Pachuca Hosts Philadelphia Union in Concacaf Champions Cup Decider

The stage is set for a tantalizing Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 decider as Liga MX side Pachuca hosts MLS outfit Philadelphia Union in the second leg at Estadio Hidalgo on Tuesday night. The two sides played out a cagey 0-0 draw in the first leg in Philadelphia last week, leaving everything to play for in the return fixture in Mexico.

For Pachuca, advancing to the quarter-finals would keep alive their dreams of regional glory and a coveted spot in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The Tuzos are the Mexican league’s top scorers this Clausura season with 25 goals, but they surprisingly failed to find the back of the net against the Union despite creating numerous chances.

Guillermo Almada’s men will need to be more clinical in front of goal this time around, though their defensive frailties are a concern, having already conceded 20 goals in the league campaign. A 2-1 home loss to Queretaro at the weekend marked Pachuca’s first defeat at Estadio Hidalgo since November.

On the other hand, the visitors Philadelphia Union will fancy their chances of an upset on Mexican soil. Jim Curtin’s side kept a clean sheet in the first leg thanks to another commanding performance from three-time MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Andre Blake, who was returning from injury.

The Union also benefited from a few extra days of rest and preparation after their scheduled MLS match against Seattle Sounders at the weekend was postponed due to weather delays. With no margin for error, Philadelphia know they must score in Pachuca to stand any chance of progressing to the last eight.

Should the Union defy the odds and advance, they would face the winner of the other Round of 16 tie between Costa Rican side Herediano and Jamaican club Robinhood. The stakes are high, with the eventual Concacaf Champions Cup winners earning a berth at the 2025 Club World Cup and 2024 Intercontinental Cup, not to mention regional bragging rights and a healthy prize purse.

It promises to be a heated affair under the Mexican lights, as two ambitious clubs from either side of the border battle for supremacy and a place in the quarter-finals. Neutrals will be licking their lips at the prospect of an open, attack-minded encounter as both Pachuca and Philadelphia Union go in search of that all-important first goal on the night.