Monterrey host Forge, Cruz Azul receive Real Hope in decisive second leg encounters

MIAMI – The 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup continues on Tuesday with two decisive second leg matches in Round One.

CF Monterrey will host Forge FC at Estadio BBVA in greater Monterrey, while Cruz Azul will host Real Hope FA at Estadio Olímpico Universitario in Mexico City.

If teams are tied on away goals after regulation, extra time and penalties (if necessary) will decide the winner of the Round One series.

CF Monterrey vs. Forge FC

Five-time Champions Cup winners CF Monterrey host Forge FC at Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, Nuevo León, Mexico.

The home side will seek to defend its current lead following a 2-nil away win in the first leg.

Goals from Nelson Deossa and Jordi Cortizo led Monterrey to victory in the opening match of the series. Additionally, goalkeeper Luis Cárdenas stood out in goal, registering three saves en route to collecting his first clean sheet of the campaign.

By scoring against Forge, Rayados extended its streak to 20 consecutive games with a goal in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the longest active run in the competition (16-2-2). 

Forge had more possession than its rivals in the first leg (52.6%), which marked the first time the Canadians controlled possession through a Champions Cup matchup.

David Choinière, who scored the club’s first-ever goal in the Champions Cup, will be a key player to watch as Forge searches to come back in the series.

Five key moments from the first leg

1. Deossa’s Historic Goal – Nelson Deossa (COL) scored his third career CCC goal and his first with CF Monterrey, becoming the sixth Colombian to score for the club in the tournament.

2. Cortizo’s Free-Kick Masterpiece – Jordi Cortizo (MEX) netted his first CCC goal with a free-kick, making it the 75th free-kick goal in the competition since 2008/09 and helping Monterrey set a record for most consecutive free-kick goals by a Mexican team (3).

3. 50-Year Drought Broken – Monterrey secured its first win against a Canadian club in nearly 50 years, their last being a 2-0 victory over White Eagles on July 5, 1975.

4. Dominance Over Canadian Clubs – Monterrey remains unbeaten in CCC history against Canadian teams, with two wins and one draw.

5. Monterrey’s Strong CCC Starts – The victory extended Monterrey’s unbeaten streak in CCC openers to 10 games (W-8-D-2), the longest in their history.

Cruz Azul vs. Real Hope FA 

Cruz Azul faces Real Hope FA at Estadio Olímpico Universitario. The Mexican side enters the second leg with a 2-nil lead.

Ángel Sepulveda opened the scoring, while a late own goal secured the victory for the six-time Champions Cup winners in the first leg. Goalkeeper Andrés Gudiño had a stellar performance leading the defensive line for the Mexican side and making two saves to collect a clean sheet.

Real Hope will continue its debut campaign after becoming the sixth Haitian representative in the competition’s history.

Angelo Exilus, Real Hope’s top scorer in the 2024 Concacaf Caribbean Cup with six goals, will be one of the players to watch as the club seeks its first win.

Five key moments from the first leg

1. Cruz Azul’s Winning Start – The Mexican side secured a 2-0 victory over Real Hope (HAI), extending its unbeaten streak in tournament openers to 11 matches (W-8-D-3). Their last opening-game loss was in 1996.

2. Sepulveda’s Historic Goal – Ángel Sepúlveda (MEX) scored his fifth goal in tournament history, becoming one of the few players to achieve this milestone with three different clubs.

3. Own Goal Boost – Jimmylson Guillaume (HAI) scored an own goal, marking the ninth time Cruz Azul has benefited from an own goal in CCC history. The last such occurrence for the club happened over a decade ago.

4. Record-Breaking Victory – This win marked Cruz Azul’s 64th all-time victory in CCC history, cementing its status as the Mexican club with the most wins in the competition. It also registered its 25th away victory, another record for a Mexican club.

5. Haitian Clubs' Struggles – Real Hope’s loss ended a two-match home winning streak for Haitian clubs, who have now lost eight of their last 11 home games in the tournament (72.7% loss rate).