Preview: Toluca vs CF Montreal - prediction, team news, lineups

A pair of unbeaten sides will square off for the first time on Friday, as Toluca visit Red Bull Arena to battle CF Montreal on matchday two of the Leagues Cup campaign.

The 2025 Liga MX Clausura champions came from behind to defeat the Columbus Crew on penalties Tuesday, while Le CFM did the same at home to Club Leon.

Match preview

Down by two goals with fewer than 20 minutes remaining, Toluca showed their fighting spirit, scoring twice in nine minutes and beating the reigning champions in a shootout.

As a result, they remained unbeaten all-time in the group phase of this event, though Wednesday was the first time they had ever failed to claim maximum points in the opening stage of the Leagues Cup.

Under manager Antonio Mohamed, this team have suffered just one defeat in their previous 10 matches played across all competitions, falling 4-3 to Tigres last weekend in Apertura action.

In five Leagues Cup group fixtures, Toluca have found the back of the net a combined 16 times, scoring at least two goals in each of those games, while their match against the Crew was the first time that they had given up multiple strikes in the group stage.

Since their first appearance at this tournament in 2023, this side have never lost a match in normal time when conceding the opening goal, coming back three times to win a group stage encounter in this competition.

Diablos Rojos have suffered just one Leagues Cup defeat on American soil within 90 minutes, falling 2-1 at the Colorado Rapids in the last 16 a year ago.

Down the stretch of July, the worst team in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer were able to gather a little momentum in what has been a disappointing campaign for them overall.

Montreal are unbeaten in their last two matches played across all competitions and on Tuesday can win consecutive Leagues Cup games for the first time.

The last three times that they have come away with a positive result, it occurred after they had conceded the opening goal, doing so in each of their previous five encounters.

They are undefeated in this competition when scoring a goal in the opening 45 minutes of play, doing so in just two matches all time.

Marco Donadel can do something that no Montreal manager has done before on Friday, earn a point away from home in the Leagues Cup.

Le CFM are 3-0 versus Mexican opposition in this tournament, this upcoming contest will be the first time that they face a Liga MX side on American soil.

Toluca Leagues Cup form:

Toluca form (all competitions):

CF Montreal Leagues Cup form:

CF Montreal form (all competitions):

Team News

On matchday one of this competition, Toluca were without Robert Morales, who had a knock, while Federico Pereira and Franco Romero were in the starting 11 despite prior injury concerns.

Paulinho netted a second-half brace against the Crew to level that match at two, with Luis Garcia the hero, stopping a late Diego Rossi penalty and also saving his shootout attempt along with the one by Max Arfsten to give his side an extra point.

As for Le CFM, Fabian Herbers was sidelined with a lower body issue, and Samuel Piette came on as a second-half substitute Tuesday despite previously sustaining an upper body injury.

Prince Osei Owusu scored their equaliser against Leon, while Sebastian Santos struck the bar with his penalty kick, giving Montreal the victory.

Toluca possible starting lineup:

Garcia; Barbosa, Mendez, Luan, Gallardo; Angulo, Herrera, Ruiz, Romero, Vega; Paulinho

CF Montreal possible starting lineup:

Sirois; Bugaj, Craig, Alvarez, Petrasso; Waterman, Piette; Sealy, Escobar, Clark; Owusu

We say: Toluca 1-0 CF Montreal

Le CFM are becoming a little too dependent on Owusu, who has delivered, but a side as mentally strong and balanced defensively as Toluca should be able to keep him at bay and find a way to get ahead in this one.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.