Tijuana Xolos Leagues Cup Preview: Xolos face LA Galaxy in Carson
Game: LA Galaxy vs Tijuana Xolos
Where: Dignity Health Sports Park
When: Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Time: 8:00 P.M. PST
TV: ESPN, TUDN
The Tijuana Xolos will start off their Leagues Cup campaign this Tuesday, July 23, against the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park. The Leagues Cup is a brand new tournament this season that will face four MLS teams against four Liga MX teams.
It has already been confirmed that the next edition of the Leagues Cup will include 16 teams as the collaboration between MLS and Liga MX grows. The Xolos will arguably face the best MLS team in this Leagues Cup and will inclusively have to do it away from home.
The Aztec Canines are coming off a huge 3-1 away win against Puebla to start off the Liga MX 2019 Apertura season. Club Tijuana had a busy transfer window and some of the new players that came in like Washington Camacho and Leonel Miranda have adapted well to the Liga MX.
Brazilian striker Camilo Sanvezzo worked well with Miller Bolanos and Ariel Nahuelpan in the game against Puebla, but he still has some adjustments to make. Club Tijuana’s attack looks solid as Miller Bolanos and Ariel Nahuelpan had a great start to the season and already seem to be in midseason form.
The LA Galaxy is currently second in the MLS Western Conference with 37 points, trying to catch up with crosstown rivals LAFC. However, the Galaxy did manage to beat LAFC 3-2 in their last game as star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a hat-trick in that clash.
The Los Angeles team has a very solid squad that includes Mexican national team players like Uriel Antuna and Jonathan Dos Santos as well as historic Xolos’ player Joe Corona. The Galaxy is top-title contenders in the MLS and in this Leagues Cup as this will be a very tough game for the Tijuana Xolos at Dignity Health Sports Park.
Players to Watch
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
The Swedish striker is arguably the best player in Major League Soccer as he has the experience and talent to back that up. Ibrahimovic is a very physical player, but he is also very skillful as he still possesses one of the most powerful strikes in world football.
Ariel Nahuelpan
Like Ibrahimovic, Nahuelpan possesses a very good physical presence along with very good technical skills. The Argentine striker scored in Tijuana’s first game of the season against Puebla and he will be instrumental to the Xolos’ success this season.
Prediction
EVT predicts an exciting 2-2 draw in regulation time as this match has the potential to be high scoring, with the Tijuana Xolos taking the game on penalties.
Francisco, 26, Chula Vista/Tijuana. I have been a Padres fan all my life, did most of the series previews and recaps in the Padres’ 2016 season for EVT. Now I focus more on the local soccer scene. Tijuana Xolos, San Diego Loyal, San Diego Wave.