Credit: LA Galaxy
Phase one of the 2025 Leagues Cup concluded on Thursday, starting with Charlotte shutting out Monterrey 2-0 at Bank of America Stadium. Bill Tuiloma put Charlotte up in the 56th and Tyger Smalls doubled the lead in the 60th minute.
The Red Bulls beat Juarez 5-3 on penalties after drawing 1-1 at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Dylan Nealis put New York up in the 47th and Oscar Estupinan equalized for Juarez in the 87th minute. Juarez failed to convert in the second round of penalties while the Red Bulls converted all five of their penalties.
Cruz Azul beat Colorado 5-4 on penalties after drawing 2-2 in Carson. Rafael Navarro put the Rapids up in the 3rd and Andreas Maxso doubled the lead in the 41st. Colorado gave up an own-goal in the 43rd and Cruz Azul’s Ignacio Rivero equalized in the 78th minute. The Rapids didn’t convert in round two of penalties while Cruz Azul went five-for-five from the spot.
Chivas won 2-1 at Cincinnati, going ahead from an Efrain Alvarez penalty in the 25th. Armando Gonzalez doubled the Chivas lead in the 57th. Andres Davila pulled a goal back for Cincinnati in the 67th. Cade Cowell subbed on for Chivas in the 63rd minute and Richy Ledezma was on the bench.
“I think collectively we lacked a little bit of creativity and movement off the ball,” Cincinnati coach Pat Noonan said. “I think it was too predictable when they were pressing us and some of the options for our back line as the game progressed, I think it improved. Maybe that was personnel, maybe that was just how the game unfolded with them playing with a lead. But yeah, lacked a little bit of creativity, and some of the movements I think were too slow to create more challenging situations for them.”
The LA Galaxy shutout Santos Laguna 4-0 at home. Joseph Paintsil opened the scoring for the Galaxy in the 1st and Matheus Nacimento doubled the lead in the 39th. Santos Laguna’s Choco Lozano saw red in the 45th. Maya Yoshida added an LA goal five minutes into first-half stoppage time. Santos Laguna saw a second red card, with Ramiro Sordo exiting six minutes into first-half stoppage time. Nascimento scored again for the Galaxy in the 74th.
The result meant the Galaxy took the final quarterfinal spot on the MLS side of the bracket, joining Seattle, Inter Miami, and Orlando City. The Liga MX quarterfinal representatives are Toluca, Pachuca, Tigres, and Puebla. The Leagues Cup used greater number of wins in regulation as the first tiebreaker
2025 Leagues Cup Knockout round
Toluca vs Orlando City
Seattle vs Puebla
Pachuca vs LA Galaxy
Inter Miami vs Tigres
Moving to the opening legs of third round Europa League qualifying, Erik Palmer-Brown’s Panathinaikos drew 0-0 at home with Shakhtar Donetsk. In the UEFA Conference League third round opening legs, Kenny Saief subbed out in the 64th for Maccabi Haifa’s 1-0 win at Rakow. Ethane Azoulay scored in the 61st minute.
Did Not Play: Konrad De La Fuente (Laussane 3 – Astana 1)
Quotes courtesy of MLS team press releases.
