Toluca defeated Austin FC 2-0 on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals, eliminating the MLS club from the tournament. The match was played at SI Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey — a neutral site for the tournament’s knockout rounds — with an 8:30 p.m. ET kickoff.
Key facts
- Final score: Toluca 2, Austin FC 0
- Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2026
- Venue: SI Stadium, Harrison, New Jersey (neutral site), 8:30 p.m. ET kickoff
- Goals: Helinho (53rd minute, penalty), Jorge Díaz (second-half stoppage time)
- Discipline: Reports indicated Austin FC’s Joseph Rosales was sent off in the first half after a VAR review; Ilie Sánchez was also reported sent off for a second yellow card in the 74th minute
- Toluca’s next step: The semifinal window is September 1-2; one recap reported Club León as the opponent
How the match unfolded
Helinho put Toluca, a club in Mexico’s Liga MX, ahead in the 53rd minute, converting a penalty after a foul on Jesús Ángulo inside the box. Jorge Díaz added a second goal in second-half stoppage time to close out the win. Toluca controlled the match statistically: the soccer data site Fotmob recorded roughly two-thirds possession for the Mexican club and 26 shots to Austin FC’s eight.
Rosales’ reported first-half dismissal
Reports indicated Austin FC played more than 50 minutes with 10 men after Rosales’ dismissal; Ilie Sánchez was also reported sent off for a second yellow card in the 74th minute. Reports indicated that defender Joseph Rosales was sent off in the first half after a VAR review of an initial yellow card for a foul on Toluca’s Federico Pereira.
Timeline
- First half: Reports indicated Joseph Rosales was sent off after VAR reviewed an initial yellow card
- 53rd minute: Helinho converts a penalty to put Toluca ahead 1-0
- Second-half stoppage time: Jorge Díaz scores to make it 2-0
What the loss means for Austin FC
The loss ends Austin FC’s first-ever run to the Leagues Cup quarterfinals. The club, 14th in the MLS Western Conference entering the match, had also been chasing a possible Concacaf Champions Cup berth that a deep Leagues Cup run could have delivered — an opportunity that closed with Wednesday’s result. Austin got to the quarterfinals by winning a penalty shootout against Club América on August 13, its third career shootout win in the tournament. Forward Myrto Uzuni was the club’s top scorer through the earlier rounds, with four goals — including a hat trick against Puebla — and an assist, the club said.
What’s next for Toluca
Toluca entered the match as the reigning Concacaf Champions Cup champion, according to the Leagues Cup’s own match preview, and continues that run into the semifinals. One recap reported that Toluca would face Club León, which beat Real Salt Lake in its quarterfinal; the broader semifinal window is September 1-2. The Leagues Cup has scheduled its semifinal round for September 1-2, with the third-place match and final set for September 6.
Sources and further reading
- Austin FC to Face Toluca FC at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Leagues Cup Quarterfinals
- Leagues Cup 2026 Quarterfinal Schedule and Venues Announced
- Leagues Cup 2026: Quarterfinal matchups, schedule info & who advanced
- Toluca FC, Austin FC clash in Leagues Cup 2026 Quarterfinals
- MATCH PREVIEW: Toluca and Austin meet with Semifinals berth on the line
- Match Preview: Toluca FC vs. Austin FC | August 26, 2026