Tigres UANL vs. San Diego FC

San Diego FC entered their second Leagues Cup fixture at Snapdragon Stadium on August 1, 2025 with hope—but ultimately left with the crushing realization that experience matters. Tigres UANL's 2–1 victory was a sobering display of precision and clinical finishing, largely courtesy of Angel Correa’s devastating brace.


From the early stages, Tigres looked the side most comfortable on the ball—and most dangerous. Correa opened the scoring in the 31st minute by pouncing on a rebound off Juan Brunetta’s strike—exposing hesitation from the San Diego defense and goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega.


San Diego showed real character with a response early in the second half. Tomás Ángel equalized in the 55th minute with a composed left-footed finish after a scrambled box sequence. But that spark was brief—just twelve minutes later, Correa struck again, ruthlessly dispatching a through ball from Brunetta into the bottom corner.


This result leaves San Diego FC winless in their first two Leagues Cup matches—effectively ending any realistic hope of advancing. Key absences undermined the home side: forward Anders Dreyer was suspended after a red card, and Hirving Lozano's hamstring issue limited both his minutes and impact.


For Tigres, this narrow 2–1 win was textbook: efficient on the counter, strong in transitions, and lethal in attack. Correa’s second consecutive brace makes him the early tournament top scorer, and Tigres sit atop their group with six points and a firm grip on qualification.


For San Diego, tough lessons lie ahead. Though risked, the duo of Tomás Ángel and Aiden Harangi emerged positively—Angel’s goal showed instinct, Harangi’s energy helped spark the comeback attempt. But defensive lapses and conditioning weaknesses under pressure were laid bare.


Looking forward, San Diego host Mazatlán FC on August 5, a fixture that will almost certainly see rotation and experimentation as their journey in this tournament has already reached an impasse. Meanwhile, Tigres will take their momentum into a key matchup with LAFC, with qualification all but guaranteed.


Ultimately, this 2–1 loss served as a harsh yet illuminating reality check for San Diego FC. In Leagues Cup play, pedigree and poise still outmuscle passion and potential.