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The return leg is Feb. 13 at Mexico City\u2019s Estadio Ol\u00edmpico Universitario with the series winner moving on to face Costa Rica\u2019s Liga Deportiva Alajuelense in the round of 16 of CONCACAF\u2019s elite club competition.<\/p>\n
A dual citizen, Lopez was a star for Canada at the CONCACAF U-20 Championship in July 2024 and played for the Mexican under-18 team in two tournaments in 2023. He has yet to declare is international allegiance.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\tMore on Calgary<\/button>More videos<\/button>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nLopez was born in Morelia, Mexico, and was four when his parents \u2014 his late father was an economist who worked in banking \u2014 moved to Ontario for work before returning to Mexico six years later.<\/p>\n
Lopez joined the youth academy of Pumas UNAM in 2019 when he had just turned 14. He was the top scorer for the club\u2019s under-18 side in 2023 with 10 goals.<\/p>\n
He made his senior debut for Pumas UNAM off the bench in January 2024 in a 3-1 win over Pachuca in Mexico\u2019s Liga MX play. Given the start Thursday, he took full advantage.<\/p>\n
While Pumas had more of the ball and territory, the Cavalry defence initially held firm and looked to counterattack with Herdman \u2014 and father John Herdman watching from the stands \u2014 leading the way down the left flank.<\/p>\n
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But Pumas went ahead in the 44th minute when, after the Cavalry midfield was found wanting, goalkeeper Marco Carducci was unable to coral Peru international midfielder Piero Quispe\u2019s low shot. The rebound went straight to Lopez who roofed a left-footed shot.<\/p>\n
Trafford tied it up in the 57th minute, slashing through a static Pumas defence to acrobatically knock home an Ali Musse corner.<\/p>\n
Lopez was replaced in the 73rd minute.<\/p>\n
Thursday\u2019s game was shifted to Starlight Stadium on Vancouver Island to escape wintry conditions in Alberta for the second year in a row.<\/p>\n
That was only partially successful.<\/p>\n
There were some eight to 10 centimetres of snow on the ground Wednesday. While the only snowbank was outside the pitch, it didn\u2019t stop some players slipping on the artificial turf. Temperature at kickoff was around zero.<\/p>\n
Pumas defender Ricardo Galindo turned up the heat in the first minute, scything down Warschewski in a nasty tackle that earned a yellow card.<\/p>\n
Pumas had 61 per cent of the possession in the first half and outshot Cavalry 4-2 (2-1 in shots on target).<\/p>\n
While Pumas had 63 per cent possession on the night, Cavalry had a 7-5 edge in shots (3-2 in shots on target) and seven corners to the Mexicans\u2019 two. There were six cautions issued, with five shown to Cavalry.<\/p>\n
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In its first trip to CONCACAF\u2019s elite club competition, Cavalry lost to Major League Soccer\u2019s Orlando City last year (beaten 3-0 in the first leg in Langford before falling 3-1 in Florida).<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3:58<\/time>Cavalry FC \u2018Foot Soldiers\u2019 travel to Orlando for team\u2019s CONCACAF Champions Cup match<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>
Pumas have won the Champions Cup three times (1980, \u201982 and \u201989) and finished runner-up twice (2005 and \u201922). The Mexican side made it to the quarterfinals last year before losing a penalty shootout to the eventual runner-up Columbus Crew.<\/p>\n
Pumas currently sit seventh in the Liga MX Clausura at 2-1-2 after finishing fourth in the Apertura at 9-4-4.<\/p>\n
Cavalry finished atop the CPL regular-season standings in both 2019 and 2023 and made the championship game three times, finally winning in November when it downed Forge 2-1.<\/p>\n
That title earned Cavalry a place back in the Champions Cup. Pumas earned its berth as the third-best club in the 2023-2024 Liga MX aggregate table.<\/p>\n
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Forge FC lost 2-0 to Mexico\u2019s CF Monterrey in Hamilton on Wednesday. The winner of that series will face either the Vancouver Whitecaps or Costa Rica\u2019s Deportivo Saprissa in the round of 16.<\/p>\n
The 2025 champion earns a berth in the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t5:34<\/time>Calgary\u2019s Cavalry FC wins first Canadian Premier League Title<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>
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