Los Angeles FC defeated Cruz Azul 4-1 on aggregate (1-1 on the night) in the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal
The match was temporarily stopped in the second half after repeated homophobic chants from the crowd
Denis Bouanga scored a late penalty to seal qualification, while Hugo Lloris starred in goal and Gonzalo Piovi was sent off late for Cruz Azul
Cruz Azul Vs LAFC: Why Was The CONCACAF Champions Cup Quarter-Final Second Leg Match Stopped?
The Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal between Cruz Azul and Los Angeles FC was briefly halted due to homophobic chants at Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla, before LAFC secured a 1-1 draw, with Denis Bouanga scoring late to seal a 4-1 aggregate win
Summary
The Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal between Cruz Azul and Los Angeles FC was briefly halted on Wednesday, 15 April, after repeated homophobic chants from the stands forced the referee to intervene at Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla.
Play was stopped in the second half, shortly after a goal kick by veteran goalkeeper Hugo Lloris in the 57th minute, when offensive chants rang out across the stadium.
The referee Ivan Barton immediately paused the match in line with anti-discrimination protocols, with a warning displayed on the big screen urging supporters to stop. The game remained suspended for several minutes before resuming.
On the pitch, LAFC held firm to secure progression to the semifinals. Denis Bouanga scored a late penalty to help LAFC draw 1-1 with defending champions Cruz Azul on Tuesday, sealing a 4-1 aggregate victory after their commanding 3-0 win in the first leg.
Cruz Azul had struck first on the night, with Gabriel Fernández converting a penalty in the 18th minute to give the hosts early hope of a comeback. They continued to press forward aggressively, but Lloris delivered a standout performance, making eight saves to frustrate the Mexican side.
As the clock ticked into stoppage time, Bouanga stepped up and buried a right-footed penalty into the bottom-left corner, extinguishing any remaining hopes of a turnaround and confirming LAFC’s place in the final four.
The visitors’ dominance across the two legs had been set up earlier by David Martínez, whose brace powered LAFC to a 3-0 first-leg win. They will now face the winner of the tie between LA Galaxy and Toluca.
LAFC are chasing their third appearance in the Champions Cup final, having previously fallen short in 2020 and 2023. For Cruz Azul, the night ended in further frustration as Gonzalo Piovi was sent off in the 90th minute, reducing them to 10 men late on.
The seven-time champions had been aiming to become the first club since Club América to win back-to-back titles, but their campaign ended amid both on-field disappointment and troubling scenes in the stands.
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