By Jon Arnold
Los Angeles is not a town unfamiliar with being at the center of attention. Whether it’s film, fashion or football, LA often hosts headliners.
But it’s certainly been the middle of the Leagues Cup universe, thanks to fantastic matches hosted by quarterfinalists LA Galaxy and 2024 runners-up LAFC plus neutral site tilts that delivered #LeaguesCupAfterDark madness and joy.
That should only continue this week, with Dignity Health Sports Park playing host to a quarterfinal doubleheader. The night begins with defending Liga MX champion Toluca welcoming red-hot Orlando City. Then, the home LA Galaxy take the field against current Liga MX table-topper Pachuca.
That match begins at 8:45 p.m. local time, leading to the potential for some memorable late-night moments. In the final match of Phase One, also the second game of a double header, the LA Galaxy set a target on a win by at least two goals over Santos Laguna, knowing that would put them into the quarterfinals. They were able to meet and exceed that mark, with Joseph Paintsil scoring in the 2nd minute to set a tone on the way to a 4-0 victory.
Wednesday’s quarterfinal is critical for the Galaxy, the defending MLS Cup champions, but a team that has been hit hard by injuries and other frustrations this season. After returning to MLS play with losses to the Seattle Sounders and Inter Miami, it’s clear their best path to a trophy this season is earning three more wins in Leagues Cup. That starts Wednesday against Jaime Lozano’s Tuzos. While they only tasted defeat for the first time this season Saturday in a 2-0 loss to Club Tijuana, Pachuca also has something to prove. Eliminated from the Club World Cup in just three matches, the team wants to get back to that tournament, using the CCC as a springboard.
The Galaxy saw off that same Xolos side that beat Pachuca this weekend earlier in Leagues Cup, opening the competition with a 5-2 victory over Gilberto Mora and Co. Then, it was a matchup against Liga MX grande Cruz Azul. La Maquina felt it was in control of that contest but Gabriel Pec’s 81st minute goal sent things to a shootout where Kevin Mier was able to get the better of the Galaxy in an 8-7 shootout win. That matchup against Santos, however, lifted the Galaxy enough to put them into the quarterfinal.
Closer to downtown, LAFC hosted three tightly contested contests at BMO Stadium. Last year’s Leagues Cup runners-up opened the tournament with a 1-1 draw with Mazatlán. That forced a shootout which saw a 12-round shootout with the visitors prevailing 11-10 for the added point awarded to shootout winners.
LAFC was back at the spot a few nights later, again playing to a 1-1 draw but prevailing over Pachuca in a shootout. While Pachuca would go on to extend its tournament, the results from MLS rivals meant that even a 2-1 win over Tigres - fueled by a David Martinez double - could push LAFC into the quarterfinal round but they fell just short.
Perhaps it should come as no surprise that LA has delivered so many great games. The summer of soccer kicked off in Southern California, with Mexico beating the Dominican Republic at SoFi Stadium in Gold Cup play jut days before PSG topped Atlético Madrid at the historic Rose Bowl. The region’s love for soccer runs deep, extending from MLS to Liga MX and beyond.
That should mean strong support in the first match as well, with Toluca ‘hosting’ Orlando City at a neutral site where they feel at home. In late July, Toluca set up shop at DHSP for the Campeon de Campeones contest against Club América. After conceding a first-minute goal, Toluca settled in and scored three unanswered to lift the trophy. They’ll once again be hoping for a good turnout from fans in Southern California, eager to see their team enjoy its best stretch in more than a decade.
Whoever emerges victorious and earns a place in the semifinals - and two chances to punch their CCC ticket - there is no question that LA once again is the center of the soccer universe this week. Whether it be the teams involved or something magical about the site, fans will be hoping for another thrilling Leagues Cup night in the City of Angels.
