HARRISON, N.J. — New York City FC went toe-to-toe with Mexican champion Cruz Azul on Sunday night, but José Paradela’s late deflected strike proved decisive as the Boys in Blue fell 2-1 in their second match of the 2026 Leagues Cup Phase One at Sports Illustrated Stadium.
Playing before a crowd of 20,969 in the first-ever meeting between the clubs, NYCFC responded well after falling behind and entered halftime level at 1-1. Head Coach Pascal Jansen described the match afterward as even more intense than City’s tournament opener against Santos Laguna, noting that games against opposition of Cruz Azul’s caliber often come down to small details.
One such detail initially went against NYCFC when a turnover allowed Cruz Azul to capitalize, with Agustín Palavecino putting the Liga MX side ahead.
City responded through an unlikely but increasingly productive source: its defense.
Nico Fernández Mercau delivered a dangerous free kick that defender Max Murray headed home for his first professional goal. It was also NYCFC’s first set-piece goal of the tournament and Fernández Mercau’s first career Leagues Cup assist.
All three of NYCFC’s goals in this year’s competition have now come from defenders, with Murray joining Tayvon Gray and Nico Cavallo on the scoresheet.
For Murray, the moment carried additional significance in just his second start. Jansen praised the young defender’s composure afterward and pointed to the work behind his emergence.
“It’s 18 months of work from this kid,” Jansen said, adding that Murray’s performances have confirmed that NYCFC can trust him as one of the club’s available central defenders.
Cruz Azul Finds the Difference
NYCFC continued pushing after halftime and nearly found a second goal, with Jansen highlighting a chance from Fernández Mercau inside the goalmouth as one of City’s biggest opportunities of the night.
Instead, another small opening proved costly.
Paradela’s shot took a deflection in the 78th minute and beat goalkeeper Matt Freese, restoring Cruz Azul’s advantage and ultimately deciding the match.
Jansen acknowledged that NYCFC wasn’t as clean in possession as usual under Cruz Azul’s pressure, but viewed the challenge as an important measuring stick for his squad.
Despite the defeat, several individual milestones were reached. Jonny Shore made his 50th NYCFC appearance, while Freese recorded his 10th career Leagues Cup appearance and 115th across all competitions for the club.
The loss moves NYCFC’s all-time Leagues Cup record to 4-6-3 through 13 matches, with 17 goals scored and 16 conceded.
More importantly, it puts additional pressure on City’s final Phase One fixture. Jansen acknowledged that advancement becomes difficult after suffering one defeat in the three-match format, but insisted the team’s approach hasn’t changed.
“We came into this tournament with the idea that we were able to win it,” Jansen said. “We’ll try and win that game.”
For NYCFC, the equation now becomes considerably simpler: take the lessons from a narrow defeat against Mexico’s champions and turn them into a victory in Match 3.
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