Despite being in last place in the MLS Western Conference, the Galaxy can add a second highlight to the season.
First, the Galaxy secured a spot in next year’s CONCACAF Champions Cup thanks to a third-place finish in the Leagues Cup tournament.
On Wednesday, the Galaxy host Toluca in the Campeones Cup, with a trophy on the line.
“A season that kind of got lost in the first half, the second half of the season has been solid and we’ve been much more stable,” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. “We had a great run in Leagues Cup, performances and results have been much more stable and I think this is just an opportunity for us to take something out of season.
“We’ve got a Champions League spot for next year, which is obviously really positive, now this is a chance to put a trophy in the trophy case, which is a legacy for this group of players that have been here for the season.”
The Campeones Cup was created in 2018, featuring the winner of the MLS Cup from the previous year and winners of the Liga MX Campeon de Campeones game. That features the champion of the Liga MX Clasura and Apertura tournaments.
Vanney led Toronto FC into the first edition, losing to Tigres. In the previous six meetings, MLS clubs have won three and Liga MX have won three.
Toluca will be making its third trip to Dignity Health Sports Park. First, Toluca defeated America 3-1 in the Campeon de Campeones, then returned as a host club in the Leagues Cup, losing in penalty kicks against Orlando City SC in the quarterfinals.
Since July 26, Toluca has lost only twice in regulation over a span of 13 games.
“We didn’t lose any of the games (in regulation) during Leagues Cup,” Toluca coach Antonio Mohamed said. “That tournament kind of helped us build momentum into our season and I think we’re reaching this match back at this stadium in the best way possible.”
The Galaxy also found success against Liga MX teams in Leagues Cup, defeating Tijuana, Santos Laguna and Pachuca and playing Cruz Azul to a draw, with the Galaxy dropping the extra point due to the penalty-kick shootout loss.
Vanney said Toluca reminds him of Cruz Azul.
“A team that had quality all over the field and gave us some interesting things to think about over the course of the game,” Vanney said. “I know they’ve played each other recently (on Aug. 23 with Cruz Azul winning 1-0) and it was a very good game.
“Defensively, they can be very aggressive and really step out in the man-to-man. They can also stay in an organized block and with the ball, they’ve also got players who are comfortable doing different things. When you deal with teams like that, their efficiency is always a thing that you have to be careful of because it’s a team that maybe doesn’t need a ton of chances to put things in the back of the net.”
The Galaxy are coming off a 4-1 win over Sporting Kansas City on Saturday.
“This is another big opportunity to lift a trophy for the this club,” Galaxy midfielder Edwin Cerrillo said. “Thanks to our performances last year, we’re in this position now and it’s our biggest game of the season. Playing a good team that we have to respect and we have confidence as well.”
CAMPEONES CUP: TOLUCA at GALAXY
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Dignity Health Sports Park
How to watch: Apple TV+ (MLS Season Pass)