By Emor Villa
Puebla moved one step closer to qualifying for the Leagues Cup Knockout Stage with a hard-fought 2-1 win over CF Montréal at Stade Saputo. With the victory, La Franja temporarily sits in the top four of the Liga MX standings in the tournament. Now, they must wait and see if it’s enough to secure their spot in the next round.
The match had high stakes for both sides, but it was Montréal who faced an early setback. Defender Joel Waterman was sent off in the 23rd minute after a last-man foul on Fernando Monárrez, leaving the home team with ten men for over an hour.
Despite the disadvantage, the Impact struck first. Just two minutes into the second half, a turnover by Puebla's backline gave Caden Clark the chance to lead a counterattack. He picked out Prince Owusu, who finished coolly to make it 1-0 in the 47th minute.
Puebla, however, responded with composure and control. After settling into possession, the Mexican side began to chip away at the Impact’s defense. Their persistence paid off in the 58th minute when Emiliano Gómez smashed home a rebound to level the match.
The comeback was completed in the 72nd minute. A precise delivery from Raúl Castillo on the right found Ricardo Marín in stride, and the striker buried the finish to make it 2-1 in favor of Los Camoteros.
Castillo was later sent off in stoppage time (90+1'), but the damage was already done. Montréal came close to equalizing in the dying moments, hitting the crossbar, but it wasn’t enough to keep their tournament hopes alive—they are officially eliminated.
Puebla now waits anxiously for results from the remaining Phase One matches. With six points on the board, La Franja needs help to retain their current standing and move on to the Knockout Stage of Leagues Cup 2025.
REACTIONS
- Puebla Head Coach Pablo Guede
- “The international experience is vital for our club. Today, emotions got the best of us in the end of the game, and you only can learn from that kind of experience playing in these kind tournaments like the Leagues Cup”.
PLAYERS OF THE MATCH
- Puebla FC:
- The Mexican striker Ricardo Marín was Puebla’s key player after scoring the winning goal coming from the bench.
- Montréal FC:
- Prince Owusu scored his second goal of this tournament, and he now has 11 goals over his last 12 games overall.
GAME NOTES
- Ricardo Marín scored his first Leagues Cup goal after played with Chivas in 2023 and 2024 editions. It’s also his second goal in his last four games played this season with “La Franja”.
- Montreal couldn’t reach the Leagues Cup Knockout Stage for the second time in a row. The Canadian club qualified in 2024, but this was his second elimination from the contest in Phase One.
- This could be the first time for Puebla FC in a Leagues Cup Knockout Stage. Even though they have to wait until the end of Phase One, this was the first time wining two matches for la Franja in the international tournament.
CARDS/INJURY REPORT
- Yellow Cards:
- Puebla: Esteban Lozano, Fernando Monárrez
- Montreal: Dante Sealy, Morales, Victor Loturi, Brandan Craig
- Red Cards:
- Puebla: Raúl Castillo
- Montreal: Joel Waterman
LOOKING AHEAD
- Puebla FC awaits for results from six different clubes. La Franja needs help from the likes of Mazatlán FC, Juárez FC, Pumas, Necaxa, Tijuana and Club América.
- Montreal Impact is eliminated from Leagues Cup 2025. The Canadian team will be back in the MLS regular season to face Atlanta United on August 9th at Saputo Stadium.
