MIAMI – The 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup continues with Cruz Azul hosting Los Angeles FC in the Second Leg of their Quarterfinals series on Tuesday at Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla, Mexico.

Defending champions Cruz Azul face a tough test as they return home trailing 3-nil on aggregate after the first leg.

LAFC had a strong performance led by a David Martínez brace, and an additional goal from Son Heung-Min. The MLS side has now scored seven first-half goals in this tournament, tying FC Cincinnati for the most in this year’s edition.

Seven-time Champions Cup winners Cruz Azul hope to keep its title defense alive behind forward Gabriel Fernández, who has 16 total shots so far this tournament. There has not been a back-to-back champion since Club América accomplished the feat in 2014/15 and 2015/16 editions.

Away goals serve as the first tiebreaker in the aggregate score. A 3-nil victory from Cruz Azul would force extra time. A penalty shootout would also be played, if necessary.

The winner of this series will advance to the Semifinals to face the winner of the Deportivo Toluca FC and LA Galaxy series.

Record for Second Leg Quarterfinal Matches in the CCC 

In the history of Cruz Azul in the Quarterfinal stage, the club records two penalty shootout decisions.

The first occurred in the Quarterfinals of the 1998 edition, when the team suffered a 3-5 loss against Deportivo Saprissa, following a 0-0 draw in a single-match format.

The second took place in the Semifinals of the 2008-2009 edition, when the club achieved a 4-2 victory in the penalty shootout against Puerto Rico Islanders, after finishing level on the aggregate score 3-3, following a 2-0 loss in the First Leg and a 3-1 win in the Second Leg.

Within the club’s offensive records in this stage, Cruz Azul registers one hat-trick in the Quarterfinals, scored by Mariano Pavone (ARG) against Sporting Kansas City in the 2013-2014 edition.

The series against Los Angeles FC in 2026 represented the 11th participation for Cruz Azul in the Quarterfinal stage in the history of the tournament. The club’s appearances in this round are recorded in the following editions:

1997 vs. Comunicaciones FC

1998 vs. Deportivo Saprissa

2008-2009 vs. Pumas UNAM

2009-2010 vs. CD Árabe Unido

2010-2011 vs. Santos Laguna

2013-2014 vs. Sporting Kansas City

2020 vs. Los Angeles FC

2021 vs. Toronto FC

2022 vs. CF Montréal

2025 vs. CF América

2026 vs. Los Angeles FC

The historical record for Cruz Azul in the Quarterfinal stage shows 18 matches played, with 12 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses, with 30 goals scored and 11 goals conceded.

Among the club’s scorers in this phase, the players with three goals are Mariano Pavone (ARG), Javier Orozco (MEX), Brayan Angulo (ECU), and Christian Giménez (ARG). With two goals are Uriel Antuna (MEX), Benjamín Galindo (MEX), Cristian Riveros (PAR), Ángel Sepúlveda (MEX), and Emanuel Villa (ARG).

The historical record for Cruz Azul in the Quarterfinal stage after losing the First Leg registers one qualification, achieved in the 2013-2014 edition against Sporting Kansas City.

For Los Angeles FC (USA), the club does not register any penalty shootout decisions in the Quarterfinal stage of the competition.

In this phase, the club records three braces:

Denis Bouanga (GAB) vs. Whitecaps FC — 2023

Carlos Vela (MEX) vs. Whitecaps FC — 2023

David Martínez (VEN) vs. Cruz Azul — 2026

The participation of Los Angeles FC in the Quarterfinal stage records four appearances:

2020 vs. Cruz Azul

2023 vs. Whitecaps FC

2025 vs. Inter Miami CF

2026 vs. Cruz Azul

The club’s record in this phase shows 6 matches played, with 4 wins, 0 draws, and 1 loss, with 13 goals scored and 4 goals conceded.

Among the scorers for Los Angeles FC in the Quarterfinal stage are:

Carlos Vela (MEX) — 3 goals

Denis Bouanga (GAB) — 2 goals

David Martínez (VEN) — 2 goals

Kwadwo Opoku (GHA) — 2 goals

In the club’s historical record after winning the First Leg in the Quarterfinal stage, the following results are registered:

Qualified once

2023 vs. Whitecaps FC

Eliminated once

2025 vs. Inter Miami CF