A fiery Leagues Cup fixture versus LIGA MX side PUMAS saw the Black & Gold run away as 3-2 penalty shootout victors after being held to a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes. The result earns the Crew two points, one for the draw and one for the shootout win, and brings the team to eight points total across three matches in the tournament. The top four teams in the MLS and LIGA MX tournament tables secure a place in the quarterfinal stage.

Midfielder Tarun Karumanchi opened his and the Crew’s scoring account in the ninth minute of play. Attacker Brais Méndez curled an in-swinging corner kick from the right with his left foot, meeting Karumanchi at the edge of the six-yard box. The MLS rookie rose to beat his defenders and drive a header into the top left corner. The moment marks Karumanchi’s first goal for the Black & Gold, after making his first team debut on July 22 against New York City FC, and Méndez’s fourth goal contribution in his first four Crew appearances.

Despite the Black & Gold maintaining a majority of possession after the go-ahead goal, the visitors found an equalizer in injury time of the first half. Álvaro Angelo struck a right-footed volley first-time from a Uriel Antuna cross into the penalty area to undermine the Crew’s efforts and even the score going into the break.

Tensions peaked in the 72nd minute as second-half substitute Luciano Herrera received a straight red card for an off-the-ball foul. He and center back Sean Zawadzki were watching play unfold at the right flank from the edge of the 18-yard box when Herrera appeared to jab his elbow into Zawadzki’s head, falling over in the same motion as if covering for his misdoing. The referee witnessed the act and was quick to dismiss the player from the match, despite a lengthy plea from Herrera that saw him strangely remain on the field for several minutes as play was stopped.

With both sides still at a stalemate, penalties would decide who received an additional point.

Veteran goalkeeper Keylor Navas shot first for PUMAS, tucking the ball precisely into the bottom left corner past Nicholas Hagen. 18-year-old Chase Adams stepped up to the plate next, confidently emulating Navas’ shot and converting to equalize.

The second round saw both sides miss their penalties, as Guillermo Martínez’s shot sailed over the crossbar, and Taha Habroune’s strike was saved by Navas.

Both sides converted in the third round: Pedro Vito executed a slow run-up before slotting the ball into the bottom right corner, while new Crew addition Lautaro Giaconne’s bottom left corner strike kept things level.

In the fourth round, Hagen came up big to save Rodrigo López’s shot, while Rudy Camacho fired home.

With everything on the line, Nathan Silva sent the visitors’ final spot kick over the bar to secure the shootout win for the Black & Gold.