The LA Galaxy's Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal run ended Tuesday with a 3-2 defeat on aggregate against Club Tigres, as defensive miscues and a failed comeback effort extended their winless streak to six matches across all competitions.
Tuesday’s quarterfinal looked to be over before it started after Nico Ibanez headed in a Diego Lainez cross to put Tigres ahead, then Uriel Antuna took advantage of a bad pass from Isaiah Parente to make it 2-0.
This was an absolutely WILD start for @TigresOficial 😱 pic.twitter.com/IcDdOxKCYe
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 9, 2025
"The first goal is a decent goal, it’s hell of a cross from a pretty wide position and great header," Vanney said. "For me, it’s just not acceptable for the group to concede the way we conceded the second one.”
Both goals came within a minute of each other and inside of 10 minutes of regulation, but the Galaxy would respond just before the break.
Joseph Paintsil jumped a bad pass headed toward Tigres goalkeeper Nahual Guzman and scored to make it 2-1.
GAME ON!@LAGalaxy takes one back! pic.twitter.com/YzDYb8ajuc
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 9, 2025
Tigres would go back ahead by two goals early in the second half after Romelu Zwarg headed in a cross from Lainez, his second assist of the night.
The Galaxy would respond almost immediately after Emiro Garcés knocked in a ball that was headed by Zanka in the area to make it 3-2.
WOW!
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 9, 2025
Just like that @LAGalaxy takes one back again 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/YmoRvHqqgc
The Galaxy continued to press as timed winded down but the comeback effort proved to be too little, too late.
Vanney went onto praise his club’s effort despite the physicality displayed in the second half.
“It wasn’t necessarily a fluid soccer game or anything like that,” Vanney said. “It was just kind of scrappy, lots of fouls, lots of duels, things like that.”
Next, Greg Vanney and the Galaxy will shift their focus towards the MLS season as the club returns to Dignity Health Sports Park to host the Houston Dynamo Saturday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m.
Vanney is hoping to get the Galaxy back in the winning column, but he appreciates the resiliency his team has shown despite the mountain of mistakes.
“Whether it’s league, Champions League or whatever we can’t make mistakes and give up three goals,” Vanney said. “We’ve got to stop putting ourselves in these deficits and we’re having to fight back but what I did like is the guys did battle back and try to find our way back all the way until the end.”