Monterrey and Cruz Azul advance to the round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions Cup

(AFP) Monterrey and Cruz Azul advanced to the round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions Cup 2025 after beating Canada's Forge and Haiti's Real Hope in the second leg of their first-round playoffs.

At BBVA Stadium, with Sergio Ramos from Spain in the stands, the “Rayados” from Monterrey beat Canada's Forge 3-0.

Monterrey, which took Mexico by storm by incorporating the former Real Madrid captain days earlier, won with two goals from Argentine Germán Berterame (19th and 58th minutes) and a goal by Jordi Cortizo (48th) to seal the tie with a 5-0 aggregate score.

Berterame made it 1-0 with a header from a long free kick taken by Spain's Sergio Canales.

At the start of the second half, the “Rayados“ executed a play that led to a 2-0 lead, with Cortizo scoring a left-footed shot in the area. The third goal came from a pass by Spanish midfielder Oliver Torres to Berterame, who finished with a cross-shot past goalkeeper Jassem Koleilat.

Later, at the Olímpico Universitario stadium in Mexico City, Cruz Azul defeated Real Hope 5-0.

In the 21st minute, Ángel Sepúlveda gave the Celeste team a 1-0 lead, heading the ball in as goalkeeper Golly Elien came out to challenge a high clearance. Three minutes later, in the 24th minute, Sepúlveda doubled the lead with a close-range shot, making it 2-0.

Uruguayan Gabriel Fernández made it 3-0 with a mid-range shot and Andrés Montaño made it 4-0 with a long-range shot that hit the left post in the 60th minute. Fernández made it 5-0 after entering the box and dodging the goalkeeper.

Cruz Azul won the tie with an aggregate score of 7-0.

The second leg matches will continue on Wednesday in Mexico. Guadalajara will host the Dominican Republic at Akron stadium with the score tied 1-1.

At the Universitario stadium, the Tigres of Mexico will try to recover from the 1-0 loss to Nicaragua’s Real Esteli.