LAFC withstands Cruz Azul to advance into Champions Cup Semifinals | OneFootball

PUEBLA, Mexico – The 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup continued with Cruz Azul and Los Angeles FC playing to a 1-1 draw in the Second Leg of their Quarterfinals series, with the latter winning 4-1 on aggregate, on Tuesday at Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla, Mexico.

Cruz Azul opened the scoring with a Gabriel Fernández penalty kick in the 18’, after a foul in the box by LAFC’s Sergi Palencia. 

Gonzalo Piovi received a red card in the 90’+2’ for a reckless tackle on Denis Bouanga.

Moments later, a Cruz Azul handball in the area led to Bouanga converting from the penalty spot in the 90’+7’ to seal the series.

Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris came up with a massive performance in net, finishing with eight saves to help the MLS side hold off La Máquina Cementera. It was the most saves the Frenchman recorded in a single match across 102 appearances for the club in all competitions.

The MLS side advances to the Semifinals for the third time in its history (2020, 2023). LAFC will face the winner of the Deportivo Toluca FC and LA Galaxy series.

Post Match – Data 

LAFC have reached the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup for the third time in club history (2020, 2023). Los Angeles FC are the only MLS club to reach three Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals since the club began play in 2018.

Cruz Azul’s 16 shots in the first half tonight against LAFC are the joint-highest total by any team in this season’s Concacaf Champions Cup, level with the 16 recorded by LA Galaxy against Mount Pleasant FA in March.

LAFC were outshot 31-6 in tonight’s 1-1 draw with Cruz Azul. The 25-shot differential faced equals the largest in a Concacaf Champions Cup match in which a team avoided defeat since the 2016-17 season, when Motagua were outshot 34-9 in a 1-1 draw with Pachuca in March 2023.

Gabriel Fernández scored his first goal in this season’s Concacaf Champions Cup, becoming the ninth different Cruz Azul player to score for the club in this year’s tournament, the most of any team still remaining in the competition.

Hugo Lloris made eight saves for LAFC tonight, the most he has recorded in any of his 102 appearances across all competitions for the club.

Denis Bouanga scored his 15th career goal in the Concacaf Champions Cup, his fifth in this year’s competition. No other player has scored more than nine goals in the tournament since Bouanga made his debut in the competition in 2023.