By Favian Renkel
Club Puebla earned just their second win ever Leagues Cup with a commanding 3-0 win over New York City FC, exposing a heavily rotated NYCFC lineup.
NYCFC head coach Pascal Jansen raised eyebrows before kickoff with several puzzling lineup choices. Nicolás Fernández made his first start for the club, while Ojeda and Julián Fernández also featured from the opening whistle. Seventeen-year-old Seymour Reid made his senior team debut, and Alonso Martínez—one of the hottest strikers in MLS—was left on the bench until the 65th minute.
In contrast, Pablo Guede’s side rolled out its strongest available lineup and struck immediately. Juan Fedorco opened the scoring just two minutes in on a busted corner kick, catching NYCFC off guard and setting the tone for the night. An early injury forced Puebla into changes, but they remained composed and aggressive. Emiliano Gómez doubled the lead in the 38th minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse and sliding in a shot from a well-placed cross to stun the home side.
NYCFC thought they had a chance to respond before halftime, but a crucial VAR decision reversed a penalty call, further deflating their momentum. Puebla’s direct play and speed on the wings continued to unsettle New York throughout the second half.
Despite pushing for a response, NYCFC struggled to generate quality chances. Martínez came on in the 65th minute but failed to find his rhythm. Even missing a wide open net on a corner that Martinez decided to use his chest to try to score, and it hits the crossbar, in an attempt where it looked harder to miss than score a goal.
Puebla sealed the result in the 88th minute when Owen González buried the third goal, officially putting the game out of reach. In stoppage time, Martinez finally gets an opportunity to make his mark and skied a promising chance—his first honest look at goal—capping a frustrating night for the Costa Rican. The Mexican side remained relentless until the final whistle, peppering Matt Freese’s goal with attempts.
REACTIONS:
- Puebla manager Pablo Guede:
- “The third goal gave us a calmness.” When asked if they changed anything when they noticed Alonso Martinez on the bench, he said: “We didn’t change in anything, we have been playing the same way as always.”
- New York City FC manager Pascal Jansen:
- “Conceding 10 goals in the last five games is not us.” When asked about his rotation, he said: "“We just came for an away stretch... we’ve been on the road quite a bit.”
PLAYERS OF THE MATCH:
- Club Puebla:
- 23-year-old, Emiliano Gonzalez, had a solid showing in his first ever Leagues Cup game coming away with a goal and an assist
- NYCFC:
- None
GAME NOTES:
- After winning last friday to snap an 11-game winless streak, Puebla now has back-to-back wins for the first time since November 2023
- Puebla has had it's struggles scoring so the 3-0 win is certainly surprising, their first win by 3+ goals since September 1, 2023 vs Tijuana
- Puebla is the first team to keep a clean sheet in Leagues Cup 2025, and their first ever clean sheet in Leagues Cup
- New York City FC has now conceded 3+ goals in back-to-back games for the first time since May 2023
CARDS/INJURY REPORT:
- Yellow Cards:
- Puebla: Nicolás Díaz, Franco Moyano, José Pachuca
- New York City FC: Justin Haak, Nico Cavallo, Maximo Carrizo
- Injuries:
- Puebla: Edgar Guerra, Franco Moyano, Luis Gabriel Rey
LOOKING AHEAD:
- NYCFC’s next game will be versus Club Leon, Friday, August 1st at Sports Illustrated Stadium
- Club Puebla's next match will be versus the Columbus Crew on August 1st at Lower.com Field
- Both opponents lost on penalties in their first match in Leagues Cup
