Revenge is on Pumas’ mind after the 2022 CCL final, which ended with a 3-0 defeat at Seattle two-plus years ago.
Los Auriazules have since undergone wholesale changes, with manager Gustavo Lema now in charge of a revamped squad led by rising Mexican international César Huerta. The 23-year-old winger, a standout for the LIGA MX All-Stars in last month’s MLS All-Star Game presented by Target, opened the scoring in Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the Round of 16.
However, Pumas struggled to get out of their group. After falling 3-2 at Austin FC in their Leagues Cup opener, they needed a late goal from Rogelio Funes Mori to force an eventual penalty kick shootout win over CF Monterrey that booked their spot in the knockout stages.