Joseph Paintsil records two goals and assist, while Matheus Nascimento notches a goal and assist in 5-2 win over Club Tijuana on July 31; Next up, LA plays host to Cruz Azul at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday, Aug. 3 at 7:30 p.m. PT on MLS Season Pass
LOS ANGELES (Thursday, July 31, 2025) – Beginning their Leagues Cup 2025 campaign, the LA Galaxy earned a 5-2 win over LIGA MX side Club Tijuana before 15,183 fans at Dignity Health Sports Park on Thursday night. Joseph Paintsil recorded two goals and an assist en route to being named the Leagues Cup Man of the Match.
LA Galaxy In Leagues Cup
In six all-time Leagues Cup matches played under the current format, which began in 2023, the LA Galaxy hold a record of 2-3-1 (11 GF, 11 GA). In four all-time League Cup matches played at Dignity Health Sports Park, the Galaxy hold a record of 1-2-1 (8 GF, 7 GA). Thursday’s matched marked the fourth meeting across all competitions between the Galaxy and Club Tijuana, with LA leading the all-time series (2-1-1; 10 GF, 8 GA). In three all-time meetings at home against Club Tijuana, the Galaxy hold an unbeaten record of 2-0-1 (8 GF, 4 GA).
LA Galaxy Run of Form
In their last nine matches played across all competitions dating back to May 31, the LA Galaxy hold a record of 4-2-3 (20 GF, 14 GA). In their last five matches played at Dignity Health Sports Park dating back to May 31, the LA Galaxy hold a record of 4-1-0 (13 GF, 5 GA) and have logged two shutouts during that span. During that stretch of games, Marco Reus has logged three goals and five assists in seven matches played, while Matheus Nascimento has totaled eight goal contributions (4 goals, 4 assists) in nine appearances since May 31. Notably, Paintsil has recorded six goals and one assist in his last five matches played at Dignity Health Sports Park dating back to May 31.
Goal-Scoring Plays
LA – Matheus Nascimento (Penalty Kick), 17th minute: After Club Tijuana was whistled for a handball inside the box, Matheus Nascimento’s ensuing penalty-kick attempt was drilled into the bottom left corner of the goal.**
TIJ – Gilberto Mora (Unai Bilbao), 21st minute**: Gilberto Mora’s low, right-footed strike from the edge of the penalty box was drilled into the bottom corner.
LA – Gabriel Pec (Diego Fagundez), 39th minute: Diego Fagundez laid the ball off just outside the 18-yard box to Gabriel Pec, whose curling shot bounced past the Tijuana goalkeeper and found the bottom corner of the goal.
TIJ – Gilberto Mora (Rafael Fernandez), 59th minute: Gilberto Mora’s left-footed strike from outside the 18-yard box was rifled into the bottom left corner.
LA – Joseph Paintsil (Matheus Nascimento, Marco Reus), 65th minute: Matheus Nascimento received a ball inside the penalty area from Marco Reus. Nascimento laid the ball off towards the onrushing Joseph Paintsil, who curled his shot into the top right corner.
LA – Marco Reus (Joseph Paintsil, Edwin Cerrillo), 82nd minute: Joseph Paintsil picked up the ball and beat his marker towards the end line. Paintsil glanced up and cut back a pass to Marco Reus, who finished from point-blank-range.
LA – Joseph Paintsil (Miki Yamane), 90+1st minute: Miki Yamane delivered a pass behind the Xolos defense to Joseph Paintsil, who sprinted past his defender and struck his shot from about 25-yards away from goal and found the back of the net.
Postgame Notes
- Following the conclusion of the first matchday in Phase One of Leagues Cup 2025, the LA Galaxy (1-0-0; +3 GD) rank third in the MLS standings behind only Seattle Sounders FC (1-0-0; +7 GD) and the Portland Timbers (1-0-0; +4 GD)
- In six all-time Leagues Cup matches played under the current format, which began in 2023, the LA Galaxy hold a record of 2-3-1 (11 GF, 11 GA).
- In four all-time League Cup matches played at Dignity Health Sports Park, the Galaxy hold a record of 1-2-1 (8 GF, 7 GA).
- Thursday’s matched marked the fourth meeting across all competitions between the Galaxy Club Tijuana, with LA leading the all-time series (2-1-1; 10 GF, 8 GA).
- In three all-time meetings at home against Club Tijuana, the Galaxy hold an unbeaten record of 2-0-1 (8 GF, 4 GA).
- In their last nine matches played across all competitions dating back to May 31, the LA Galaxy hold a record of 4-2-3 (20 GF, 14 GA).
- The LA Galaxy hold a record of 4-1-0 (13 GF, 5 GA) in their last five matches played across all competitions at Dignity Health Sports Park dating back to May 31.
- Joseph Paintsil was named the Leagues Cup Man of the Match after registering a brace and an assist in the win over Tijuana.
- Paintsil has recorded six goals and one assist in his last five matches played at Dignity Health Sports Park dating back to May 31.
- In his last five matches played across all competitions dating back to July 4, Joseph Paintsil has totaled six goal contributions (5 goals, 1 assist).
- In 29 career matches played at Dignity Health Sports Park, Paintsil has totaled 26 goal contributions (16 goals, 10 assists).
- Gabriel Pec has logged two goals and three assists in five matches played across all comps.
- Matheus Nascimento notched his second one goal, one assist performance of the year in the victory against Club Tijuana.
- Nascimento has totaled eight goal contributions (4 goals, 4 assists) in nine appearances since May 31.
- Marco Reus has totaled 14 goal contributions (6 goals, 8 assists) in his last 15 matches played dating back to April 27.
- Novak Mićović logged a season-high nine saves in the victory against Tijuana.
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Next Game*
Next up, the LA Galaxy continue their Leagues Cup 2025 campaign by playing host to Cruz Azul at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday, Aug. 3 (7:30 p.m. PT; MLS Season Pass).
Leagues Cup 2025 – Phase One
LA Galaxy vs. Club Tijuana
Thursday, July 31, 2025 – Dignity Health Sports Park (Los Angeles)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
LA Galaxy 2 3 5
Club Tijuana 1 1 2
Scoring Summary:
LA: Nascimento (Penalty Kick), 17
TIJ: Mora (Bilbao), 21
LA: Pec (Fagundez), 39
TIJ: Mora (Fernandez), 59
LA: Paintsil (Nascimento, Reus), 65
LA: Reus (Paintsil, Cerrillo), 82
LA: Paintsil (Yamane), 90+1
Misconduct Summary:
N/A
Lineups:
LA: GK Novak Mićović; D Mauricio Cuevas (Miki Yamane, 68), D Emiro Garcés, D Zanka, D Julián Aude (John Nelson, 68); M Edwin Cerrillo, M Diego Fagundez (Lucas Sanabria, 68), M Marco Reus © (Christian Ramirez, 87), F Gabriel Pec, F Joseph Paintsil, F Matheus Nascimento (Isaiah Parente, 77)
Substitutes Not Used: GK JT Marcinkowski, GK John McCarthy; D Harbor Miller, D Eriq Zavaleta, M Tucker Lepley, M Elijah Wynder, F Miguel Berry
TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Joseph Paintsil, 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 10 (Joseph Paintsil, 5); FOULS: 5 (Five players tied, 1); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 9
TIJ: GK Jose Rodriguez ©; D Rafael Fernandez, D Unai Bilbao, D Ivan Tona (Domingo Blanco, 75), D Jackson Porozo, M Gilberto Mora, M Jesus Vega, M Ramiro Arciga (Vitor Ferreira, 66), M Adonis Preciado (Jesus Gomez, 83), M Kevin Castaneda (Frank Boya, 66), F Shamar Nicholson
Substitutes Not Used: GK Jorge Hernandez, GK Jose Castro; D Leonardo Vargas, D Josue Reyes, M Joe Corona, M Ramiro Franco, F Joban Gonzalez
TOTAL SHOTS: 30 (Four players tied, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 11 (Frank Boya, 3); FOULS: 5 (Five players tied, 1); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 16; SAVES: 5
Referee: Mario Escobar
Assistant Referees: Luis Chacon, Humberto Chitay
Fourth Official: Julio Luna
VAR: Dilia Maria Bradley Santizo
Weather: Clear, 66 degrees
Attendance: 15,183
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All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial*
