Thursday’s action in the Leagues Cup left a bitter taste in the mouths of most of the Liga MX teams. The MLS teams once again asserted their dominance in the tournament, winning four of the six matches played on the day. Although a couple of Mexico’s “big clubs” showed their mettle, the merciless rout of Puebla set off alarm bells once again.
Here’s a detailed recap of the action:
Massacre in Oregon: Portland Timbers 5-1 Puebla
The most shocking result of the night. The Portland Timbers showed no mercy and laid bare all of La Franja’s defensive shortcomings. With a resounding 5-1 victory, the American team ran roughshod over a Puebla side that simply couldn’t put up a fight, marking one of the saddest chapters for Liga MX in this season’s tournament.
Soaring High: San Diego FC 1-3 Club América
Las Águilas demonstrated their class and sealed the match in the first half. With absolute dominance in the opening 45 minutes, América scored three goals, capped off by a goal from Isaías Violante in stoppage time before halftime. Luca Bombino pulled one back for San Diego in the 63rd minute, but the Coapa side managed their lead with ease to seal the 3-1 victory.
An Impenetrable Wall: Philadelphia Union 0-1 Cruz Azul
La Máquina struck early and showed resilience. Just three minutes in, José Paradela fired a spectacular shot from outside the box, off a pass from Omar Campos, to score the only goal of the match. In the second half, Philadelphia threw everything forward, generating as many as 11 shots, but goalkeeper Kevin Mier rose to the occasion with three key saves to preserve the sky-blue team’s victory.
Ineffectiveness from Aguascalientes: Chicago Fire FC 2-0 Club Necaxa
Despite finishing the match with 54% possession, the Rayos lacked depth and incisiveness. The Chicago Fire were lethal on the attack, opening the scoring in the 31st minute through Jonathan Dean. In the second half, Andrew Gutman (69′) sealed the 2-0 victory, leaving Necaxa empty-handed.
The Border Crumbles: Austin FC 2-0 Club Tijuana
The Xolos are still struggling to find their footing and fell on Texas soil. Austin FC sealed the deal in the first half with goals from Joseph Rosales and Jon Gallagher. The frustration on the border became evident when Iván Tona was sent off in the 69th minute, leaving Tijuana with 10 men and allowing Austin to control the rest of the match at will.
Schedule for Friday, August 7
The excitement continues, and the pressure is mounting for Mexican clubs. Here’s the schedule for today’s matches:
- Charlotte FC vs. Atlas Venue: Bank of America Stadium | Broadcast: Apple TV
- Columbus Crew vs. Pachuca Venue: ScottsMiracle-Gro Field | Broadcast: Apple TV
- FC Cincinnati vs. Pumas UNAM Venue: TQL Stadium | Broadcast: Apple TV, UniMás
- Tigres UANL vs. Minnesota United Venue: Allianz Field | Broadcast: Apple TV
- Vancouver Whitecaps vs. FC Juárez Broadcast: Apple TV
