Tigres saves face! MLS dominantes against Liga MX once again

The nightmare for Mexican teams in the Leagues Cup added a new chapter this Friday, August 7. In another round dominated almost entirely by MLS clubs, only Tigres UANL managed to hold their heads high for the pride of Liga MX, while teams like Pumas, Pachuca, and Atlas suffered painful defeats.

Here’s a recap of an intense Friday night:

“Patón” to the Rescue: Tigres 0 (4)-(2) 0 Minnesota United

In an extremely tight, tactical match marked by grueling defensive battles, Tigres were unable to break the deadlock in regulation time. True to form, the series had to be decided from the penalty spot, where Nahuel Guzmán emerged as the hero. The Argentine goalkeeper became the hero by stopping two crucial shots from Kelvin Yeboah and Joaquín Pereyra, securing a 4-2 victory in the penalty shootout and bringing relief to the Monterrey squad.

University Setback: FC Cincinnati 2-0 Pumas UNAM

Despite coach Esteban Solari’s talk of “growth,” the Pumas once again fell short. FC Cincinnati demonstrated why it is one of the strongest teams in its league and sealed the victory at key psychological moments. Pavel Bucha opened the scoring in stoppage time of the first half (45+’), and Kenji Mboma Dem sealed the victory at 90+’ with a great shot from outside the box, leaving UNAM unable to respond.

Lack of Accuracy: Columbus Crew 2-1 Pachuca

The Tuzos pushed hard until the end, but it wasn’t enough. The reigning MLS champions struck hard and early with goals from Brais Méndez and Dániel Gazdag in the first half. Although Oussama Idrissi managed to pull one back for Pachuca with a precise header in the 72nd minute, Columbus dug in defensively. Their goalkeeper was the star of the night, making an incredible 10 saves and thwarting Pachuca’s hopes of an equalizer.

Fruitless Possession: Charlotte FC 2-0 Atlas FC

While Atlas controlled the ball (60% overall possession), Charlotte were the ones to score the goals. Atlas dictated the pace of the match and played in the opponent’s half for much of the night, but a defensive lapse in the 78th minute allowed Liel Abada to break the deadlock. Pushing forward in search of a miracle, the Zorros left spaces that Tyger Smalls exploited in stoppage time to seal the 2-0 victory against the run of play.

Disappointment for Vancouver vs. FC Juárez

Vancouver, who suffered defeat in Matchday 1, were once again on the losing side. After scoring 12 minutes into the game, the Whitecaps were unable to respond as Juarez went on to score in the 34th, 74th, and 96th minute. This marks a big win for Juarez who are now at the top of the Leagues Cup Liga MX table.