Mexican clubs C.F. Pachuca and Santos Laguna to play Tuesday at Children’s Mercy Park

Mexican soccer clubs C.F. Pachuca and Santos Laguna will meet for an exhibition match Tuesday at Children’s Mercy Park as they prepare for their upcoming Liga MX seasons.

Tickets for the match, which starts at 7:30 p.m., can be purchased through Ticketmaster.com or by calling 888-4KC-GOAL (888-452-4625).

Here is what you should know about each club as they head to Kansas City:

C.F. Pachuca

▪ The club is the reigning Liga MX champions after winning the Clausura bracket last month, their sixth league championship in franchise history.

▪ The roster is headlined by former U.S. men’s soccer team member Omar Gonzalez, who made the move to Mexico last year after winning three MLS Cup titles with the LA Galaxy. Gonzalez was the primary center back partner for Sporting Kansas City captain Matt Besler during the Americans’ run in 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

▪ Franco Jara, who is also included on the travel roster to Kansas City on Tuesday, has led the team in scoring the past two seasons. Goalkeeper Oscar Perez is a former regular with the Mexican national team and started all four matches for his home country at the 2010 World Cup.

Santos Laguna

▪ The team last traveled to Kansas City in 2009, when it defeated the Wizards 3-1 in an SuperLiga match at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

▪ Santos Laguna has enjoyed consistent success in Liga MX, claiming a pair of championship trophies in 2012 and 2015. It has made the playoffs in six of the past nine seasons.

▪ The club’s roster also features an MLS champion who is scheduled to make the trip. Jorge Villafana helped the Portland Timbers win MLS Cup last December. He had played in MLS since 2007, when he joined Chivas USA for seven years before playing the last two in Portland.

▪ Santos Laguna is captained by Carlos Izquierdoz. The club made a key offseason acquisition in Uruguayan striker Jonathan Rodriguez, a 22-year-old who has made his way into his national team picture.

This story was originally published June 20, 2016 at 5:50 PM with the headline "Mexican clubs C.F. Pachuca and Santos Laguna to play Tuesday at Children’s Mercy Park."