MIAMI, Florida – The 2021 Liga MX Apertura Liguilla kicked off over the weekend with three teams from the 2022 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League in action: Pumas, Santos Laguna and Cruz Azul.

A wondergoal from Leonel Lopez from midfield helped Pumas defeat Toluca 2-1 in Toluca. The visitors from the capital had a strong start and it was punctuated by Lopez’s jaw-dropping strike in the 16’, as he collected a ball at midfield and perfectly flighted a shot over the outstretched hand of Toluca GK Luis Manuel Garcia and into net.

Pumas doubled their lead to 2-0 in the 50’ through Juan Ignacio Dinenno’s right-footed finish, however, a Haret Ortega penalty conversion in the 62’ made for a nervy final half-hour for Pumas, who held on to advance.

Santos Laguna were also winners in the first round by posting a 2-0 victory against Atletico San Luis in Torreon. It took more than an hour to break the deadlock, but it would come in the 65’ off the right boot of Ayrton Preciado in the 65’, followed by an Ignacio Jeraldino penalty conversion in the 86’ to round out the scoreline.

Also in action was Cruz Azul, who squared off against 2021 SCCL Champions Monterrey in a rematch of their 2021 SCCL semifinal. It was an eerily similar outcome, as Monterrey collected a 4-1 win in Mexico City, which was the exact same scoreline as Monterrey’s 4-1 SCCL semifinal second leg win at the Estadio Azteca.

And just like in their semifinal in September, Rogelio Funes Mori had a brace and Maximiliano Meza scored a goal to aid the Rayados cause. Funes Mori converted a penalty in the 10’ before Meza made it 2-0 in the 27’. Yoshimar Yotun gave Cruz Azul some hope with a penalty conversion in the 32’, but a second score from Funes Mori in the 59’ and a late Vincent Janssen goal in the 85’ sealed Monterrey’s place in the final eight.

The MLS Cup Playoffs also got started over the weekend and the home fans all went home happy as all four home teams emerged victorious.

In the Eastern Conference, New York City FC got a goal in the 49’ from regular season Golden Boot winner Valentin Castellanos and an Alexander Callens goal in the 53’ to top Atlanta United 2-0, while a last-gasp strike from Jakob Glesnes in the 120+3’ gave the Philadelphia Union a dramatic 1-0 win over the New York Red Bulls.

Sporting Kansas City impressed in the Western Conference in a 3-1 triumph over the Vancouver Whitecaps, with scores from Khiry Shelton (17’), Nicolas Isimat-Mirin (45+3’) and Graham Zusi (58’) to outweigh Cristian Dajome’s penalty conversion in the 39’.

The Portland Timbers were also weekend winners thanks to a 3-1 win against Minnesota United. Sebastian Blanco (46’, 66’) bagged a brace, while Larrys Mabiala (43’) added a score for the Timbers. Franco Fragapane (11’) scored the lone Minnesota United goal.

There was also postseason action in the Canadian Premier League and Forge FC will play for a third straight CPL title after defeating York United 3-1 in Sunday’s semifinal.

The 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf League semifinalists held a 2-0 lead at halftime after goals from Tristan Borges in the 24’ and Daniel Krutzen in the 42’. A Lowell Wright goal in the 51’ had York United thinking comeback, but Forge was able to add an insurance goal in the 73’ courtesy of Alexander Achinioti-Jonsson to nail down their place in the Final.