Union knocked out of Leagues Cup with 2-0 loss to Liga MX’s Santos Laguna

Despite entering Thursday night’s match with a small chance to qualify for the knockout rounds of the Leagues Cup, the Union were eliminated from the tournament after suffering a 2-0 loss to Liga MX’s Santos Laguna at Subaru Park.

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Ramiro Sordo gave Santos Laguna the lead in the 48th minute, and Ezequiel Bullaude added a second in the 51st.

The Union were not yet mathematically eliminated before Thursday, but would have needed to run up the score against Santos Laguna and hope for favorable outcomes elsewhere.

Ryan Richter’s lineup prioritized rest for his top players over remaining in the competition. Geiner Martínez, Ben Bender, Jeremy Rafanello and Stas Korzeniowski all saw the pitch for the first time since the FIFA World Cup break, and Union II defender Rafael Uzcátegui made his first appearance with the club’s first team.

“We would have needed to win by four goals,” Richter said after the match. “That is something that we’re capable of, but not many games are going to go exactly that way. If you push for that, win 3-0, and you don’t get it, that leaves you tired on Sunday.”

Santos Laguna’s Salvador Mariscal was shown a yellow card in the 25th minute for a hard foul on Agustín Anello. Kevin Picón earned another yellow a minute later for a foul on Jesús Bueno.

The game slogged through a 20-minute stretch without a shot, as neither team challenged the net between Union misses in the 22nd and 44th.

Sordo opened the scoring with a header in the 48th minute, beating Andrew Rick to his right post.

Bullaude found the net three minutes later, getting on the end of a cross that rolled through the penalty area.

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Despite playing with a rotated lineup, Richter said he was disappointed in his team’s effort against the Mexican side.

“We attack these games to win, and that’s how I’m going to approach every single week,” Richter said. “No matter who’s playing, or if we’re rotating the squad, or what the situation is. This is the mentality that we have to have. That’s what I’m disappointed from tonight. I didn’t see that fire at the end of the game that I saw in the last few weeks.”

Trailing, Richter made a series of changes in the 59th minute. The Union’s interim manager brought on Alejandro Bedoya and Malik Jakupovic for Bueno and Korzeniowski.

Martínez checked out of the game in the 66th minute and was replaced by Finn Sundstrom. Martínez was checked by doctors after a collision inside the 18-yard box in the 59th, but he returned to play. However, he was escorted off the field by medical staff minutes after he returned.

“Normally, when you have to come out with a head injury, that’s not great,” Richter said after the match. “Hopefully he’s OK, and if it is something, then it’s something minor, but we’ll get the answer on that tonight or tomorrow.”

Kellan LeBlanc made his debut for the Union’s first team, coming off the bench for Anello in the 76th minute.

Sundstrom was shown a yellow card in the 84th minute, and Franco Pardo was cautioned in the 86th minute. Japhet Sery Larsen earned the game’s final yellow card in the 90th.

The Union will return to MLS play with a match at Yankee Stadium against New York City FC on Sunday (6 p.m., Apple TV).

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