Cruz Azul and Monterrey Clash in Decisive Champions Cup Round of 16 Second Leg

Cruz Azul hosts CF Monterrey on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla, Mexico, for the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 series. Cruz Azul carries a narrow 3-2 aggregate lead into the match after a dramatic comeback victory in the first leg.

First Leg Recap: Cruz Azul Steals the Advantage

The first leg, played on March 10, 2026, saw Cruz Azul overcome a 2-1 deficit to win 3-2 at BBVA Bancomer Stadium. Erik Lira opened the scoring for Cruz Azul in the 25th minute. Monterrey responded with two quick goals before halftime, courtesy of Roberto de la Rosa. Gonzalo Piovi equalized in the 84th minute with a penalty kick, and Nicolás Ibáñez secured the win with a stunning goal in the 90th minute.^ESPN

How to Watch

The match will be broadcast on FS1/TUDN, with a kickoff time of 11:00 PM ET.^ESPN

What’s at Stake?

With a 3-2 aggregate lead, Cruz Azul is in a favorable position to advance to the quarterfinals. A win or even a tie would secure their place in the next round. Monterrey, but, needs a victory to progress. The winner of this series will face either Los Angeles FC or LD Alajuelense in the quarterfinals.^Bolavip

Key Players

Cruz Azul: Key players for Cruz Azul include forward Nicolás Ibáñez (2 goals in recent matches), forward 18L Romero (3 goals), and midfielder Erik Lira (1 goal).^ESPN

Monterrey: Roberto de la Rosa will be looking to add to his tally after scoring both goals in the first leg. ^Concacaf.com

Red Card Impact

Monterrey will be without goalkeeper Santiago Mele for the second leg due to a red card received in the 80th minute of the first match. ^Bolavip

What Happens if…

• Cruz Azul Wins: They advance to the quarterfinals.^Bolavip
• Cruz Azul Ties: They advance to the quarterfinals.
• Cruz Azul Loses: The series will go to extra time and potentially a penalty shootout.

Historical Context

This marks the ninth time in Concacaf Champions Cup history that a Liga MX club has lost the first leg of a series at home. Historically, Liga MX teams have struggled to overcome such deficits, with only one team (Deportivo Toluca in 2002-03) successfully advancing after losing the first leg at home.^Concacaf.com