CF Monterrey reaches Leagues Cup semifinals after defeating Chicago Fire

CF Monterrey advanced to the Leagues Cup 2026 semifinals after defeating Chicago Fire 2-1 in the quarterfinals at SeatGeek Stadium. Víctor Guzmán opened the scoring for Monterrey with a header in stoppage time of the first half. Although Philip Zinckernagel equalized for Chicago in the 59th minute, Orbelín Pineda secured the victory for the Mexican side with a spectacular volley in the 83rd minute.

The match was notable for the elimination of Chicago Fire and their star striker Robert Lewandowski, who played the full match but did not record a shot on goal. Monterrey's victory follows a series of successful performances by Liga MX teams in the tournament, including León, who defeated Real Salt Lake 3-0 to also secure a semifinal berth.

Monterrey's manager, Matías Almeyda, praised the team's resilience, noting they overcame significant travel delays caused by aircraft issues. The team now awaits the winner of the match between América and Columbus Crew in the semifinals.