MIAMI, Florida – The Philadelphia Union will be looking to continue their spirited run in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup when they take on past Concacaf champions Pachuca in the first leg of their Round of 16 series on Tuesday night at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania.
The Union emerged from one of the most exciting series in Champions Cup history, as a goal in extra time propelled the Major League Soccer (MLS) side past Costa Rican giants Deportivo Saprissa in Round One, 6-5 on aggregate.
.@TheChampions Round of 16 starts tomorrow 😤#DOOP pic.twitter.com/Unr7ffXyH2
— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) March 4, 2024
Another challenge awaits in the form of Pachuca, who have won the Champions Cup five times and qualified directly for the Round of 16 as the 2022-23 Liga MX champion with the most aggregate points.
This will mark their first-ever meeting and for the Union, it will be imperative to get off to a good start at home. No doubt that they will require production from star striker Julian Carranza, who was one of the top performers in Round One with four goals.
Daniel Gazdag was also a key contributor with two assists against the Ticos, while youngster Quinn Sullivan left his mark with a goal and an assist in the two legs.
Philadelphia’s last meeting against a Liga MX opponent in the Champions Cup ended favorably for them, as they eliminated Atlas in the 2023 quarterfinals, but they will be facing a very motivated Pachuca side this time around.
The Tuzos saw their 2023 Champions Cup end abruptly in the Round of 16 when they were eliminated by Motagua of Honduras, so a deep run will certainly be on the minds of their squad.
Among the players to watch will be Luis Rodriguez, Erick Sanchez and Celso Ortiz. Rodriguez has a whopping 23 appearances in his Champions Cup career, mostly with Tigres, while Sanchez was one of the members of the Pachuca team that captured the club’s fifth Concacaf crown in 2016-17.
Ortiz also has a strong Concacaf pedigree. The MF was a Champions Cup winner with Monterrey in both 2019 and 2021.
Match Officials Philadelphia Union (USA) vs CF Pachuca (MEX)
REF: ISMAEL CORNEJO (El Salvador)
AR1: DAVID MORAN (El Salvador)
AR2: ZACHARI ZEEGELAAR (Suriname)
4TH: OSHANE NATION (Jamaica)
VAR: IVAN BARTON (El Salvador))
VAR1: BENJAMIN WHITTY (Cayman Islands)
