Homophobic chants interrupt Mexico’s nightmare night as Cruz Azul and Club América crash out

Mexican soccer endured one of its worst nights in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, as Cruz Azul and Club América were eliminated from the competition that offers a pathway to the FIFA Club World Cup. LAFC and Nashville SC pulled off the upsets, knocking out the Liga MX giants in matches played on Mexican soil.

Cruz Azul falls short after steep deficit

First up was Cruz Azul. The team, led by Nicolás Larcamón, already faced a near-impossible task after losing the first leg 3-0 against LAFC.

They managed only one goal in the return match, scored by Gabriel Fernández from the penalty spot, but LAFC struck back to level the game 1-1. That goal effectively ended Cruz Azul’s hopes, sealing a disappointing exit for “La Máquina.”

América stunned in open tie

Next came Club América, who entered their matchup with Nashville SC level at 0-0 on aggregate. Everything was still to play for.

But a decisive goal from Nashville in Estadio Ciudad de México shattered América’s hopes of advancing further. The defeat adds to the ongoing frustration for coach André Jardine, who continues to chase a CONCACAF Champions Cup title with the club.

Homophobic chant interrupts matches

Unfortunately, fan behavior once again became a major issue.

At Estadio Cuauhtémoc, supporters repeatedly used the prohibited homophobic chant whenever Hugo Lloris took goal kicks. The referee was forced to pause the match for five minutes as part of the official protocol. After the stoppage, crowd behavior temporarily improved.

A similar situation unfolded at Estadio Ciudad de México, where the same chant was heard multiple times. Stadium screens displayed official warnings in an attempt to stop the behavior, but the chant returned in the second half, forcing another match interruption.

Cruz Azul’s repeated setback vs LAFC

For Cruz Azul, the elimination carried added pain. This marks the second time LAFC has knocked them out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The first came in 2020, during the pandemic-altered format when knockout rounds were played as single matches.

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