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History was made on Thursday in the Concacaf Champions Cup as Cavalry FC stunned Liga MX giants Pumas 2-1 in a first leg upset. No team from the Canadian Premier League (CPL) had ever defeated a Mexican club before.
In fact, no CPL club had ever won a Concacaf Champions Cup game prior to Thursday night.
Cavalry secured the victory 450 miles away from their usual home ground as the temperatures in Calgary were too cold to host the game. Instead the game was played in Langford, British Columbia.
Cavalry vs Pumas highlights
At first it seemed like the game was going to be the same old story for underdogs in the tournament as Pumas took a 1-0 lead on the stroke of halftime. Despite an evenly matched first half, the Liga MX side opened the scoring with a crucial goal.
With away goals still used in the Concacaf Champions Cup it looked like Cavalry were in big trouble.
¡Santiago López la manda al fondo de la red! #ChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/C4tgxgJmLO
— Concacaf Champions Cup (@TheChampions) February 7, 2025
In last year’s Concacaf Champions Cup, Cavalry lost the home leg 3-0 to Major League Soccer’s Orlando City. The story wouldn’t be repeated in 2025 as a renewed Cavalry side clawed their way back in the second half.
Just 12 minutes into the half the Canadian underdogs equalized off a corner kick and a clinical volley from 32-year-old midfielder Charlie Trafford.
Charlie Trafford responds for Cavalry with a brilliant volley! ✨#ChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/Z047ntDaAC
— Concacaf Champions Cup (@TheChampions) February 7, 2025
Cavalry’s next goal was truly magical. In the final 10 minutes of the game the club’s superstar and Golden Boot winner from last season’s CPL Tobias Warschewski produced a piece of skill you’d expect to see in the UEFA Champions League.
What a way to score a historic game-winner.
Warschewski puts Cavalry ahead! ⚽#ChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/fWFuzPKcHZ
— Concacaf Champions Cup (@TheChampions) February 7, 2025
The victory sent shockwaves around Canadian soccer as the country continues to pull off remarkable feats in men’s soccer. A non-MLS Canadian club defeating a Liga MX side in a competitive game is unbelievable.
There’s a good chance the dream will get spoiled during the return leg in Mexico City next Thursday. With the away goal that Pumas scored, all they need is a 1-0 victory to advance to the next round. Cavalry couldn’t possibly pull off another shock result… could they?
The winner of the tie will advance to face Costa Rica’s Alajuelense in the Round of 16.
Regardless of the second leg result, Feb. 6 will forever be a day in history for the CPL, Cavalry and Canadian soccer.
POV: You just beat a Liga MX team in #ConcaChampions for the first time in your league's history ✨#CanPL | @CPLCavalryFC pic.twitter.com/g2bFJ50NAM
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) February 7, 2025
