LAFC took a 2-1 lead against Mexico’s Toluca FC in the first leg of their 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal on Wednesday April 29,2026 at their BMO Stadium home in downtown Los Angeles, California. Both teams started the game with sloppy boring play that improved in the second half. LAFC opened the scoring with a key play by Sergi Palencia that led to his teammate Timothy Tillman’s goal at the 51st minute. Toluca would tie the game at the 73rd minute with a right footed shot from Jesus Angulo. And after a nullified goal for LAFC, Son Heung-Min earned an assist placing a free kick in a dangerous location for Nkosi Tafari to head in the team’s second goal.

LAFC will travel to Nemesio Diez Stadium in Toluca de Lerdo, Mexico to play the second leg on Wednesday May 5, 2026. The stadium nicknamed “El Infierno” or “Hell” is known as a hostile environment for visiting opponents because of the team’s supportive fans, including supporter group “La Perra Brava” or “Fierce Bitch,” and the altitude at 2,670 meters. The historic stadium has hosted matches for the 1970 and 1986 World Cups.

LAFC’s head coach Marc Dos Santos and Toluca FC’s head coach Antonio Mohamed

Toluca’s head coach is the Argentine Antonio Mohamed who played for Huracan in Argentina and Toros Neza in Mexico. As a head coach, he’s won Mexican league title five times with America, Xolos, Monterrey, and the last 2 season with Toluca. LAFC’s coach Marco Dos Santos is from Canada with Portuguese heritage and has done well since taking the helm of the team December 5, 2025. The success of one in Mexico as an Argentine and of the other in Los Angeles as a Canadian exemplifies the cultural connections soccer creates from North to South America.