The match started with LAFC dominating possession and generating early chances. Nineteen-year-old David Martínez was a constant threat, hitting the crossbar in the 23rd minute before opening the scoring six minutes later. Martínez latched onto a long pass from Timothy Tillman, beating the Mazatlán goalkeeper with a composed finish for his first-ever Leagues Cup goal.
Mazatlán responded immediately. In the 31st minute, Fábio Gomes capitalized on a through ball and fired in the equalizer off the far post—his first goal for the club. Despite LAFC’s continued pressure, especially in the second half, Mazatlán’s defense held firm, and the teams remained level after 90 minutes.
The match went to penalties, with both sides converting their first five attempts. The shootout extended to a 12th round, where Mazatlán’s Nicolás Benedetti scored, and LAFC’s all-time Leagues Cup leading scorer Denis Bouanga missed over the bar, sealing the extra point for the Liga MX side. The result means LAFC have now lost all three Leagues Cup shootouts in their history, while Mazatlán improved their record to 3-1 in penalty tiebreakers.
Key stats highlight LAFC’s attacking dominance: they held 57% possession, outshot Mazatlán 15 to 8, and created more expected goals (2.2 to 0.5), but were unable to convert their chances into victory. Bouanga and Sergi Palencia remain the only LAFC players to appear in all 11 Leagues Cup matches for the club.
Looking ahead, LAFC will host Pachuca at BMO Stadium on Friday, August 1, as they aim to rebound in the group stage. Mazatlán, buoyed by their resilience, travel to face Houston Dynamo next.
Historically, LAFC are 7-2-2 all-time in Leagues Cup play and 2-1-1 against Liga MX opposition. However, their penalty shootout struggles persist, adding pressure as they seek to advance from the group phase. Both sides will be looking to solidify their tournament positions in the upcoming fixtures.