LAFC Beats Querétaro in Penalty Shootout at Leagues Cup
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LAFC narrowly overcame Mexican side Querétaro FC in a Leagues Cup Phase One fixture, needing a penalty shootout to settle the contest.
The Leagues Cup pits clubs from Major League Soccer against those from Liga MX, Mexico's top division, in a cross-border tournament format.
With the score level after regulation time, the match went to penalties, where LAFC ultimately prevailed by a slim margin.
According to reports, the result marked another difficult outing for LAFC against Mexican opposition, continuing a trend of struggles the club has faced in fixtures of this kind.
A notable subplot centred on South Korean forward Son Heung-min, who had gone quiet for three consecutive matches without finding the net in open play.
Despite this dry spell, Son stepped up when it counted, converting his attempt in the shootout to help LAFC clinch the win.
His successful spot kick provided a measure of redemption after a run of games in which he had failed to make an impact in normal play.
The narrow nature of the victory underscores the challenge Mexican clubs continue to pose for MLS sides in the competition, even when the American teams ultimately advance.
For LAFC, the win secures progress in the tournament, though the manner of the victory — reliant on penalties rather than a commanding performance — may raise questions about the team's current form against Liga MX opposition.
As the Leagues Cup continues, LAFC will hope that moments like Son's shootout success can translate into more consistent performances in open play as the competition progresses.
Vocabulary7 words
- Leagues Cup
- a soccer competition between clubs from the US and Mexico
- penalty shootout
- a method to decide a winner using penalty kicks when scores are tied
- consecutive
- following one after another without a break
- open play
- normal moments in a game, not penalties or free kicks
- narrow
- won or lost by a very small amount
- redemption
- getting a good result after doing badly before
- regulation time
- the normal length of a game, before extra time or penalties
Quiz
Answer key
1. A penalty shootout after a level score in regulation 2. They have struggled in these matchups 3. False
Discussion questions
- Why do you think penalty shootouts are used to decide soccer matches that end in a tie?
- What pressures do you think players like Son Heung-min face during a scoring slump?
- Why might cross-border tournaments like the Leagues Cup be challenging for teams from different leagues?
- Do you think a shootout win is as satisfying as winning in regular play? Why or why not?