The bad streak of the teams of the Liga MX against the clubs of the MLS continues, and this time it was the Athletic of San Luis who suffered a tough 3-2 defeat against Montreal in the Leagues Cup.
This result leaves the Mexican team in a difficult position, as they will now have to win by at least three goals against Orlando City in their next match to have a chance of advancing to the next round of the tournament.
In the first half, Domenec Torrent’s team was clearly outclassed by the Canadians. The conditions of the pitch and the surroundings of the city played in favour of Montreal, which knew how to capitalise on these advantages.
From the start of the match, the Canadian team showed their dominance and in just 17 minutes, Tom Pearce opened the scoring with a precise shot inside the area, taking advantage of St. Louis’ defensive inattention.
Montreal kept the pressure on an Atlético de San Luis side that had serious difficulties keeping possession of the ball. In the 25th minute, Matias Coccaro doubled the home team’s lead with a goal that reflected the defensive fragility of San Luis.
Coccaro had a chance to extend their lead before the break, but missed a penalty that would have made things even more difficult for the Mexicans.
In the second half, Atlético de San Luis showed a better face and managed to compete more effectively. At times, the team from San Luis Potosí even managed to impose its playing conditions, which resulted in a penalty executed with great precision by Franck Boli, bringing the score closer to 2-1.
However, just when it seemed that San Luis had a chance to tie the game, a defensive error cost Montreal dearly. Sunusi Ibrahim, with an accurate header, took advantage of a bad clearance by goalkeeper Andrés Sánchez to make it 3-2 in favor of Montreal.
In the end, Jürgen Damm appeared for the Mexican team to score the 3-2 from a penalty. Seconds after the goal by the Potosi team, the referee ended the match and the scoreboard indicated defeat for Atlético de San Luis.
This defeat leaves Atlético de San Luis in a precarious situation ahead of their next match against Orlando City, which will be played next Sunday in Florida. The Mexican team is forced to win by more than three goals to qualify for the Round of 32 as one of the two best teams.
The task will not be easy for San Luis, but the team is confident in its ability to recover and hopes to spring a surprise in its next match to keep hope alive in the tournament.
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