LAFC vs Tigres UANL
Wednesday, September 27 at 8:00 pm PT
Location: BMO Stadium - Los Angeles, California
Radio: 710 AM ESPN, ESPN LA App, 980 AM La Mera Mera
After a scoreless draw against the Philadelphia Union Saturday night, LAFC now shifts gears to the Campeones Cup as it hosts Mexican side Tigres UANL on Wednesday, September 27 at BMO Stadium.
The match is the fifth-ever edition of the Campeones Cup, which features the reigning MLS Cup winners and Campeón de Campeones from Liga MX.
LAFC secured its spot by defeating the Philadelphia Union in the 2022 MLS Cup final while Tigres punched its ticket by defeating C.F. Pachuca in June.
The Black & Gold come in with revenge on their mind as Wednesday’s clash is a rematch of the 2020 Concacaf Champions League final, which Tigres won.
TIGRES IN-DEPTH
Led by head coach Robert Siboldi, Tigres sit in third place in the 2023 Apertura tournament with a 5-2-2 record and 17 points – just two points behind leaders Atlético de San Luis, who sit in first place with 19 points.
In this summer’s inaugural Leagues Cup tournament, Tigres was the top seed in the West1 group, and advanced by defeating two MLS teams, the Portland Timbers and San Jose Earthquakes.The club then knocked out the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Round of 32 before being eliminated by Mexican rival C.F. Monterrey in the Round of 16.
Thirty-seven-year-old striker André-Pierre Gignac leads his team and Liga MX in goals scored, with five in just six games played. Gignac, who has been with the club since 2015, has scored 196 goals across all competitions during his tenure with the Nuevo León-based club.
Another 37-year-old, goalkeeper Nahuel Guzmán, has been with the club since 2014. Known for his on-field theatrics to distract opponents, Guzmán has made 433 appearances with 173 clean sheets across all competitions.
THE BLACK & GOLD WILL WIN IF
It can score first and manage the game on its own terms. The Black & Gold are in the midst of playing six matches in 22 days and fatigue may set in if the club finds itself chasing the game. LAFC’s top goal scorer, Denis Bouanga, played only the second half of Wednesday’s draw in Philadelphia (LAFC’s second straight goalless match). He will likely start against Tigres.
TIGRES CAN WIN IF
It can take advantage of a club that has played 43 games since March and is in the final stretch of a grueling regular season. Tigres will most likely come out in a 4-2-3-1 formation and will look to get ahead early and limit space for the Black & Gold.
