Toluca wins its first Campeones Cup with a 3-2 victory over LA Galaxy
The Mexican team prevailed after coming from behind in a tense match and highlighted by the number of cards shown by the referee.
Toluca FC, champions of the Campeones Cup 2025
(AFP) Toluca pulled off a thrilling 3-2 comeback win over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday in the 2025 Campeones Cup, the annual matchup between the Mexican league and MLS champions.
Toluca coach Antonio Mohamed of Argentina and his son and assistant, Shayr Mohamed, were ejected from the tense match, which put Mexican soccer ahead of MLS in the honors of this unofficial competition.
The Galaxy, playing at home, twice took the lead on the scoreboard with a penalty goal by Uruguayan Diego Fagundez in the 36th minute and another by Brazilian Gabriel Pec in the 83rd.
But Toluca, which had opened with a goal by Argentine Nicolás Castro in the 53rd minute, turned the game around in the final minutes.
Argentine Franco Romero tied the match in the 88th minute, and Uruguay’s Federico Pereira netted the winner in the 90+4 with a close-range strike that beat the home defenders.
The Diablos Rojos fans, who made up the majority of the crowd at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson (California), celebrated the win in style after a bruising match that saw eight yellow cards and ejections from Toluca’s bench.
Antonio Mohamed followed the second half from the stands after being sent off for angrily protesting in the middle of the field at the end of the first half. Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton then showed another red card in the second half to Shayr Mohamed.
With Toluca's win, the Mexican league has four Campeones Cup trophies to MLS' three.
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