The third matchday of Leagues Cup 2026 continued delivering memorable moments as the battle for quarterfinal places intensified. Fans were treated to dominant home performances, breakout individual displays, and another night of attacking soccer with plenty of goals to go around. Historic milestones, spectacular goals and standout goalkeeping performances once again highlighted the growing intensity of the tournament. .
New York City FC rode a masterful performance from U.S. Men's National Team goalkeeper Matt Freese to a clean-sheet victory over Santos Laguna, while Club América celebrated its first-ever Leagues Cup match at Estadio Banorte with a commanding win over San Diego behind a brilliant performance from Brian Rodríguez. Austin blanked Club Tijuana in a match that featured a disallowed goal and a late red card, Chicago Fire controlled play from start to finish in a 2-0 victory over Necaxa, and Cruz Azul made an early goal from José Paradela stand up in a hard-fought road win over the Philadelphia Union. The night concluded with one of the tournament's most entertaining matches, as the Portland Timbers erupted for five goals in an emphatic 5-2 victory over Puebla.
Here is a look back at everything that happened across Thursday's action.
New York City FC 2 vs Santos Laguna 0
New York City FC kicked off its Leagues Cup 2026 campaign with a 2-0 victory over Santos Laguna on Thursday at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.
The match remained evenly contested, with national team goalkeepers Matt Freese and Carlos Acevedo both kept busy throughout a first half that ended scoreless, especially with Freese denying a free kick and a diving header, both from Diego González.
Santos Laguna had one of its best opportunities in the 78th minute, but Freese produced three consecutive saves to preserve the lead. The Laguneros lost momentum as the match entered its final stages, and New York City FC saw out the victory.
Cruz Azul 1 vs Philadelphia 0
José Paradela's third-minute goal proved to be the difference as Cruz Azul earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia Union.
La Máquina took the early lead as Paradela sent the ball out wide to Omar Campos before continuing his run into the penalty area. Campos returned the pass, and Paradela finished first time into the bottom-left corner for the opening goal.
Kevin Mier was a factor late as the goalkeeper saw out the clean sheet, and the early goal proved enough to give the reigning Liga MX champions a winning start.
Chicago 2 vs Necaxa 0
A complete team performance from Chicago Fire FC was reflected on the scoreboard as the MLS side earned a convincing 2-0 victory over Club Necaxa. The Fire's fullbacks played a decisive role in the win, accounting for both goals.
Chicago has now put together back-to-back impressive performances, fueled by the energy of its home crowd and the arrival of Robert Lewandowski, who made his Leagues Cup debut. Although the Polish star did not find the scoresheet, he consistently occupied Necaxa's defenders, created space for his teammates, and helped drive the attack throughout the evening.
Austin 2 vs Tijuana 0
Austin FC opened its 2026 Leagues Cup campaign with a 2-0 victory over Club Tijuana on Wednesday night at Q2 Stadium, handing the Liga MX side its first defeat since March.
Austin FC opened its 2026 Leagues Cup campaign with a 2-0 victory over Club Tijuana on Wednesday night at Q2 Stadium, handing the Liga MX side its first defeat since March.
Austin doubled its advantage when Jon Gallagher reacted quickest inside the penalty area to make it 2-0 two minutes into first-half additional time.
América 3 vs San Diego 1
It was a historic night for Club América, which delivered a commanding 3-1 victory over San Diego in the first-ever Leagues Cup match played at the iconic Estadio Banorte. Guillermo Almada's side wasted little time asserting its authority, putting the match out of reach before halftime with a dominant first-half display led by a sensational performance from Brian Rodríguez.
The Uruguayan was the undisputed star of the night, opening the scoring with a brilliant individual effort before adding two assists as Érick Sánchez and Isaías Violante extended América's lead to 3-0 before the break.
Portland 5 vs Puebla 2
The Portland Timbers opened their 2026 Leagues Cup campaign in emphatic fashion, defeating Club Puebla 5-2 on Thursday at Providence Park.
Portland scored early and often, netting four goals in the first half alone. The barrage was impressive with Cole Bassett and Ariel Lassiter each scoring two goals. David Da Costa also had a great night, having a direct hand in three of the goals by scoring one and assisting in two.
