Grahl strikes winner for Real Estelí against Tigres UANL | OneFootball

ESTELÍ, Nicaragua – Real Estelí earned a 1-nil victory against Tigres UANL in the first leg of their Round One series as the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup continued on Wednesday at Estadio Independencia in Estelí, Nicaragua.

The home side was menacing early on, with Josué Quijano finding José Lloreda in the box in the 9’, but the striker’s header went wide of goal.

Byron Bonilla threatened in the 25’ with a left-footed hit from outside the box, but Fernando Tapia was there to recover the ball for Tigres UANL.

Bancy Hernandez struck on goal in the 40’ with a menacing ball from outside the box but Tapia put his two hands to send the attempt over the crossbar.

Tigres UANL didn’t record a shot on target in the first half against Real Estelí, the first time that the Mexican club failed to do so in the first half of a Concacaf Champions Cup match since March 2024, a nil-nil draw against Orlando City.

Real Estelí was stellar on the defensive end also, with Joab Gutiérrez making a critical tackle in the box in the 62’ to deny second-half substitute Nicolás Ibáñez.

Bonilla struck outside the edge of the box in the 79’ but Tapia once again captured the ball to avert the danger.

Francisco Grahl broke the deadlock in the 83’, with a strike from the top of the penalty area to connect with a pass from Harold Medina.

Real Estelí goalkeeper Jason Vega made a critical stop in the 90'+5 to deny a menacing header from Ibáñez and secure his first clean sheet of the campaign. This was the club’s first ever clean sheet in the tournament.

Real Estelí recorded its second win in the Concacaf Champions Cup, both at home against Mexican teams, with the previous one coming in a 2-1 win against Club América in 2024.

The Nicaraguan side attempted 15 shots tonight against Tigres, equaling its most in a Concacaf Champions Cup match, tying the total from its first game ever in the competition in 2016 against Suchitepéquez.

Tigres UANL extended its run to five matches without an away win in the Concacaf Champions Cup (0W-3D-2L), its longest winless away run in the tournament since the start of the current format in 2008. The club’s last road win was in 2023, a 1-nil win at FC Motagua.

Real Estelí will seek to defend its lead at Tigres UANL in the second leg next Wednesday in Mexico. The aggregate winner will advance to the Round of 16.