Brandon Vázquez was the star man on the pitch for **FC Cincinnati** in their 3-1 win over **Chivas Guadalajara**, which sealed their spot in the knockout rounds of this summer’s Leagues Cup.
The United States international forward, whose parents are Mexican, was in the limelight in the build-up to the game as a result of his wavering between the two national teams, even if he ended up opting for his country of birth.Before the match, the striker was asked about the prospect of facing the LIGA MX side, and insisted that it would be a tough encounter: “Chivas has a great team, so we know it’s not going to be easy, but we’re ready for the challenge”, he told TUDN.
But Vázquez stole the show in what was his first-ever match against a Mexican team. He couldn’t have wished for a better result as he scored an unforgettable hat-trick, the first of his career.
Having scored three goals in a game for the first time in his career, the 24-year-old has left his mark on this summer’s competition, which brings together North America’s two most important leagues.
This season in Major Leagues Soccer, he has found the back of the net 4 times in 19 games - numbers that are off the pace compared to his performances last year, when he scored 18.
Close to a hat-trick on three occasions
Over the course of his career so far, Vázquez had only scored a brace in three games in MLS action. The first came on March 13, 2022, in a fixture against Orlando City SC that ended in a 2-1 win for FC Cincinnati. The next would come six days later against Inter Miami CF, in a 3-1 victory for his team. The third and final one - up until last night - was on July 31, 2022, once more against the Miami franchise in a 4-4 draw.
