By Tony Álvarez
Portland Timbers and Club Puebla open their Leagues Cup 2026 campaigns Thursday at Providence Park in their first-ever meeting, with kickoff set for 10:30 p.m. ET on Apple TV.
HEAD-TO-HEAD:
- 1st matchup between the two sides
- Record at Leagues Cup: Portland Timbers (5-4), Club Puebla (3-4)
LAST FIVE GAMES:
- Portland:
- 3 Wins, 1 Draw, 1 Losses
- Has won three of their last four in MLS
- Puebla:
- 1 Win, 1 Draw, 3 Losses
- 1-1-1 start to the Apertura 2026 season
MAIN STORYLINES:
- Portland Timbers return to Leagues Cup after an unbeaten Phase One campaign in 2025 (2-0-1), narrowly missing the knockout stage on goal-differential tiebreakers.
- Portland Timbers is looking for their fourth all-time win against Mexican opponents (3-1-4).
- Puebla returns after advancing to the 2025 Leagues Cup quarterfinals, the club's deepest tournament run to date.
- Both clubs will play their first Leagues Cup match under new managers, with Gerardo Espinoza taking over Puebla in May and Martí Cifuentes appointed by Portland in July.
KEY FACTORS:
- Portland:
- Kevin Kelsy, 22, leads the team with nine goals
- David Da Costa, the team’s No. 10, leads the team with seven assists
- Providence Park is one of MLS' toughest venues for visiting teams, giving Portland a significant home-field advantage.
- Puebla:
- Has scored in three consecutive matches to start the Apertura 2026, showing the ability to create chances in attack.
- Ignacio Maestro Puch, 22, scored the club’s match-winning goal in its opener against FC Juárez.
- Eduardo Mustre, 23, scored in the team’s 1-1 draw against Chivas over the weekend. Mustre played college soccer in the U.S. at Florida International.
WHAT TO EXPECT?
Both teams have unfinished business in Leagues Cup as they begin another tournament run Thursday.
The Timbers still have last year’s elimination in mind and have a squad that seems to have turned it around in MLS after the World Cup break. A very versatile and speedy roster can create danger up front, and with players like goalscorer Kevin Kelsy and the clinical passing of David Da Costa, this MLS squad will fancy its chances to advance to the knockout stage.
Club Puebla is undergoing a restructuring period with Gerardo Espinoza taking over as head coach and starting the Apertura 2026 season with a 1-1-1 start. The team scored a goal in every game, showing signs of improvement after last season. Espinoza has said he will use as many players as possible in these upcoming games to raise the level of competition within the team. La Franja is looking to build on its quarterfinal appearance in the 2025 edition.
Portland Timbers enter as clear favorites, earning 57% of the market compared to 22% for Puebla as the MLS side looks to make a strong start to its Leagues Cup campaign.
