**SC Club América** came out on top against **Chicago Fire FC** with a 1-0 win on Friday night in their Leagues Cup round of 32 clash at SeatGeek Stadium. The Mexican side would dominate the game, with 60% possession of the ball.
Although it wasn’t from their most clear-cut opportunity in the game, the LIGA MX side opened the scoring on 64 minutes thanks to an own goal from the Argentine Gastón Giménez, who beat his goalkeeper after turning in a cross from Alejandro Zendejas.
Chicago Fire tried to switch up their approach and would make five substitutions in an attempt to find an equalizer, but they were no match for a solid defensive performance from Las Águilas.
At the end of the game, Richard Sánchez saw red after kicking out in the middle of the park, and as a result will miss the Leagues Cup last 16 clash against Nashville SC, who beat FC Cincinnati on penalties.
Nashville SC clinched their spot in the Leagues Cup 2023 round of 16 with a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over the hosts FC Cincinnati on Friday night. Although the Ohio outfit enjoyed the majority of possession across the match, it was Nashville who opened the scoring on the hour mark, as Aníbal Godoy finished from close range after the ball dropped to him from a corner.
FC Cincinnati drew level five minutes before the end of the game, though, as Brandon Vázquez made up for his earlier miss by converting a penalty. It was the US international’s fifth goal of the tournament.
Nashville head coach Gary Smith would make one final change before the game headed to spot-kicks, as he brought on back-up goalkeeper Elliot Panicco. In only his tenth appearance for the club, the 26-year-old would emerge as an unlikely hero, stopping only the second penalty of his professional career against Matt Miazga. The save meant that Dax McCarty’s fifth and final penalty would be the winner, sending the visitors to the next round.
A match-up against Club América now awaits the MLS Eastern Conference high-fliers, after the LIGA MX side saw off Chicago Fire earlier in the evening.
Minnesota advanced to the round of 16 on penalties (4-3) following an all-action 3-3 draw against Columbus. The away side didn’t take long to get off the mark, with Teumu Pukki providing the vital through ball for Bongokuhle Hlongwane, whose chipped effort nestled effortlessly into the back of the net to make the game 1-0.
The Crews managed to equalise just before the end of the first half, Hernandez stealing the ball on the edge of the box and playing through Malte Amundsen to finish by the near post.
Columbus came back strong during the second half, with Alexandru Mățan scoring a sensational long range effort to put the home side in front in the 50th minute. However, Minnesota didn’t give up hope - a cross from Rosales found its way to their man of the moment: Hlongwane. He scored his third brace of the tournament, matching his MLS tally of six goals to pull ahead in the goalscorer rankings. Most importantly, he levelled the match for the away side.
Both teams threw everything they had to win the game in the late stages. Christian Ramirez pulled Columbus ahead in the 82nd minute by turning in a cross after Malte Amundsen’s defense splitting pass.
There was one last twist to the tale, as Reynoso picked up the ball on the edge of the box to pass to Dotson, whose deflected strike silenced the crowd at 3-3 in the 90th minute. Whilst injury time was a dramatic counter-attacking to-and-fro between the sides, the matter had to be settled via a penalty shootout. St-Clair was the hero, and after several unpunished misses, Miguel Tapias stepped up with the decisive spot kick to see Minnesota advance to the round of 16.
Real Salt Lake fell behind early in its Leagues Cup 2023 matchup with Club Leòn, but the team responded with three unanswered goals for a 3-1 win and a trip to the round of 16.
León started on the front foot and took an early lead in the 8th minute thanks to midfielder Iván Moreno. The club had its chances to add to the lead on four separate occasions, but the shots were off target three times and saved once. RSL turned up the heat in the second half, hitting the post (57th minute) and forcing a save (58th minute) before Danny Musovski finally broke through with a goal in the 69th minute to equalize. Moments later, it was Musovski again in the 71st minute to give his club a 2-1 lead. Striker Christian Arango put the match away for RSL with his goal in the 81st minute to make it 3-1.
RSL will now face the defending Major League Soccer champions Los Angeles Soccer Club in the round of 16.
Toluca FC continued its red-hot form in Leagues Cup 2023, dispatching Sporting KC, 4-1, on the road. Los Diablos Rojos have now scored four goals in three straight matches to put themselves into the round of 16.
Toluca FC took the lead in the 29th minute when a dangerous cross into the box was accidentally headed into the net by Sporting KC’s Dany Rosero. Moments later in the 32nd minute, Toluca FC newcomer Padro Raul doubled the lead with an easy tap-in to make it 2-0 going into the half. Less than ten minutes into the second half, Toluca FC’s Rober Morales made it 3-0 nothing with an assist from Raul. Midfielder Juan Domingez added the final Toluca tally in the 63rd minute. Sporting KC’s William Agada, back from injury, prevented the Toluca clean sheet with a goal in the 88th minute.
Toluca FC will now take on Minnesota United in the round of 16.
We experienced a rather hectic encounter tonight at Providence Park. This match saw more fouls than goal opportunities, yet Rayados managed to take the lead on the scoreboard with a solitary goal by Maximiliano Mendoza in the 45+1 minute.
Another interesting thing we witnessed today was the debut of Rayados' promising reinforcement, Sergio Canales, who, despite not scoring, showed flashes of his quality.
With this result, Monterrey CF will advance to the round of 16 and will continue in pursuit of the Leagues Cup 2023 title. They have been one of the best teams in the tournament and keep the competition alive between LIGA MX and MLS teams.
Rayados will face Tigres in the next round in the Clásico Regiomontano
Club Tigres showcased their LIGA MX champion-like determination against Vancouver Whitecaps and secured a spot in the next round of the Leagues Cup. The match ended in a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes, and Tigres prevailed 5-3 in the penalty shootout.
The Canadian team surprised early in the first half when Ecuadorian Pedro Vite scored a spectacular goal from outside the box at the 9th minute, leaving Tigres' goalkeeper Nahuel Guzmán with no chance to react.
Tigres felt the blow and couldn't impose their usual passing rhythm. Although Vancouver Whitecaps had chances to extend their lead, the Mexican team managed to equalize in the second half, thanks to the talent of André Pierre Gignac. At the 53rd minute, he received a cross from the right and executed a marvellous overhead kick that only a player of his caliber can do.
The danger remained until the end of the match, but neither team had the required precision to score the winning goal, so it all came down to the penalty shootout. There, no Tigres player missed their shot, and Nahuel Guzmán became the hero by saving Ranko Veselinovic's penalty.
With this result, Tigres will face CF Monterrey in the Round of 16 and will be part of a new edition of the Clásico Regiomontano.
