The first legs of the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the first round of the Copa Libertadores wrapped up this week. Across North and South America, opening matches delivered a mix of chaos, missed opportunities, and a few early advantages, but very little is truly settled heading into the return legs.
Pumas Implosion Leaves SDFC With a Major Advantage
Hometown fans of San Diego FC (SDFC) had plenty to celebrate in the club’s maiden CONCACAF Champions Cup appearance. The MLS Western Conference side overwhelmed Pumas UNAM of Mexico City in a Liga MX vs MLS clash that turned dramatically after halftime.
Despite a scoreless opening stretch, San Diego’s attacking pressure steadily mounted throughout the game. Once the breakthrough came after the 60th minute, the floodgates opened. SDFC scored four times in a ruthless late surge to claim a 4–1 first-leg victory. Pumas’ lone goal came via a spectacular Robert Morales bicycle kick, but it proved little more than a footnote as 0-1 at the half, became 4-1 at the end for SDFC.
Pumas had scored early and appeared content to sit deep and protect what they hoped would be a manageable scoreline. That approach backfired badly once San Diego found rhythm and space. Pumas have not won the CONCACAF Champions Cup since 1989, and a first-round exit now looms unless they can produce something extraordinary back in Mexico. With a three-goal cushion, San Diego FC can afford to park the bus in the return leg.
The Strongest and 2 de Mayo Take Slim Libertadores Leads
Bolivia’s The Strongest fired 26 shots and converted two penalties to earn a 2–1 advantage over Deportivo Táchira. While the Bolivian side dominated large stretches, Táchira remain within touching distance heading into the return leg in Venezuela.
Paraguayan side 2 de Mayo grabbed a narrow 1–0 win over Alianza Lima on debut. The margin is slim, and the tie remains wide open with the second leg set to be played in Peru.
Regio Giants Leave Traveling Fans Disappointed
Tigres and Monterrey’s underwhelming away performances in the opening round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup have already triggered frustration in the sultan of the North, with plenty of fans lighting up the lines at RG 690 sports radio in Monterrey in the days to come.
Tigres endured the coldest match ever played in the competition, drawing 0–0 with Canadian Premier League side Forge FC. Despite fielding a near first-choice lineup, Tigres failed to break through. Forge goalkeeper Dimitry Bertaud delivered a standout performance, turning away roughly 20 Tigres shots as the hosts defended deep in freezing conditions.
Forge face a steep task in Monterrey at UANL, but Tigres can take little satisfaction from the result beyond surviving the weather.
Monterrey Rayados, meanwhile, cannot blame conditions for their 1–1 draw away to Guatemala’s Xelajú. Despite controlling nearly 70% possession, a heavily rotated Rayados side featuring five young players, including striker Joaquín Moxica, struggled to generate clear chances. Xelajú offered limited attacking threat, yet still found a breakthrough when Joffre Escobar headed past Uruguay international goalkeeper Santiago Mele in the 83rd minute.
A shock result appeared likely until veteran Tecatito Corona rescued Monterrey with a stunning long-range strike to level the match. The tie now shifts to Estadio BBVA, where Rayados are still heavily favored. However, under Domènec Torrent, a squad stacked with internationals such as Anthony Martial looks worryingly flat and short on ideas week after week.
Cruz Azul and América Return Home With an Edge
Cruz Azul were never expected to struggle against Vancouver FC, and the first leg followed the script. With Mexico international Jorge Sánchez headed to PAOK in Greece, La Máquina began adjusting to life without him. The transition looked smooth, as three different players found the net in a convincing 3–0 away victory that all but seals progression.
Club América needed a late intervention to avoid another damaging result against Olimpia in Honduras. Ramón Juárez’s late goal ensured América return to Mexico with a draw and a slight 2-1 advantage. There remain significant questions surrounding this América side, as América struggled to turn possession into danger despite seeing 68% of the ball, but Olimpia struggled to sustain defensively over 90 minutes.
After the first legs across CONCACAF, a major upset still feels unlikely heading into the return matches.
Main Photo Credit: Smartframe Images
