Toluca made a statement in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Leagues Cup, defeating Austin FC 2-0 to secure its spot in the tournament’s semifinals. The match was played on Wednesday, August 26, at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.
A match that changed course with Austin’s red card
The match began with high intensity, but things took a turn for the worse for Austin FC before halftime. In the 40th minute, Joseph Rosales was sent off, leaving the American team a man down for much of the match.
Toluca took advantage of its numerical superiority and began to take greater control of the match. The Red Devils were finally rewarded in the 53rd minute, when Helinho converted a penalty kick to make it 1-0.
Jorge Díaz sealed Toluca’s victory
Down a man, Austin FC was left with virtually no room to maneuver. Toluca controlled the final minutes and eventually scored a second goal in stoppage time. In the 97th minute, Jorge Díaz stepped up to score the final 2-0 goal and secure the Diablos Rojos’ advancement to the next round.
With this win, Toluca became the fourth team to advance to the semifinals of the 2026 Leagues Cup, following Rayados, León, and América. In the semifinals, the Diablos Rojos will face León, which previously defeated Real Salt Lake 3-0.
Toluca vs. León: An All-Mexican semifinal
The victory also guarantees an all-Mexican semifinal. Toluca and León will face off for a spot in the Leagues Cup final, while the other semifinal will feature Rayados and América.
The result also confirms the strong performance of Liga MX clubs in this edition of the tournament, as all four semifinalists are Mexican teams. The semifinals are scheduled for September 1 and 2, while the final and the third-place match will be played on September 6.
