Preview:Los Angeles Galaxy vs Club Tijuana - prediction, team news, lineups

Meeting for the second time at the Leagues Cup, the Los Angeles Galaxy welcome Club Tijuana to Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California on Thursday evening.

Last year, the Galaxy were eliminated in the round of 32 of this tournament by the Seattle Sounders (3-1), while Tijuana finished bottom of their group.

Match preview

We are well into the 2025 Major League Soccer regular season, and little has gone right for the reigning champions, who remain at the bottom of the overall standings with 16 points from 24 games.

Going from first to worst in less than a year is something few could have anticipated for this team that are 14 points below the post-season line with 10 matches remaining.

Throughout the campaign, Greg Vanney’s side have failed to contain the opposition’s attack, conceding a league-high 48 goals, including three or more in six domestic affairs this year.

It may soon be too late for them to salvage their domestic campaign, but they have improved in recent weeks, claiming at least a point in four of their previous five league contests, while winning three of their last four matches at home.

Their recent form, along with their performance in this phase of the Leagues Cup a year ago, may re-instil some much-needed confidence in this team, who won their two group fixtures in 2024, including a shootout triumph over Mexican side CD Guadalajara at home.

LA have won two of their three meetings all-time with Tijuana, including a shootout victory in the 2019 Leagues Cup in a match that ended in a 2-2 tie after 90 minutes.

The Leagues Cup has proven to be a nightmare event for Tijuana, with the Liga MX side yet to win a single encounter in three prior appearances at this tournament.

Since this competition transitioned to a group phase, they have failed to collect a single point, losing all four of those outings by a combined margin of 10-2.

While this competition has not gone well for them in past years, they have a decent amount of momentum heading into the Leagues Cup this time around, suffering just one defeat in their previous six matches played across all competitions.

On Thursday, Sebastian Abreu will be seeking his first away victory as their manager, with the former Copa America champion as a player with Uruguay taking over this club ahead of the new Apertura campaign.

In their four previous Leagues Cup affairs, Tijuana have netted just once in the opening half, while they have only scored one second-half goal since Abreu took charge.

Their only victory versus an MLS opponent occurred in the 2014 CONCACAF Champions League quarter-finals, beating the Galaxy 4-2 in the second leg at home and advancing from that tie 4-3 on aggregate.

Los Angeles Galaxy form (all competitions):

Club Tijuana form (all competitions):

Team News

In the draw against Los Angeles FC (3-3), the last time out, the Galaxy were without Riqui Puig, who is recovering from a torn ACL, which has left him out of the fold throughout the 2025 campaign.

Gabriel Pec netted a brace in that contest, with the equaliser coming courtesy of Maya Yoshida in the latter stages, two players who were questionable to play with a lower leg and thigh strain, respectively.

Abreu made two changes to his starting 11 from matchday two to three of the Apertura campaign for Tijuana, with Shamar Nicholson and Gilberto Rafael Mora Zambrano coming in to replace Frank Boya and Domingo Blanco.

Two of the three times they have found the back of the net in the new Liga MX season, it has been via an own goal, with Jesus Murillo doing so on Friday in their 1-1 draw versus Juarez.

Los Angeles Galaxy possible starting lineup:

Micovic; Yamane, Garces, Nelson, Aude; Sanabria, Cerrillo; Fagundez, Reus, Paintsil; Nascimento

Club Tijuana possible starting lineup:

Rodriguez; Mejia, Porozo, Bilbao, Vega; Tona; Vitinho, Castaneda, Zambrano, Preciado; Nicholson

We say: Los Angeles Galaxy 2-3 Club Tijuana

While the Galaxy still have a lot of firepower that comes at a cost, as they are extremely susceptible on the counter, and we believe Tijuana will take advantage to claim an elusive Leagues Cup triumph finally.

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