By Andy González
Pachuca scored in the dying seconds to defeat Charlotte, leaving the Crown unable to control their own path to the Knockout Rounds.
During the opening 20 minutes, Charlotte looked to play forward and exploit space with long balls, but the Crown struggled to find the right delivery into the box. Pachuca, meanwhile, gradually began to establish more control of the match.
Salomón Rondón provided one of the more unusual moments of the night from a free kick when his shot struck one of the posts supporting the goal netting. Shortly afterward, Oussama Idrissi tested Charlotte goalkeeper Miller, who got a hand to the shot and redirected it onto the post.
Pachuca ultimately controlled much of the first half, generating the better chances and finding Rondón in space to stretch Charlotte’s back line. Although possession was nearly even, the Tuzos produced more attacking volume and looked more dangerous in the final third.
Both teams showed greater attacking intent to begin the second half. Alcaraz and Pizarro came on at halftime to give Pachuca more options going forward and increase the pressure on Charlotte.
Both sides continued to enjoy promising attacking spells, but neither could consistently turn them into clear opportunities on goal.
In the 72nd minute, Allan Saint-Maximin entered the match, drawing the attention of the Mexican supporters who had come to see the star forward, who previously played for Club América.
Pachuca continued to threaten, with Vallejo forcing another strong save from Miller with a powerful strike in the 79th minute.
Two minutes later, Aloko sparked a counterattack and found Saint-Maximin, who was preparing to shoot when Sergio Rodríguez brought him down. Broni stepped up to take the resulting penalty, but Moreno came up with another crucial save to keep the match scoreless.
The game appeared destined for a draw until the final moments.
In the 90th minute, Tim Ream attempted to play out from the back but underhit his pass, allowing Alan Bautista to recover possession. Bautista drove forward into the open space, entered the box and calmly placed his finish into the corner to give Pachuca a dramatic late victory.
The goal not only secured all three points for the Tuzos but also left Charlotte unable to control its own path to the Knockout Rounds, turning what had been a tightly contested match into a heartbreaking finish for the Crown.
REACTIONS
- Charlote Head Coach Dean Smith
- "It's painful to lose a game like this, in the final play. We controlled the game for long stretches, but we lacked finishing in the final third, and a lapse in concentration on the edge of the box cost us everything."
- Pachuca Head Coach Benjamín Mora
- "The team's patience and character stood out immensely. We knew that Charlotte, at home, is an extremely physical opponent, but the young players stepped up again, and Bautista finished like a pro."
PLAYERS OF THE MATCH
- Pachuca
- The Tuzos academy product, Alan Bautista, delivered a brilliant performance, scoring the game-winning goal in the dying moments of the match.
GAME NOTES
- Carlos Moreno recorded his fifth official penalty save across all competitions.
- This was the first match of the 2026 Leagues Cup in which Charlotte failed to score.
- Pachuca scored in all three of its 2026 Leagues Cup matches but only managed to win this one.
- Charlotte currently sits in fourth place. To qualify, the Crown need both Chicago Fire and FC Dallas to fail to earn points on Wednesday.
CARDS/INJURY REPORT
- Yellow Cards:
- Charlotte: Byrne
- Pachuca: Pizarro, Rodríguez
LOOKING AHEAD
- Charlotte returns to MLS play in a August 15th matchup vs Columbus.
- Pachuca is back to Liga MX where they play Puebla on August 17th.
