Deportivo Toluca FC 2-1 New York City FC Leagues Cup 2025 - Phase One Match Two Date: Tuesday, August 5, 2025 | Kickoff: 7:40pm ET Location: Yankee Stadium | The Bronx, New York Attendance: 18,496
New York City FC suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat on Tuesday night against Deportivo Toluca. Alonso Martínez put New York City ahead early on before two goals in three minutes from Jesús Ángulo and Paulinho put Toluca ahead. Despite a spirited second half New York City couldn't find an equalizer and suffered a narrow defeat.
In the competition thus far, New York City FC’s record stands at 3-5-3 (W-L-D).
When the team is playing away in Leagues Cup, their record stands at 1-3-2 through six matches played on the road.
New York City has scored first on the road four times (v. FC Cincinnati, New England Revolution, Columbus Crew and Deportivo Toluca FC).
When that happens, the Club’s record is 0-2-2.
When the team concedes first away (v. New York Red Bulls and Tigres UANL), the Club’s record is 1-1-0.
The away match against Tigres UANL took place at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey. Similarly, the away match this evening against Deportivo Toluca FC took place at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York.
New York City FC has scored 14 goals in Leagues Cup play, while conceding 14 from opponents.
On the road, the team has scored seven goals and allowed 10.
Midfielder Maxi Moralez (1G) and Forwards Alonso Martínez (3G) and Agustín Ojeda (1G) are the only active roster New York City players to have scored goals in Leagues Cup.
In total, four other New York City FC players have scored goals in Leagues Cup play, including former Midfielder Santiago Rodríguez (5G), Defender Maxime Chanot (1G), Midfielder Andres Jasson (1G), and Forward Jovan Mijatović (1G).
Four current New York City FC players have recorded assists in the competition, including Moralez (2A), Martínez (2A), Midfielder Justin Haak (1A), and Ojeda (1A).
Three other players for the Club have recorded assists, including Rodríguez (1A), former Defender Braian Cufré (1A), and Forward Talles Magno (1A).
Goalkeepers Matt Freese and Luis Barraza have both played for the Club in Leagues Cup play.
Freese has recorded 24 saves, while Barraza recorded 13 in his time with the Club.
Freese has now recorded 20+ saves for the Club in Leagues Cup play (24), making him the first New York City FC goalkeeper to achieve this feat.
Against Liga MX teams in Leagues Cup play, the team’s record stands at 2-3-1.
The wins in regulation came against Tigres UANL and Club León.
The three losses came against Atlas FC, Club Puebla, and Deportivo Toluca FC
The draw occurred against Querétaro, and the Club won the shootout.
New York City FC has scored five goals and conceded seven against Liga MX teams in Leagues Cup.
Since the team’s inaugural season in 2015, New York City FC has played 209 away matches across all competitions.
Overall, they have a record of 58-95-56, totaling 254 goals, 321 goals conceded, and 227 assists recorded.
The total of 209 away matches encompasses MLS (including playoffs), Leagues Cup, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, CONCACAF Champions League, and the MLS is Back Tournament.
With his goal today, Alonso Martínez now is tied with former Defender Anton Tinnerholm for the eighth most goal contributions in Club history across all competitions. Martínez has 37 (32G, 5A), while Tinnerholm also recorded 37 (9G, 28A).
The players ahead of him in this statistic include Maxi Moralez with 133 goal contributions (39 goals, 94 assists), followed by former Forward David Villa with 106 (80 goals, 26 assists), Forward Valentín Castellanos with 83 (59 goals, 24 assists), Midfielder Santiago Rodríguez with 73 (34 goals, 39 assists), Midfielder Jesús Medina with 43 (26 goals, 17 assists), Forward Ismael Tajouri-Shradi with 39 (29 goals, 10 assists), and Forward Héber with 38 (30 goals, 8 assists).
Across all competitions, most recently including Major League Soccer and Leagues Cup play, Martínez has seven goal contributions (6G, 1A) in the most recent five matches where he started.
Martínez scored one goal against Orlando City SC and three goals against FC Dallas in MLS play.
Additionally, he scored one goal and assisted against Club León and scored one goal this evening against Toluca in Leagues Cup competition.
Forward Agustín Ojeda assisted Martínez’s opening goal, marking his second goal contribution in as many Leagues Cup matches (1G, 1A).
His goal was scored in the previous Leagues Cup match against León.
With today’s start, Maxi Moralez now has 250 appearances across all competitions for the Club.
NEW YORK CITY FC HEAD COACH PASCAL JANSEN
On the overall performance this evening... “What I saw was a very good start from our side when we scored the goal. We were good in balance with each other because there were two good teams on the pitch today, but we were slightly in favor at that moment. We controlled the game. Unfortunately, we had to make a sub in the first half with Tayvon Gray coming off, and then we had a moment of less control in that area, and we got punished for it immediately because the quality is there from the opponent, especially how the second goal came about. That can raise your eyebrows, at least. It happened and you always have to look at yourselves, and that’s what we do because we have no excuses. There was a moment there where we were not completely alert, and we got punished for it. In the second half, we showed a lot of courage going forward trying to make that second goal again and we got one or two big moments in order to do that, but unfortunately, we didn't score the goal.”
On the style of play and if this is how he wants the team to play for the rest of the MLS season... “That’s what I told my boys in the dressing room just now because we have to look at the positives. We played a very good opponent today, and we showed a good level on both sides. Maxi [Moralez] is a player who's really important for us, with a very creative brain and who is very experienced. We were able to get 60 minutes of Nico Fernandez Mercau as well because he is one of our key players also. We have to get him ready in order to perform at his best in the MLS. These games really help because playing against a very strong side like Toluca [Deportivo Toluca FC], helps us raise our own level. This is for sure a step forward in performing even better in the MLS.”
NEW YORK CITY FC DEFENDER KEVIN O'TOOLE
On the team overcoming obstacles... “Obviously it's tough right now because we put a lot of energy and fight into the game and I think we, for large portions of the game, we were the better team. There's a five-minute period where the goals were conceded, where you know, it's disappointing.... But now the focus turns to MLS games, and we'll see about the Columbus [Crew] game this weekend. That's where our focus is now because we got some work to do to stay above the playoff line.”
NEW YORK CITY FC MIDFIELDER ANDRÉS PEREA
On being focused and on winning every game this season... “Now we have 10 games left until the end of the league. We need to stay focused because we have one game less, and we need to secure a spot in the playoffs... I think now it’s about turning the page, staying focused like you said, and going after results in the league.”
En estar enfocados y en ganar cada partido esta temporada... “Ahora nos quedan 10 partidos hasta el final de la liga. Tenemos que mantenernos enfocados porque tenemos un partido menos y necesitamos asegurar un puesto en los playoffs... Creo que ahora se trata de pasar la página, mantener el enfoque como dijiste, y buscar los resultados en la liga.”
Full Match Highlights -
GOAL - NYC - 10' - Alonso Martínez [16] -
10’ - NYC - Alonso Martínez [16]
Scored with right footed shot from the central position outside the box with an xG of 9% to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Agustín Ojeda [26].
37’ - TOL - Jesús Ricardo Ángulo [10]
Scored with header with an xG of 79%.
39’ - TOL - Paulinho [26]
Paulinho scored with right footed shot from the centre of the box to the lower-left zone. Assisted by Jesús Ricardo Ángulo [10].
New York City FC entered their final Leagues Cup Phase One fixture against Deportivo Toluca needing a decisive win and favorable results elsewhere to keep their tournament hopes alive.
A commanding victory over Club León in their previous outing had reignited belief, and Head Coach Pascal Jansen stuck with the same starting XI in hopes of maintaining momentum. That decision paid off early, as New York City FC struck first in the 10th minute. Alonso Martínez opened the scoring with a superb long-range effort to give his side an ideal start.
Toluca quickly looked to respond through Alexis Vega, but his effort was comfortably dealt with by Matt Freese. Shortly after the half-hour mark, New York City FC were forced into a substitution, with Tayvon Gray replaced by Mitja Ilenič due to injury.
The match took a dramatic turn just six minutes later. A powerful header from Joao Fernandes rattled the crossbar and fell kindly for Jesús Ángulo, who tucked away the rebound to level the score.
Toluca then grabbed the lead in the 39th minute through Paulinho. Though the goal was initially ruled offside, VAR intervened to overturn the call and award the hosts a 2-1 advantage.
As halftime approached, tensions escalated, culminating in a heated confrontation between the two teams and several yellow cards issued on both sides. Freese was called upon again in stoppage time, producing a critical save to deny Ángulo and keep the deficit at one.
The second half picked up where the first left off—fast-paced and fiercely contested. Maxi Ojeda recorded New York City FC’s first effort of the half, but his close-range attempt was blocked. Toluca answered with a chance of their own through Helinho, whose sharp footwork led to a low strike that Freese gathered.
Just before the hour mark, Jansen introduced Julián Fernández, Hannes Wolf, and Jonny Shore in a triple change, replacing Ojeda, Nicolás Fernández Mercau, and Strahinja Tanasijević. The impact was nearly immediate. Helinho clipped the base of the post with a curling effort, and moments later, Fernández came agonizingly close to an equalizer, hammering a shot off the crossbar.
Andrés Perea tested the Toluca goalkeeper with a shot on target, but again found no reward. Jansen made his final substitution in the 83rd minute, bringing on Seymour Reid for Justin Haak.
Despite their best efforts and an energetic push in the closing stages, New York City FC were unable to find a breakthrough. A disciplined and resilient Toluca defense held firm, handing New York City FC a narrow but decisive 2-1 defeat—and bringing their Leagues Cup campaign to a disappointing close.
