San Diego FC, down to 10 players for most of the match, managed a 3-2 victory at home against Liga MX champions Toluca. After falling behind 1-0, SDFC scored three goals, but a late handball gave Toluca a chance to add another goal in the final moments. Despite heading to Mexico with a narrow lead, SDFC has shown it can compete with top teams, especially since Toluca recently lost star midfielder Marcel Ruiz to a serious injury.
Alongside SDFC’s historic win, other MLS teams also performed well.
LA Galaxy secured a solid 3-0 win against Mount Pleasant from Jamaica, who were short-handed with 10 players unable to secure U.S. visas. LAFC, however, faced a challenge from Alajuelense, ending in a 1-1 draw at home. Despite dominating, LAFC will need to perform strongly in Costa Rica to advance.
In another MLS clash, the Seattle Sounders achieved a commanding 3-0 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps, especially excelling in the second half. The away goals rule means the Whitecaps must score at least three goals in Seattle without allowing any. Meanwhile, Inter Miami and Nashville SC played to a goalless draw, with Lionel Messi’s team unable to find the net.
FC Cincinnati took advantage of Tigres UANL’s travel difficulties, winning 3-0 at home. Tigres had recently celebrated a victory but faced issues arriving on the day of the match, leaving them in poor condition. Their goalkeeper, Nahuel Guzman, struggled during the game.
Club America enjoyed a narrow 1-0 win over the Philadelphia Union, while Monterrey Rayados had a challenging match under new manager Nico Sanchez. Leading 2-1, Rayados lost their goalkeeper Santiago Mele to a red card in the 80th minute, forcing defender Stefan Medina to step in. Unable to save a penalty, Medina watched as Nico Ibanez scored a late goal, securing a 3-2 victory for Cruz Azul, who are now confident about reaching the next round.
Currently, Cruz Azul tops the Liga MX table, while Rayados, Club America, and Tigres vie for the last playoff spots. Club America will miss goalkeeper Luis Angel Malagon, who suffered an Achilles injury.
Call-Ups Loom for CONMEBOL National Teams
The upcoming March international window will feature exciting matches for CONMEBOL teams. Brazil will play France and Croatia in the U.S., while Uruguay takes on England at Wembley and Algeria in Italy. Paraguay will face Greece in Piraeus and Morocco in France. Ecuador is set to travel to the Netherlands to play the Dutch and Spain, though their match against Spain remains uncertain due to ongoing issues in the Middle East.
Peru will compete against Senegal in France and Honduras in Spain. Chile will play against New Zealand and then take on Cape Verde. Venezuela will travel to Uzbekistan and face Trinidad and Tobago.
These matches promise to showcase top international football. Colombia will benefit from strong local support in their U.S. friendly matches. Additionally, Brazil’s games against two European powers, Uruguay vs. England, and Ecuador’s tournaments in Europe are highly anticipated. Brazil, however, has lost Rodrygo for the qualifiers, prompting coach Carlo Ancelotti to seek new options.