Preview:CD Guadalajara vs New York Red Bulls - prediction, team news, lineups

Meeting for the first time since the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League, CD Guadalajara will visit Red Bull Arena on Thursday in their opening match of the Leagues Cup against the New York Red Bulls.

Neither side made it beyond the group stage of this tournament a year ago, as they each finished the competition with a mere two points.

Match preview

Making their fourth appearance at the Leagues Cup, Guadalajara are still in search of their first victory, coming away with points in their two group fixtures a year ago.

In this tournament last year, the Mexicans came from behind in both of their group outings, with equalisers in second-half stoppage time, but they failed to hold their nerve in either shootout.

There was plenty of drama for Gabriel Milito’s side last weekend, as they scored twice in the final six minutes to earn a 4-3 victory over Atletico San Luis, their first of the new Apertura season.

While they have only gone goalless in one Leagues Cup group fixture, this side have scored just two goals in the opening 45 minutes of this tournament.

They have points in four of their previous five matches played, all of which occurred in Liga MX, while they are winless in their last six away games across all competitions.

Chivas have claimed just one win in their four prior meetings with the Red Bulls, blanking them 1-0 at home in the opening leg of their 2018 CONCACAF Champions League semi-final, winning that tie on aggregate by that exact score and going on to lift the trophy.

It has been a difficult month and a half for the Red Bulls, winning just one of their previous eight MLS fixtures as they find themselves two points below the playoff line in the Eastern Conference.

The reigning MLS Cup runners-up are on a two-match losing run heading into this competition, netting just one goal over that stretch.

That said, they are unbeaten in seven of their previous eight matches played at Red Bull Arena across all competitions, though they suffered a 5-1 home loss to Inter Miami last time out.

Sandro Schwarz’s men are on the verge of suffering three consecutive defeats for the first time since he took charge ahead of the 2024 season.

This upcoming match will be their fifth in the Leagues Cup at Red Bull Arena, and New York have not lost any of those previous outings in normal time but were beaten in both games last year on penalties.

The Red Bulls are undefeated at home versus Chivas, failing to concede a single goal in either game when their home venue was known as Sports Illustrated Stadium.

CD Guadalajara form (all competitions):

New York Red Bulls form (all competitions):

Team News

On the Guadalajara side, Alan Mozo was the only newcomer to feature on matchday three of the Apertura, replacing Richard Ledezma early in the second half.

An own-goal courtesy of Juan Manuel Sanabria, along with a brace from Armando Gonzalez and one goal by Cade Cowell, enabled them to claim a dramatic win against San Luis last time out.

In their 1-0 defeat to the Chicago Fire last Saturday, the Red Bulls were missing Serge Ngoma and Lewis Morgan, both of whom were dealing with thigh strains.

At the same time, Wiktor Bogacz sat out of that match for New York with a sore toe, and Cameron Harper was sidelined once again because of a knee injury.

CD Guadalajara possible starting lineup:

Rangel; Aguirre, Romo, Castillo; Alvarez, Govea, Gutierrez, Gonzalez; Alvarado, Pulido; Cowell

New York Red Bulls possible starting lineup:

Coronel; Duncan, Eile, Hack, Valencia; Gjengaar, Edelman, Carmona, Sofo; Forsberg, Choupo-Moting

We say: CD Guadalajara 3-1 New York Red Bulls

Chivas have an array of talented attacking players to call upon, and against an uncharacteristically leaky defensive team like the Red Bulls, we expect they will have their share of openings.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.