LAFC, Cruz Azul set for Quarterfinals clash in Champions Cup | OneFootball

MIAMI – The 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup First Leg of their Quarterfinals series on Tuesday at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA.

It will be the second encounter between the clubs in the history of this tournament following their 2020 meeting. That was a single-match series due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which ended in a 2-1 victory for LAFC in Orlando, Florida, USA.

This match will mark LAFC’s fourth participation in the Quarterfinal stage. LAFC defeated LD Alajuelense, 3-2 on aggregate, in the Round of 16 thanks to a 90’+2’ goal, by David Martínez in Costa Rica.

The MLS side has advanced past the Quarterfinals on two occasions. Aside from its 2020 win over Cruz Azul, the Black and Gold also rolled past Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 6-nil on aggregate, in 2023. In last year’s edition, LAFC was eliminated by Inter Miami CF in the Quarterfinals, 3-2 on aggregate.

Reigning Champions Cup winners Cruz Azul reached the Quarterfinals for the 11th time. La Máquina Cementera is coming off a 4-3 aggregate win over CF Monterrey in the Round of 16.

The Liga MX club has previously advanced to the next round on eight occasions, including last year’s 2-1 aggregate win over Club America.

All-Time series

Los Angeles FC and Cruz Azul will write another chapter in the Quarterfinals after facing each other in the 2020 edition in a single-match series due to the COVID-19 pandemic on December 16, 2020, at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida, with a 2-1 victory for Los Angeles FC (Carlos Vela penalty 38’, Kwadwo Opoku 71’, and for Cruz Azul Yoshimar Yotún 15’).

Cruz Azul history in Quarterfinals

• 11th participation in the Quarterfinal stage.

• Advanced on 8 occasions:

o 1997 vs. Comunicaciones FC (W 5-0, single match)

o 2008-2009 vs. Pumas UNAM (aggregate 2-0)

o 2009-2010 vs. CD Árabe Unido (aggregate 4-0)

o 2010-2011 vs. Santos Laguna (aggregate 5-1)

o 2013-2014 vs. Sporting Kansas City (aggregate 5-2)

o 2021 vs. Toronto FC (aggregate 4-1)

o 2022 vs. CF Montreal (aggregate 2-1)

o 2025 vs. CF América (aggregate 2-1)

• Eliminated on 2 occasions:

o 1998 vs. Deportivo Saprissa (0-0, single match, PSO 3-5)

o 2020 vs. Los Ángeles FC (L 2-1, single match)

Top scorers for Cruz Azul in Quarterfinals:  Mariano Pavone (ARG) 3, Javier Orozco (MEX) 3, Brayan Angulo (ECU) 3, Christian Gíménez (ARG) 3, Uriel Antuna (MEX) 2, Benjamín Galindo (MEX) 2, Cristian Riveros (PAR) 2, Ángel Sepúlveda (MEX) 2, Emanuel Villa (ARG) 2.

Los Angeles FC history in Quarterfinals

• 4th participation in the Quarterfinal stage.

• Advanced on 2 occasions:

o 2020 vs. Cruz Azul (W 2-1, single match)

o 2023 vs. Whitecaps FC (aggregate 6-0)

• Eliminated on 1 occasion:

o 2025 vs. Inter Miami CF (aggregate 3-2)

Top scorers for Los Ángeles FC in Quarterfinals: Carlos Vela (MEX) 3, Kwadwo Opoku (GHA) 2, Denis Bouanga (GAB) 2, José Cifuentes (ECU) 1, Nathan Ordaz (USA) 1, Aaron Long (USA) 1.