By Reinaldo Oliveros
29 Jul 2024, 09:46 AM EDT
MLS’s Portland Timbers took a 1-2 victory over León with two goals from Zac McGraw in the Leagues Cup.
McGraw headed in a pass from Brazilian Evander in the 41st minute, after Alan Medina had given the Mexicans the advantage. In the 90th minute, the defender headed the ball back in with an assist, again from Evander, to decide the match.
León started better and took the lead in the 12th minute when Medina accepted a service from Venezuelan Jhonder Cádiz and made it 1-0.
Medina took advantage of a bouncing ball after the pass and nailed it into the corner in a match that put the Mexican club on track. But Timbers was patient, stopped the León offense and, when it seemed that the match would end in a tie, they won.
The team moved into first place in West Group 5, a group in which the MLS’s Colorado Rapids are about to make their debut.
In the first eight matches, The United States teams have five wins, two draws and one loss, which Atlas inflicted on Houston Dynamo on Saturday by 0-1.
This Sunday Querétaro tied without goals with New York City, but lost 4-3 on penalties, which put the New Yorkers at the top of Group 1 with two points, one more than the Mexicans.
Liga MX unlucky in first round of Leagues Cup
On Friday, at the start of the tournament, Austin defeated Pumas UNAM 2-3 and Los Angeles defeated Tijuana 3-0.
In other Mexican-American duels, this Saturday Miami, the defending champion, beat Puebla 0-2 and New England 1-0 against Mazatlán, Meanwhile, the San José Earthquakes tied 1-1 with Chivas de Guadalajara and beat them 4-3 in a penalty shootout.
The Leagues Cup will resume next Tuesday with the matches San Luis-Montreal, Pachuca-New York Red Bull, Minnesota-Necaxa, Monterrey-Austin and Los Angeles FC-Vancouver.
Keep reading:
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– Mexico wins bronze in archery, its first medal in Paris 2024