls and the Galaxy. If the Red Bulls were to win this shootout, it would give the organization 11 points, crowing them as RIGHTFUL champions of the tournament.

We suggest Relevent Sports figures out this mess as soon as possible. Otherwise this blog will take the position of #BoycottTheInternationalChampionsCupForever.