CARSON, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Galaxy has it all to play for in the second leg of their Champions Cup tie against Tigres after battling to a hard-fought scoreless draw in the opening match played at Dignity Health Sports Park on April 1, 2025.
The Galaxy took everything Tigres threw at them, both physically and tactically, withstood it, and proved those that were predicting a lopsided victory for Tigres wrong. LA is now well-positioned to steal a spot in the Concacaf semi-finals if they can somehow earn another draw in Mexico next week.
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— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) April 2, 2025
John McCarthy was the hero on the night for LA, making four saves, including two point-blank blocks, to stifle Tigres’ offense and earn a shutout for the Galaxy.
It was a great way to bounce back for the shotstopper, who had a high-profile blunder against Orlando City that led to LA’s most recent MLS loss.
But against Tigres, McCarthy and the Galaxy defense were solid and mistake-free. They were patient in waiting out the Mexican side’s probing offense and by the second-half, had forced Tigres into retreating into their own half.
Despite holding an advantage in possession, Tigres could manage only one shot on target in the last 45 minutes.
The gutsy performance ensured that the Galaxy would get a shutout for the first time in nine games. More importantly, it means that Los Angeles goes into the second leg of the series against Tigres without having conceded an all-important away goal.
In a week in which LA Galaxy Head Coach Greg Vanney had implored his team to “take care of business,” they were able to deliver an important result against a quality opponent.
“Yeah, I don’t think it's bad at all. I think being able to get the shutout is important, you know, not giving up the away goal is huge, I think in these things,” Vanney said of the team’s performance in a post-match press conference.
“We’d like to have had a goal, but I’ll take the shutout over the 1-0, I mean, over giving up a goal or a 1-1, or anything like that, so I think it’s a good result. Also, us playing clean for 90 minutes and not doing something to hurt ourselves, but having a clean game is important.”
Photo Credit: LA Galaxy
LA Galaxy Defender Miki Yamane was part of the backline that held Tigres scoreless in the Galaxy's 0-0 draw against the Mexican team in the first leg of the Round of 16 Champions Cup match on April 1, 2025.
The defensive effort becomes even more impressive considering it was accomplished without the defensive stalwart and Captain Maya Yoshida. The Japanese defender was forced to leave the match in the 31st minute after going down away from the ball due to an apparent hamstring injury.
Yoshida’s departure forced Zanka Jørgensen into an early cameo, and the first-year Galaxy player responded by marshalling the backline into a complete defensive performance, perhaps LA’s first one of the year.
The result ensures that the Galaxy have the opportunity to upset Tigres in the second leg in their own home in front of a hostile crowd.
But as has been the story so far this season, the Galaxy will need much more offense to spring the surprise.
“You know, we set ourselves up there. If we can get one goal, win or draw, is in our favor, so it's a positive,” Vanney claimed of how the first-leg result positions the teams ahead of leg two.
The Galaxy will face Tigres in the quarterfinal second leg when they travel to Estadio Universitario in Monterrey, Mexico, on Tuesday, April 8.