By Emor Villa
The Bravos were galloping toward the Leagues Cup Knockout Stage, but AJ Marcucci stood in their way. The New York Red Bulls eliminated Juárez FC with a penalty shootout victory after a 1-1 draw at Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey, thanks to a standout performance from their goalkeeper.
Juárez entered the match needing at least two points to advance, and after falling behind, they clawed their way back to force penalties. The Red Bulls, meanwhile, faced a tall order — to qualify, they needed a clean sheet and at least four goals. Despite an aggressive start, Juárez’s defense held firm in the first half, turning the game into a tense, physical battle.
New York finally broke through in the 47th minute with a well-worked set piece. Chilean midfielder Marcelo Morales delivered a pinpoint cross that found American defender Dylan Nealis, who headed home for the 1-0 lead.
Juárez head coach Martín Varini responded by introducing Rodolfo Pizarro in the 55th minute. The Mexican midfielder immediately took charge, orchestrating attacks that eventually paid off. In the 86th minute, Colombian forward Óscar Estupiñán rose high to head in the equalizer, hammering the ball into the net and keeping Juárez’s hopes alive.
In the shootout, Marcucci became the hero. He denied Pizarro not once but twice after VAR ordered a retake, sealing a 5-3 win from the spot. However, the result meant little in the end — both teams finished Phase One undefeated in regulation but fell short of the Knockout Stage.
REACTIONS
- FC Juárez Head Coach Martín Varini:
- “We are proud of our team, we had a goal of qualifying to the Knockout Stage, but in the end we couldn’t get a place in the next round. However, I think this was a great Legues Cup for us, we competed against one of the best MLS teams and we didn’t lose in regular time, that says a lot about our team”
PLAYERS OF THE MATCH
- New York Red Bulls:
- Not only for his performance in the penalty shootout, AJ Marcucci also stopped two close chances in the last ten minutes of the game to help the Red Bulls get the win.
- FC Juárez:
- FC Juárez's Óscar Estupiñán kept his team alive with an 87th minute goal, his second this tournament.
GAME NOTES
- In spite of being eliminated, Juárez FC was one of the team top scorers of Leagues Cup 2025. The Bravos scored seven goals in the three games, tying Tigres for most among Liga MX teams.
- Juárez FC will miss the Leagues Cup Knockout Stage for the first time. The Bravos qualified in 2023 and 2024, being eliminated both times in the Round of 32.
- Óscar Estupiñán and Madson Silva were the most dangerous players for Bravos. The Colombian and Brazilian forwards scored two goals to lead the Juárez FC attack.
- Red Bulls couldn’t make a comeback to a Leagues Cup Knockout Stage. The NY squad had qualified only once and got to the Round of 16 in 2023.
CARDS/INJURY REPORT
- Yellow Cards
- New York Red Bulls: Marcelo Morales
LOOKING AHEAD
- NY Red Bulls returns to the MLS regular season to host Real Salt Lake on August 10th at Sports Illustrated Stadium.
- Juárez FC will return to Liga MX to host CD Toluca on August 11th at Estadio Olímpico Benito Juárez in Ciudad Juárez.
