Galaxy, Tigres play to scoreless draw in CONACAF quarterfinal first leg.

It was a cold and windy night at Dignity Health Sports Park, but whether it was the winds of change for the Los Angeles Galaxy in its chances of winning the CONCACAF Champions Cup? that is to be determined next week.

Welcoming Liga Mx side Tigres UNAL to Carson for the first leg of its quarterfinal matchup, both sides did manage its fair share of chances in the match, but after 90 minutes were up on Tuesday night, both teams still sat on equal footing as far as the score line following the 0-0 draw.

“I don’t think it’s bad at all,” LA Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said. “Getting the shutout was important, not giving up an away goal is huge. I’ll take shutout over the 1-0 or a 1-1 result.”

The Galaxy were on the front foot from the start, Joseph Paintsil dribbled down the right side in the second minute, Paintsil sent in a dangerous cross into the penalty area and only a timely intervention from Tigres defender Joaquim Henrique prevented Christian Ramirez from getting a point-blank chance at goal at the near post.

Tigres had the game’s first shot on goal in the 10th minute. After breaking up a Galaxy attack, Juan Jose Purata sent a left-footed cross perfectly to the feet of Juan Brunetta, who brough the ball down, then fired a left-footed shot at keeper John McCarthy, but the shot didn’t post much of a threat, as McCarthy calmly scooped up the ball. Tigres’ best chance might have come in the 41st minute, and it started when Javier Aquino won a ball deep inside the Galaxy’s side of the field, Aquino then played a ball back to Brunetta, who after a brief dribble sent a ball into the penalty area, Galaxy defender Emiro Garces cut off the pass, but it turned out to be the perfect set up for Tigres forward Nicolas Ibanez, as he quickly one-timed a shot, but it went right to McCarthy, who after stopping the shot quickly smothered the ball.

The Galaxy had other chances in the match as well. A long range volley from Gabriel Pec off a free kick in the 25th minute deflected off Brunetta, though still continued dangerously towards goal, though it eventually went wide left. in the 65th minute, as an initial shot by Ramirez was blocked, but the ball fell to the feet of Isaiah Parente, who immediately fired a right-footed shot from about 24 yards out, but keeper Nahuel Guzman managed the save. in the 75th minute, Parente sent a free kick into the penalty area, the ball was deflected high and when it came down, Garces got a header on the ball and Mathias Nascimento looked to have gotten a touch on the ball, but Guzman was still able to scoop up the ball. A minute later, Ramirez sprung Nascimento down the left side, Nascimento crossed into the penalty area to an open Pec, who brought the ball down, then fired a left-footed shot that was blocked by Diego Lainez.

“Us playing clean for 90 minutes and not doing something to hurt ourselves, having a clean game is important,” LA Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said.

Tigres had the better chances in the match’s final moments. In the 83rd minute, Lainez played a ball that was deflected, but still achieved the intended result of going into the penalty area and creating a dangerous chance for Tigres, as Sebastian Cordova came in and one-timed a ball towards goal, but McCarthy made the save and scooped up the ball to prevent any rebound chances. Tigres had one last chance to gain the advantage in the 91st minute, as Romulo Zwarg was open inside the penalty area and tried to hit home a rebound chance, only to sent the shot into the stands.

The Galaxy did not get out of this match unscathed, as defender and captain Maya Yoshida had to leave the game in the first half due to what Vanney described as a hamstring issue, though Vanney stressed that it was not a major issue.

“He started to feel he was getting tight,” Vanney said. “He sat down as a pro instead of trying to push it, nothing significant and we’ll assess and see what that looks like for this weekend and going into next week, but he escaped being anything bad.”

Before traveling to Mexico City for the final leg next Tuesday, the Galaxy will be on the road in Utah, as they travel to face Real Salt Lake.