FC Cincinnati's collapse in Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16 leaves four MLS-Liga MX quarterfinals FC Cincinnati’s dramatic exit from the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16 marked a crushing setback for the MLS club, as Tigres UANL secured their place in the quarterfinals with a last-minute goal in Mexico. Despite holding a 3-0 aggregate lead from the first leg, Cincinnati’s hopes crumbled in the second match, which ended 5-1 in favor of the Liga MX side. Fernando Gorriarán’s goal in the eighth minute of stoppage time sealed the 5-4 aggregate victory, sending Tigres to the next round. The match saw Cincinnati briefly regain control after Kevin Denkey’s 65th-minute header gave them the away-goal advantage, but Tigres’ resilience proved decisive. André Pierre-Gignac’s assist for Gorriarán’s decisive strike highlighted the Liga MX side’s determination, as the Uruguayan forward beat U.S. national team call-up Roman Celentano in a dramatic finish. The result solidified the quarterfinal bracket, which will feature four MLS-Liga MX matchups: Tigres vs. Seattle Sounders, Nashville SC vs. Club América, LA Galaxy vs. Toluca, and LAFC vs. Cruz Azul. The round of 16 proved challenging for MLS teams, with Cincinnati’s elimination joining Philadelphia Union’s defeat by América and San Diego FC’s loss to Toluca. Only Seattle Sounders, Nashville SC, LAFC, and the Galaxy advanced, with the latter three overcoming non-Mexican opponents. Seattle’s 2-1 win over Vancouver and Nashville’s 2-1 upset of Inter Miami stood out, while LAFC’s 2-1 victory against Costa Rica’s Alajuelense and the Galaxy’s 2-0 win over Jamaica’s Mount Pleasant FA secured their spots. Miami’s exit, however, carried greater implications for MLS ambitions in the competition.#fc_cincinnati #tigres_uanl #seattle_sounders #andr_pierregignac #roman_celentano
