Preview: Tigres vs Los Angeles FC - prediction, team news, lineups

Tigres can end the opening phase of the Leagues Cup with a perfect record when they travel to BMO Stadium to face Los Angeles FC on Tuesday in the final group fixture for each team.

The Mexicans are a perfect 2-0 thus far following a 2-1 win over San Diego, while last year’s finalists are on three points, defeating Pachuca 4-2 on penalties the last time out.

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Match preview

At the moment, everything is going the way of Tigres, who have won four consecutive matches across all competitions and are in a strong position to make the quarter-finals.

Three of those victories have been by just a single goal, with Guido Pizarro’s men scoring a combined 11 times over that stretch.

In their history at the Leagues Cup, the club from Monterrey have a 100% record all-time in the group portion of this competition, with five of their six wins being by a single goal.

So far this year, they have yet to lose a match when netting multiple times, winning their last three competitive fixtures when doing so.

The 2019 runners-up of this event have never been behind in a round-robin match, conceding a total of two goals in the group portion of the Leagues Cup all-time.

Tuesday will be their third meeting all-time against LAFC, with La U de Nuevo Leon winning both of their previous meetings with them at BMO Stadium, including a 4-2 triumph on penalties to claim the 2023 Campeones Cup.

In a chippy and heated match at BMO Stadium on Friday, the 2024 Leagues Cup runners-up came away with two valuable points against a Pachuca side that committed 13 fouls against them.

Despite being reduced to 10 men just before the half-hour mark, Steve Cherundolo’s men persevered, converting all four of their spot kicks to win a Leagues Cup game on penalties for the first time.

While they have points in six of their last seven matches played across all competitions, the Black and Gold have not won any of their previous four games in normal time.

Los Angeles are in a close race for those top four positions in the MLS group phase, with only three points separating them from first, though even a normal time win on Tuesday may not be enough to put them through.

The Black and Gold have drawn first blood in three of their previous four matches played across all competitions, failing to win in 90 minutes each time, and those dropped points at the Leagues Cup could mean the difference between the quarter-finals and a group phase exit.

In their entire Leagues Cup history, LAFC have only claimed one group stage victory versus Mexican opposition in normal time, defeating Club Tijuana last year 3-0.

Tigres Leagues Cup form:

Tigres form (all competitions):

Los Angeles FC Leagues Cup form:

Los Angeles FC form (all competitions):

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Team News

To this stage of the Leagues Cup, we have yet to see Carlos Uriel feature for Tigres, with the midfielder dealing with a right knee sprain before this tournament began, while striker Andre-Pierre Gignac has come on as a substitute twice after previously spraining his left ankle.

Angel Correa netted a brace in their victory versus San Diego on Friday, and he leads the competition with four goals in two matches, one more than Tomas Badaloni of Necaxa.

Leg issues kept Aaron Long and Lorenzo Dellavalle out of the LA fold against Pachuca, while Maxime Chanot was sidelined once again because of a head injury and Nathan Ordaz is out with a red card suspension.

Denis Bouanga scored his first of the competition the last time out, though the hero was Thomas Hasal, who stopped two penalties to give his side an extra point.

Tigres possible starting lineup:

Guzman; Aquino, Romulo, Purata, Garza; Lainez, Brunetta, Cordova, Herrera; Correa, Lopez

Los Angeles FC possible starting lineup:

Hasal; Palencia, Tafari, Segura, Hollingshead; Yeboah, Jesus, Amaya; Tillman, Ebobisse, Bouanga

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We say: Tigres 1-1 Los Angeles FC (Tigres wins on penalties)

 

Neither side are guaranteed passage into the next phase, though LA have failed to show an ability to close off matches lately, and we believe that will cost them against an experienced Tigres side in good form.

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

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