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Why the 2025 Leagues Cup Could Be the LA Galaxy's Revenge Tour

With rematches that are so far working in their favor, the Los Angeles Galaxy seem to be getting back at teams that eliminated them or beat them over the years, starting with Pachuca on Wednesday night.
ByScott Conrad|
LA Galaxy v Pachuca - Leagues Cup Quarterfinals
LA Galaxy v Pachuca - Leagues Cup Quarterfinals | Jam Media/GettyImages

The 2025 version of the Los Angeles Galaxy has been quite the enigma this year. The defending MLS Cup champions entered the season with several new faces and high hopes to return to the postseason for a second year in a row.

Instead, their season began with a historically awful 16-game winless streak. Since that horrible stretch to open the season, the LA Galaxy have never been able to get out of the bottom of the MLS Western Conference standigs.

However, when it comes to the international stage for either the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup or the ongoing 2025 Leagues Cup, the LA Galaxy have done better than their 4-7-16 MLS record.

With history being something one can either look back to dwell on or looking forward to make, the Los Angeles Galaxy are on a bit of a revenge tour this Leagues Cup.

The LA Galaxy get back at Pachuca.

In the Superliga meeting between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Pachuca, the two-leg series did not go in favor of the Galaxy. Despite beating Pachuca 2-1 in the first leg, five days later, Pachuca won in penalty kicks. That gave Pachuca the win and allowed them to advance in 2007.

Fast forward 18 years to the Knockout Round of the this year's Leagues Cup tournament, the two teams meet again. This time, the LA Galaxy did not allow the game to come down to penalty kicks, unlike their match against Cruz Azul during Phase One of the Leagues Cup.

Thanks to an own goal from Pachuca defender Daniel Aceves and a score from Marco Reus, the LA Galaxy bested the Mexican La Liga powerhouse, 2-1. That win thrust the Galaxy into the semifinals of the Leagues Cup.

LA Galaxy can now avenge the 4-0 loss against the Seattle Sounders.

On Sunday, August 10, the Los Angeles Galaxy hosted the Sounders in a rematch of last year's MLS Western Conference Finals. With Dejan Joveljic's goal and Riqui Puig's assist on the play, the LA Galaxy won 1-0.

Seattle remembered this blow to their championship efforts as they came into Dignity Health Sports Park and shutout the six-time MLS Cup winners, 4-0. This time, an own goal by one of the LA Galaxy's defenders, Julian Aude, started the rough night off for the home team.

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Galaxy have chance to get back at the Sounders. Seattle also ended the Galaxy's time in last year's Leagues Cup, too.

LA Galaxy v Colorado Rapids
LA Galaxy v Colorado Rapids | Harry How/GettyImages

Win or lose, the Revenge Tour doesn't stop for the LA Galaxy.

In the other semifinal match for the 2025 Leagues Cup, Inter Miami and Orlando City SC play one another. The winner of that match plays the winner between the LA Galaxy and the Sounders.

Both Inter Miami and Orlando City SC beat the LA Galaxy during the MLS season. Miami did so moe recently, but Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney could not defeat other Florida-based team this year.

Regardless on if the LA Galaxy are playing the Leagues Cup championship or the Third-Place Match, they will have a chance for redemption against either MLS Eastern Conference team. It's just a matter of which Florida team and in which match this weekend.

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