Only 32 clubs remain. The Timbers and C.F. Monterrey meet in the Leagues Cup Round of 32 on Friday, with the winner advancing to the Round of 16. Details on Friday's knockout matchup.
The journey to the 2023 Leagues Cup final is on. The Portland Timbers welcome C.F. Monterrey from LIGA MX to Providence Park for a Round of 32 elimination match-up. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. (Pacific) on Friday.
The Timbers face another club from Monterrey, Nuevo León. Having faced Tigres UANL in the group stage, Portland now takes on their cross-town rivals – Rayados or "The Striped Ones".
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Monterrey, who finished group play as the winner of West 2, will play in Soccer City USA for the very first time. The five-time LIGA MX champions dominated West 2 with victories over Real Salt Lake and Seattle Sounders FC. Portland finished in second place in West 1, and now faces back-to-back regiomontano clubs (more info below), having played Tigres in group play last week.
Beginning with the Round of 32, the number to keep in mind is five. Emerging victor five-times in the knock-out stage will deliver the 2023 Leagues Cup trophy.
Here are some facts to know about the Knockout Round and our opponent in the Round of 32:
32
In total, 32 matches will be played during the Leagues Cup knockout stage. The single-game elimination style rounds begin with the Round of 32 (16 matches) and followed by Round of 16 (eight matches). The eight advancing teams will compete in the Quarterfinals (four matches), and the top four will then meet in Semifinal matches (two matches). It all culminates with the Leagues Cup third-place game and final which will be played on Saturday, Aug. 19.
5x5
Monterrey will be new to Soccer City, but not to Concacaf. In fact, Rayados are the most successful club in modern Concacaf Champions League history, lifting the title five times in five attempts. Domestically, they have been just as victorious, winning LIGA MX five times, most recently in December of 2019. As noted on their crest, their five league stars and five Concacaf stars place Monterrey amongst the most successful clubs in North America in recent history.
7.8
Timbers supporters know just how heated derby matches with Cascadia rivals Seattle get, even if roughly 175 miles separates both cities. Monterrey have a derby just as rabid – the Clásico Regiomontano, with cross-town rivals and recent Timbers opponent Tigres UANL. Their matchups, defined by their geographical region, could be the equivalent of Cascadia Derbies in LIGA MX, especially when there is only 7.8 miles between the two clubs' stadiums. Providence Park now has the distinction of hosting both clubs and their ardent supporters.
6-1-3
Friday night will be Portland's first competitive elimination match since the 2021 MLS Cup. In their last 10 competitive single-elimination contests, Portland carries an impressive record of six wins, one loss, and three ties (based upon final score at end of regulation and/or added extra time), only being eliminated three times, two of them in PK shootouts.
