New York City FC is out of the Leagues Cup.
They lost 2-1 to Deportivo Toluca FC at Yankee Stadium.
Alonso Martínez scored early for NYCFC, but it wasn’t enough.
Cup; They lost 2-1 to Deportivo Toluca FC at Yankee Stadium.
Alonso Martínez scored early to give NYCFC the lead.
But Toluca came back strong and scored twice.
NYCFC couldn’t catch up after that.
Coach Pascal Jansen’s team needed a win and help from other results to stay in the tournament.
But things didn’t go their way.
After playing all three group games, their Leagues Cup run is over.
It was an exciting night in the Bronx as NYCFC faced Toluca in red.
Here are 4 quick thoughts after the final whistle, as NYCFC’s Leagues Cup run comes to an end.
1. A strong start from Alonso Martínez
NYCFC needed a big win to keep their hopes alive in the Leagues Cup.
They got a good start when Alonso Martínez scored in the 10th minute.
His early goal gave the team energy and a little hope that something special could happen at Yankee Stadium.
The game didn’t go the way NYCFC had hoped, but Martínez did his part by giving the team a quick lead.
He now has six goals in his last six games in both MLS and the Leagues Cup.
Even with the arrival of new star Nico Fernández, who had a quiet game against Toluca, Martínez is still the key player in NYCFC’s attack.
Now that Leagues Cup is over for NYCFC, some fans may wonder:
What if Martínez had played in the first game against Puebla?
He was in great form at the time and could’ve made a difference.
Of course, he can’t play every game, especially with so many matches this summer.
And the loss to Puebla was more about defensive struggles than anything else.
Still, it’s clear that NYCFC looks like a different team when Alonso Martínez is on the field.
2. Toluca Takes Control After Early Goal
Toluca is one of the best teams in Mexico.
They recently won the 2025 Clausura title and came into this match as the strongest of the three Mexican teams NYCFC faced in the group.
When Alonso Martínez scored early, it seemed to wake Toluca up.
From that point on, they took over the game and controlled most of the first half.
They had 55% of the ball and tested NYCFC’s goalkeeper Matt Freese with five shots on target.
By the 40th minute, Toluca scored two quick goals and flipped the match completely.
The game’s pace and momentum were now fully in their hands.
Yankee Stadium also had a big crowd of Toluca fans—lots of red jerseys in the stands.
On the field, the difference between the two teams became clear.
NYCFC’s defenders had a hard time stopping Toluca’s main attacking players.
Striker Paulinho and playmaker Jesús Angulo caused major problems and helped set up both goals.
Out wide, Helinho and Alexis Vega added more pressure.
To make things worse, Tayvon Gray had to leave the match early with an injury, which didn’t help NYCFC’s defense.
This game mattered a lot for Toluca, too.
They needed a win to improve their spot in the tournament and move closer to the Quarterfinals.
Even after falling behind, they stayed calm, used their experience, and took full control—something NYCFC couldn’t take back.
3. Officiating Problems
The first half had some drama with the referees.
The biggest moment came when VAR gave Toluca their second goal.
At first, the flag went up for offside on Paulinho’s goal in the 39th minute.
But after a long video review, the goal was allowed.
The replays shown on TV didn’t clearly prove it was onside.
It was hard to tell, especially on Yankee Stadium’s tricky soccer lines.
Right before halftime, things got even more heated.
A foul on Maxi Moralez started a big fight between players from both teams.
There was a lot of pushing and shouting.
Four players—two from each team—got yellow cards.
The referee, Pierre-Luc Lauziere, seemed to lose control of the game at that point.
NYCFC fans were frustrated.
Paulinho’s goal may have been offside, and no one from Toluca got a red card even after some rough tackles.
This season hasn’t had many ref issues for NYCFC, but this game definitely raised some eyebrows
4. Lessons from Leagues Cup for NYCFC
NYCFC wasn’t really set up to make a deep run in the Leagues Cup.
In their first game against Club Puebla, they rested key players.
That led to a tough 3-0 loss—one they never recovered from.
Even though they beat León 2-0 in the second game, it wasn’t enough.
Their final group match against Toluca, the strongest team they faced, was always going to be the biggest challenge.
The loss to Toluca showed something clear:
This NYCFC squad doesn’t have the depth to compete with top Liga MX teams.
They also haven’t been consistent enough to survive a tournament like this.
The pattern continues—after every win, the team struggles.
They haven’t won back-to-back games in their last six tries (0 wins, 1 draw, 5 losses).
This season, they’ve only won 3 times after a previous win, with 2 draws and 7 losses.
Their goal difference in those follow-up matches is -9.
That’s a worrying sign, especially with just 10 MLS games left.
NYCFC is still fighting to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs.
But if they want to make a real run, they need to find consistency fast.
The Leagues Cup didn’t bring silverware, but it did bring some important lessons.
This team has potential, but they’re not ready yet to beat the big teams—or go far in knockout tournaments.