And here's the thing about Portland's performance — they went for the jugular from the opening whistle and never looked back. The hosts secured a comfortable 3:1 victory over Tijuana in the Group Stage of the Cup competition on August 14, 2026. Mourad El Ghezouani, Kevin Kelsy and Antony Alves found the net for the home side as they controlled proceedings throughout.
El Ghezouani opened the scoring in the 19th minute, capitalising on a moment of space in the penalty area. Kelsy doubled the advantage just before half-time, slotting home after a well-worked move down the left flank. Tijuana's Jesús Vega picked up a yellow card in the 36th minute as the visitors tried to keep things tight.
By then the yellow cards were accumulating at a steady rate. Kamal Miller and Kristoffer Velde both went into the book before the break, with Velde collecting a second caution moments later. The management brought on Cole Bassett to replace Velde in the 56th minute, while Tijuana made three changes including bringing on Joban González.
Antony Alves restored Portland's two-goal cushion in the 64th minute, and the hosts had the game won inside twenty minutes. More substitutions followed, with Kevin Kelsy making way for David Pereira Da Costa. The visitors pushed for a late response but couldn't find their rhythm against a well-organised back line.
The numbers told the story of a one-sided affair. Portland held 67 per cent possession and registered eight shots on target compared to Tijuana's three. The hosts created four big chances and completed 564 passes, while the visitors managed just 243 successful passes with only two big chances created.
The result leaves Portland in a strong position in the group standings. Tijuana's recent form has been poor, with defeats to San Diego and Austin in their last two outings. This win could be crucial for Portland's ambitions in the competition.