Cruz Azul’s pressure finally tells
Twenty shots. Six on target. Cruz Azul spent the night hammering at New York City FC, and the numbers eventually turned into a 2-1 win that pushed La Máquina toward the knockout round of the 2026 Leagues Cup.
The opener carried the stamp of a well-drilled side. Toro Fernández won the ball in midfield, Erik Lira slipped it to Agustín Palavecino outside the box, and the Argentine curled a left-footed finish into the corner. It rewarded the vertical, patient buildup Cruz Azul leaned on all evening.
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Paradela with the decisive touch
New York City FC did not fold. Just before halftime, Max Murray rose to meet a free kick and powered a header past the goalkeeper for the equalizer, his first goal with the first team. The sides went in level, and for a spell after the hour the game opened into an end-to-end affair.
Cruz Azul had the sharper edge. Charly Rodríguez found José Paradela outside the box, and the forward’s effort took a deflection on its way in, wrong-footing the NYCFC defence. Paradela finished the night with a goal from four shots, two on target, and the match ball as the standout performer.
La Máquina close on qualification
The context favours Cruz Azul heavily. Three points, a second win in a row, and a near-certain place in the next round leave Joel Huiqui’s team in command of their group. Their reward is a meeting with Chicago Fire on August 13, another MLS test to measure themselves against.
New York City FC leave with a harder task. Beaten by a side that controlled long stretches, they now must win their final match against Necaxa to keep any hope of advancing. Twenty shots conceded tells the story of a night spent defending, and one deflection was all it took to punish them.
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