Toluca became CONCACAF champions after defeating Tigres in a penalty kicks shootout after tying 1-1 in the match. History repeated itself as once again Toluca defeated Tigres at home in a final with a Penalty kick shootout. Tigres was the better side but a great performance from Toluca’s goalkeeper and some bad finishing allowed the home side to get the match to a PK shootout where once again they prevailed. Toluca became continental winners for the first time since 2003.
The 1st half started as the
Apertura 2026 Final was being played again, now in CONCACAF Champions Cup. After a bad pass from Tigres’ goalkeeper, Nahuel Guzman, to Helinho, the Toluca attacker would try to lob a shot into the net but Guzman got back just in time. A cross into the area was headed by Nicolas Castro and it would go just wide. The match was extremely even as neither team had chances or allowed the opposition any space. From outside the area, Diego Lainez got off a left footed shot that went well wide. After Tigres won the ball and started a counter, the ball would reach Cesar Araujo but his right footed shot was deflected by Toluca’s defense. The play continued until Jesus Garza got off a right footed shot that forced a save from Toluca’s goalkeeper, Luis Garcia. Another right footed shot from Garza forced Garcia to make a save but while he left the rebound there, Angel Correa would make a terrible header that would be cleared by Toluca’s defense. The halftime whistle blew and not surprisingly, it was tied at 0.
The 2nd half started with neither team making a substitution during the break. Ozziel Herrera got off a great right footed shot from outside the area that forced another save from Garcia. Toluca subbed out Marcel Ruiz for Fernando Arce Jr. A mistake by Toluca gave the ball to Correa, who got into the area and got off a right footed shot past Garcia but it went wide. A right footed shot from Herrera looked to have deflected wide but a corner kick wasn’t given. A pass into the area found Paulinho but his left footed shot went wide. Tigres subbed out Ozziel Herrera for Marcelo Flores. Castro would get off a right footed shot from outside the area that went just wide. Rodrigo Aguirre got off a left footed shot that went wide. Tigres subbed out Vladimir Loroña and Rodrigo Aguirre for Marco Farfan and Juan Brunetta. Toluca subbed out Jesus Ricardo Angulo for Pavel Perez. After getting into area, Flores looked to have injured himself which could possible cost him the World Cup in a tragic play. Andre Pierre Gignac came into the game for him. Tigres also subbed out Cesar Araujo for Diego Sanchez. Off a corner kick, a wide open Romulo Zwairg got off a close range header that was brilliantly saved by Garcia. The rebound would get to Gignac, who from close range got off a shot but Garcia came out with a better save. A cross from Sanchez almost got deflected into an own goal but Garcia came up with another save and it still just barely went wide. Toluca subbed out Helinho and Nicolas Castro for Jorge Diaz Price and Diego Barbosa. A cross into the area was deflected wide before Gignac could get a close range chance. The whistle blew and the final was headed to extra time.
The first extra time started with both teams looking exhausted. After getting the ball in the area, Correa got off a right footed shot that forced Garcia to make a wonderful save. Toluca subbed out Paulinho for Sebastian Cordova. Cordova would get the ball in the area and get off a right footed shot that was saved with some trouble by Guzman. After getting the ball in the area, Jorge Diaz Price got off a great low right footed shot past Guzman to score and give Toluca the 1-0 lead. While Tigres had been the clear better team, Toluca had struck at the right time and surprised them. The whistle blew and Toluca was now 15 minutes away from the continental title.
The 2nd extra time started as Tigres needed to get the goal that kept alive their title chances. A cross from Lainez was just out of reach of two Tigres attackers. Off a free kick, the cross into the area was headed from close range by Joaquim from close range and it went past Garcia to score and tie the match at 1-1. Five minutes from time, the looked headed to Penalty Kicks. A cross into the area was volleyed by Correa in the area but once again Garcia came up with a great save. The whistle blew and just like last December, the Toluca vs Tigres final was going to be decided on Penalties.
The Penalty shootout started (after a long distraction by Guzman) with Toluca taking the first PK. Pavel Perez would get off a well placed right footed shot past Guzman to give Toluca the 1-0 lead. Andre Pierre Gignac went next and got off a great right footed shot that went past Garcia and tied things at 1-1. Santiago Simon got off a right footed shot that Guzman got to it but it went past his hands and into the net to score and give Toluca the 2-1 lead. Juan Brunetta would step up and place his shot past Garcia and tie things at 2-2. Federico Pereira got off a low shot that went thru Guzman’s legs (who should have done better) and the home side had the 3-2 lead. Fernando Gorriaran would get off a low shot but Garcia would save it, unlike Guzman. Jorge Diaz Price would easily placed it past Guzman to give Toluca the 4-2 lead. Angel Correa would slip as he took his PK but it would still go in to placed the score at 4-3. Franco Romero looked to settle things but his right footed shot was stopped by Guzman. Diego Lainez would step up and get off a great left footed shot past Garcia to tie the series at 4-4. Sebastian Cordova would get up to get off a great left footed shot that Guzman couldn’t stop and Toluca had the 5-4 lead and was a PK miss from getting the title. Romulo Zwairg would step and place his right footed shot in the net to tie things at 5-5. Fernando Arce Jr would come up and get off a right footed shot just out of reach of Guzman to increased the lead to 6-5. Jose Sanchez Purata would come up next but his right footed shot was blocked by Garcia and Toluca had won the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Toluca got their first CONCACAF title in 23 years after once again defeating Tigres in a PK shootout. Like in the Apertura 2026, Toluca conquered the title in a PK shootout at home over Tigres. Unlike that time, this time Tigres was the better side and deserved a better result. If not for a fantastic performance from their goalkeeper Luis Garcia, Toluca would have lost in regular time. Toluca’s best players also felt short with Marcel Ruiz, Paulinho and Helinho failed to shine on Saturday while they also were missing Jesus Gallardo and Alexis Vega to the Mexican National team. On the other hand, Tigres had no players with the National team and thus had a better squad available but they missed a lot of chances. To make matters worse they had the tragedy of losing Marcelo Flores, who will miss the World Cup after being called for Canada with his injury. Tigres might question if Guido Pizarro’s job might be in danger although beside the reaction from fans, he has taken the team to two finals (the Liga MX 2026 Apertura and now CONCACAF ). On the other hand, Coach Antonio Mohammed writes his name among the best ever for Toluca with 1 continental title as well as two back to back Liga MX titles prior to this. Toluca will be playing in the Clasico de las Americas and might be the challenger cup should they win the CONCACAF vs CONMEBOL match. It’s definitely one of the best times in Toluca’s club history at the moment.
