By Victor Araiza
Tigres UANL and Houston Dynamo FC face off for the first time in the Leagues Cup. They'll meet at the Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas, in an encounter that will feature an electric atmosphere as both clubs are expected to be well-represented in the stands.
HEAD-TO-HEAD:
- 3rd matchup all-time (1st in Leagues Cup)
- Tigres UANL leads all-time series 2-0-0
- Last met in 2019 Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals (Tigres won both legs)
- Record at Leagues Cup: Tigres (6-2), Houston (3-4)
LAST FIVE GAMES:
- Houston Dynamo FC: 2 Wins, 1 Draw, 2 Losses
- Record at Shell Energy Stadium in 2025: 4 Wins, 2 Draws, 7 Losses
- Tigres UANL: 2 Wins, 2 Draws, 1 Loss
- 2-0-0 start in Apertura 2025
MAIN STORYLINES:
- Houston Dynamo has never won its opening match in any edition
- Dynamo FC holds an 11-5-4 (W-L-D) record versus Liga MX teams at Shell Energy Stadium
- Tigres UANL is 2-1-1 when playing Leagues Cup in the city of Houston
- Tigres fans will be out in force, with Houston one of the closer cities in USA for fans to travel
- FIFA World Cup champion Ángel Correa is set to make his Leagues Cup debut with the Liga MX side
KEY FACTORS:
- Houston Dynamo FC:
- Lawrence Ennali - Explosive winger has the speed to make opposing defenses uneasy
- Jack McGlynn - Young U.S. men’s national team talent was brought in to replace Hector Herrera as the orchestrator in midfield
- Jonathan Bond - Experienced MLS goalkeeper can make the night difficult for Tigres frontline
- Tigres UANL:
- Ángel Correa - After joining from Atletico de Madrid, Argentine forward seeks to make mark with Tigres frontline
- Nahuel Guzmán - Tigres goalkeeper has made headlines in previous Leagues Cup editions for colorful antics
- Wealth of talent - Los Felinos have plenty of depth with the likes of André-Pierre Gignac, Nicolas Ibañez, Juan Brunetta, Diego Lainez, and more among their ranks
WHAT TO EXPECT?
Less than 500 miles separate the two clubs, making the city of Houston one of the best U.S. cities with support for the Nuevo Leon side. The club held a night before rally to mingle with local fans near the stadium on Monday.
On the field, the Mexican side is coming off an impressive 4-3 victory away at reigning Liga MX champions Toluca, thanks in part to a brace from Nicolas Ibañez. Ozziel Herrera also scored in the encounter to bring his tally to two on the year, as Tigres improved to a 2-0-0 start in the Apertura season.
“With the mentality of being a protagonist, of competing, of always trying to maintain our form, our essence,” said Tigres UANL head coach Guido Pizarro of the team’s shift of mentality towards the Leagues Cup. “For us, I always say it, it's an honor to compete internationally, so we'll take it with the utmost seriousness, with great enthusiasm.”
Still adjusting to the offseason losses of key players like Hector Herrera and Adalberto Carrasquilla, the Houston Dynamo are hovering just outside the MLS Cup Playoffs qualification zone as they enter the tournament with eyes on growth.
U.S. men’s national team midfielder Jack McGlynn, who reached the Leagues Cup semifinals in the two previous editions with Philadelphia Union, will be looked to as one of the key men to unlock the Tigres defense, along with speedy winger Lawrence Ennali.
“What Tigres offers is one of the best teams in the region,” said Houston Dynamo head coach Ben Olsen. “They've been that way for a while, and I think it's a great challenge for us to start the Leagues Cup with. Offensively, defensively, quality, game changers, they have it all, so this is going to be a really good opportunity for us to see where we're at against one of the best teams in the region.”
