This piece examines the most painful qualifying moments for Mexican clubs in Concacaf, highlighting how these clubs have often steered this competition with passion, skill, and pressure-filled drama.
Mexican teams have long stood at the center of the Concacaf Champions League story. They boast the best record in the tournament’s history, with the top five winners hailing from Mexico and a span where every MX league champion between 2006 and 2021 came from that country. Yet, amid the triumphs there have been stingy defeats and tough eliminations where Mexican sides struggled to overturn a deficit or clinch a final berth when it mattered most.
Looking at the 2023 edition, Atlas joins this list of clubs that have faced relief from comebacks and outright disappointments in crucial rounds. Here, GOAL presents a guided look at the most painful losses by Mexican teams in the Concachampions and how these moments shaped the narrative of the competition.
In this overview, the focus is on the hardest knockouts and the matches that tested the resilience and resolve of Mexican clubs, illustrating the fine line between triumph and heartbreak in a region rich with memorable clashes.
THE WORST EXCLUSIONS OF MEXICANS IN CONCACHAMPIONS
Credit: Getty
COUGARS VS SAPRISSA (2005)
- First leg: Saprissa 2-0 Pumas
- Return: Pumas 2-1 Saprissa
CHIVAS VS XELAJU (2012)
- first leg: Xelajú 1-0 Chivas
- Return: Chivas 2-1 Xelajú
*Xelajú advanced on away goal
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AMERICA VS ALAJUELENSE (2013)
- First leg: Alajuelense 1-0 America
- Return: America 0-1 Alajuelense
TIGERS VS TORONTO FC (2018)
- First leg: Toronto FC 2-1 Tigers
- Return leg: Tigers 3-2 Toronto FC
LEON VS LAFC (2020)
- First leg: Leon 2-0 LAFC
- Return: LAFC 3-0 Leon
SANTOS LAGUNA VERSUS MONTREAL IMPACT (2022)
- First Leg: Montreal Impact 0-1 Santos Laguna
- Return: Santos Laguna 0-3 Montreal Impact
COUGARS VS SEATTLE SOUNDERS (2022)
- First leg: Cougars 2-2 Seattle Sounders
- Return: Seattle Sounders 3-0 Cougars
Source: GOAL