Tigres Top LAFC in Shootout to Win Campeones Cup

Tigres Top LAFC in Shootout to Win Campeones Cup
Los Angeles FC forward Carlos Vela (10) dribbles the ball against Tigres UANL midfielder Fernando Gorriaran (8) at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Sept. 27, 2023. (Courtesy of LAFC via The Epoch Times)
Field Level Media
9/28/2023
Updated:
12/30/2023
0:00

Tigres UANL became the first club ever to capture the Campeones Cup twice, defeating host Los Angeles FC 4–2 in a penalty shootout Wednesday night following a scoreless draw.

Andre-Pierre Gignac, Nicolas Ibanez, Guido Pizarro and Jesus Angulo converted their spot kicks for the Mexican side. LAFC’s Timothy Tillman and Ryan Hollingshead had their attempts saved by Nahuel Guzman, while Denis Bouanga and Ilie Sanchez scored for the hosts.

Both teams ended the game with 10 men on the field. Los Angeles’ Diego Palacios was sent off after receiving a second yellow card in the 63rd minute, and Tigres’ Rafael Carioca got a straight red card in the 85th minute.

Tigres captured the initial Campeones Cup in 2018, winning 3–1 on the road against Toronto FC. They earned their spot this year by defeating Pachuca 2–1 in the Campeon de Campeones match in June.

Los Angeles FC were competing in their first Campeones Cup, having won their first MLS Cup last year with a shootout win over the Philadelphia Union following a 3–3 draw.

Major League Soccer teams had won the previous three editions of the competition before Wednesday.