CARSON, Calif. -- Playing in front of a majority hostile crowd at home, the LA Galaxy tasted defeat for the first time in the Leagues Cup, an 8-7 penalty loss against Cruz Azul after finishing tied 1-1 at the end of regulation on Sunday, August 3.
Even though LA had a few chances to win the match and take all three points, not the least through Marco Reus who found himself on a late-game breakaway he should have dispatched, the Galaxy will now need to win on the last match day of the first round to go through.
Next up: Club Santos Laguna on Thursday ➡️ pic.twitter.com/4je1JyqddY
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) August 4, 2025
And they’ll probably need to do it in another hostile “home” atmosphere.
In what amounted to an “away” game for LA, large swaths of blue could be seen dominating the stands at Dignity Health Sports Park. The sell-out crowd was heavily pro-Cruz Azul, and even the music being played on the concourse felt more geared toward the “visiting” fans.
The continuing Galaxy fan protest didn't help matters, as there were sections of the supporters groups present, but despite trying, could not match the energy and fervor of the Concacaf Champions Cup winner's fans.
It certainly made for a different type of atmosphere, one that LA Galaxy Head Coach Greg Vanney seemed to relish, even though the home supporters were outmatched.
“I thought the atmosphere was great. It didn't feel like a home game, but from that regard, it felt like our field and our stadium, but it didn't feel like our environment, if you will. But I thought the fans that were there, they were ours, gave what you expected,” Vanney shared with The Sporting Tribune in a post match press conference.
The Galaxy boss conceded Cruz Azul’s superiority in support, but added that the conditions made the game feel like it had extra weight.
“I just felt like we were a little outnumbered on the night, but the environment was fantastic. It was electric, you know, the game was super high intensity and high speed, which also drives the fans to be super involved in the game and emotionally invested in the game. And so I thought what was happening on the field was also driving energy through the stadium and back and forth. So I thought it was a great environment. It felt like a CONCACAF, like high stakes game, you know? And you play those in Champions League, and tonight, we felt like one of those two teams that were giving everything they had to try to get a result in the environment, I thought was very conducive to that.”
The energy that Vanney spoke about threatened to overwhelm the Galaxy in the opening exchanges, as LA struggled to match Cruz Azul's tempo.
Photo Credit: LA Galaxy
LA Galaxy Winger Joseph Paintsil battles against two Cruz Azul defenders in the Galaxy's 8-7 penalty defeat to the visitors on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at Dignity Health Sports Park.
The first 10 minutes of the match felt chaotic, with LA withstanding a barrage of pressure. LA Galaxy winger Joseph Paintsil was active throughout, and was the Galaxy’s focal point for much of the match.
His battles against Cruz Azul defenders came under scrutiny for their intensity, and on another night would have yielded Paintsil results. Referee Filiberto Calix was having none of it, however, and actually awarded Cruz Azul the ball on more than one occasion while Paintsil found himself thrown to the floor.
That Cruz Azul fans cheered his decisions only emboldened Calix, who by the end of the night, had seemingly reinterpreted the rules of soccer, and had missed at least one legitimate penalty opportunity by the Galaxy.
“I think it's a penalty at the end,” Vanney concurred. “Unless they're saying it's somehow outside of the box, he definitely gets a piece of them. But they didn't. They didn't care for Joe today.”
Only one game left per club. Who makes it through? #LeaguesCup2025 pic.twitter.com/78um5hSYE9
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 4, 2025
Even though the MLS Cup champs have a right to feel aggrieved by the officiating, Paintsil especially, they can only blame themselves for the dropped points.
They’ll now need to battle the unique conditions of this tournament again on Thursday, August 7, when they host Santos Laguna in the round’s last game. Since the Galaxy find themselves in fifth, they must win against Santos to go through to the next round.
If Sunday’s match is any indication, the Galaxy will need to overcome a hostile crowd, a referee who fancies himself the game’s protagonist, and their own finishing, to get a result against their next Liga MX opponent.
