New York City FC 0-3 Club Puebla Leagues Cup 2025 - Phase One Match One Date: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 | Kickoff: 8:10pm ET Location: Sports Illustrated Stadium | Harrison, New Jersey Attendance: 9,384
New York City FC battled hard but fell 3-0 to Club Puebla in Leagues Cup action. Pascal Jansen's side created a number of good chances, but could not find a way through on the night. Goals from Juan Manuel Fedorco, Emiliano Gómez, and Owen Gonzalez secured victory for the visitors.
UP NEXT: The ‘Boys in Blue’ continue its Leagues Cup journey at Sports Illustrated Stadium, taking on Club León on Friday, August 1, at 6pm ET. | Apple TV+ & MLS Season Pass | Radio (English/Spanish) newyorkcityfc.com/radio
Since the expansion of the Leagues Cup competition in 2023, New York City FC has taken part in each edition since. This year is New York City’s third entry.
In the competition thus far, New York City FC’s record stands at 2-4-3 (W-L-D).
New York City won the shootout and advanced forward in two out of three matches that ended in draws.
New York City’s best finish thus far in Leagues Cup was in the Quarterfinals in 2024.
The only other year the team competed was in 2023, when the team faced Atlas and Toronto in the group stage, but then got knocked out by the New York Red Bulls on the road in the Round of 32.
When playing at home in Leagues Cup, the team’s record is 1-2-1.
The team only scored first in one of the four home matches (v. Toronto), and it was a win for the Club.
In the other matches at home (v. Atlas, Querétaro, and Puebla), the team was held scoreless.
The team has hosted home matches at Citi Field (v. Atlas), Sports Illustrated Stadium (v. Toronto and Puebla), and Yankee Stadium (v. Querétaro).
New York City has been held scoreless on four out of nine total matches played in Leagues Cup (v. Atlas, New York Red Bulls, Querétaro, and Puebla).
New York City FC has scored 11 goals in Leagues Cup play, while conceding 12 from opponents.
At home, the team has five goals scored with four conceded.
On the road, the team has scored six goals and allowed eight.
Midfielder Maxi Moralez (1G, 2A) and Forward Alonso Martínez (1G, 1A) are the only active roster New York City players to have scored goal contributions in Leagues Cup.
Several players made their Leagues Cup debuts: Midfielder Aiden O’Neill, Forward Seymour Reid, Defender Nico Cavallo, and Midfielders Jonathan Shore, Máximo Carrizo, and Andrés Perea.
Forward Seymour Reid made his first start with the First Team tonight.
NEW YORK CITY FC HEAD COACH PASCAL JANSEN
On what he has observed defensively in Thiago Martins' absence...
“I addressed it just now when we finished up in the dressing room. It can never be about one player. However, Thiago [Martins] is a good player and a big personality. He takes care of the defense, makes other players feel comfortable, and that comfort is not there at the moment. I just mentioned to my guys also, conceding 10 goals in the last five games is not us. We've been very consistent in several areas, and one of those areas is also the part without the ball. Today is not specifically about Thiago [Martins]. Nico Cavallo was struggling in the first half, the player he had against him was better than he was, and he tried his best. They punished us for two moments in the first half. We were very competitive in the second half, but it wasn't good enough.”
On the key takeaways from tonight's match... “The takeaways from this game are quite obvious. How we started today’s game didn’t help. You're chasing the game from the start. They punished us for two defensive errors, and we kept on chasing the game. The second half was more competitive. That is something we have to take with us going into game number two, making sure that we stay competitive throughout the game and don’t start games like we did today.”
NEW YORK CITY FC MIDFIELDER JUSTIN HAAK
On what the team needs to improve on for its next match... “The way we started off the game always made it hard for us, conceding in the first few minutes. We just need to focus on dealing with the intensity of the game. We know how these teams are going to come out and play and we can't be starting games the way we did.”
NEW YORK CITY FC FORWARD JULIÁN FERNANDEZ
On the team's approach for the upcoming match against Club León...
“Just knowing that these are three matches, two remain, so we have to try to take the positive out of it and try to keep our heads up and remember that we are a strong team.”
Sobre el enfoque del equipo para el próximo partido contra el Club León...
“Simplemente saber que son tres partidos, que quedan dos, así que tenemos que tratar de sacar lo positivo y mantener la cabeza en alto, recordando que somos un equipo fuerte.”
2' - PUE - Juan Fedorco [2]
Scored with a right footed shot from the center of the box with an xG of 61% to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ricardo Marín [19].
38’ - PUE - Emiliano Gómez [11]
Scored with a right footed shot from the center of the box with an xG of 40% to the middle-left zone. Assisted by Alejandro Organista [24].
88’ - PUE - Owen González [21]
Scored with left footed shot from the center of the box with an xG of 20% to the central bottom zone. Assisted by Emiliano Gómez [11].
New York City FC were back in action Tuesday night for Phase One of the Leagues Cup as they took on Mexican side Club Puebla.
Pascal Jansen’s men entered the contest riding the momentum of a dramatic win over FC Dallas on Friday night in Texas. For this clash, Jansen made several changes to the lineup, handing a first start of the season to both Seymour Reid and Nicolás Fernández Mercau.
Unfortunately, it was a tough start for NYCFC, who fell behind early. A Puebla corner was headed into the six-yard box and turned home by Juan Manuel Fedorco.
The visitors continued to apply pressure and carved out several chances within the opening fifteen minutes, but were denied by a strong performance from Matt Freese. At the other end, Nicolás Díaz was presented with a golden opportunity but saw his attempt blocked by Johnny Shore.
With temperatures soaring, a first-half cooling break offered both teams a moment to regroup. However, Puebla would soon double their advantage in the 38th minute through Emiliano Gómez.
New York City appeared to have crafted the perfect response just minutes later when Fernández Mercau won a penalty—only for the decision to be overturned following a VAR review.
In stoppage time, the hosts came agonizingly close to pulling one back. A well-worked set-piece saw Justin Haak crash a volley off the crossbar after Reid flicked the ball into his path.
At the break, Jansen introduced Andrés Perea and Kevin O’Toole for Nico Cavallo and Fernández Mercau. Julián Fernández looked to make an immediate impact just minutes into the second half, but his effort was again denied by Fedorco.
On the hour mark, further changes saw Tayvon Gray and Máximo Carrizo replace Mitja Ilenič and Shore. Puebla nearly added a third shortly after when Ricardo Marín broke through on goal, but O’Toole made a brilliant recovery challenge to snuff out the chance.
The fifth and final change came in the 66th minute, with Reid making way for Alonso Martínez. The Costa Rican was lively off the bench and nearly found the net with a sharp strike that deflected wide. Moments later, he set up Shore with a clever layoff, whose effort forced another fine save from Jesús Rodríguez.
Rodríguez was called upon again during a late wave of NYCFC pressure, denying a powerful strike from Martínez before watching a corner-kick effort from the forward clip the crossbar.
Despite a late surge from New York City, Puebla added a third goal in the 88th minute, with Owen González applying the finishing touch to a well-worked team move.
Julián Fernández continued to press for a response, forcing another sharp save from Jesús Rodríguez with a fierce strike. In stoppage time, Alonso Martínez came close after a surging run down the left by Máximo Carrizo, who cut the ball back into the box. Unfortunately, Martínez’s effort sailed over the bar.
That confirmed a disappointing 3-0 defeat for New York City on the night.
