Leagues Cup Third-Place Showdown: LA Galaxy Host Orlando City for Concacaf Champions Cup Berth
This Sunday, LA Galaxy will host Orlando City at Dignity Health Sports Park in the Leagues Cup 2025 Third-Place Match. The winner of this crucial encounter will secure a direct berth in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup, making it a high-stakes fixture for both teams after their semifinal defeats. Both sides are eager to conclude their cup campaign with a victory and clinch continental qualification.
Match Background & Qualification Scenarios
This third-place playoff is a pivotal fixture in the 2025 Leagues Cup. LA Galaxy will host Orlando City after suffering a 0-2 defeat to Seattle Sounders FC in their semifinal match [23, 24]. Orlando City, meanwhile, fell 1-3 to their in-state rivals Inter Miami in the other semifinal [35, 50]. The significance of this game cannot be overstated, as the victorious side will earn direct qualification to the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup, an important continental competition offering a pathway to the FIFA Club World Cup [23, 24, 49]. For both teams, securing third place and continental qualification would serve as a significant achievement in the Leagues Cup, injecting confidence for future seasons despite missing out on the final.
Recent Form
LA Galaxy have had a decent run in the 2025 Leagues Cup, holding a record of 3 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss (3-1-1) in their five matches, scoring 12 goals and conceding 6 [23, 24]. Despite this, their MLS league form has been challenging, as they were still near the bottom of the Western Conference standings as of late August [21]. The Galaxy's most recent MLS match saw them secure a 3-0 victory over Colorado Rapids on August 23 [29]. Orlando City, while losing their Leagues Cup semifinal to Inter Miami, have generally shown better consistency in their recent form [13]. In their last five official matches, Orlando City has registered 3 wins and 2 losses [13]. They demonstrated resilience by winning their Leagues Cup quarterfinal against Toluca in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw [33].
Key Players & Injury News
For LA Galaxy, the attacking prowess largely hinges on Marco Reus, Gabriel Pec, and Joseph Paintsil, who are considered the team's primary offensive threats [27]. The fitness of captain Maya Yoshida and star midfielder Riqui Puig will be closely monitored [21]. Yoshida is expected to return in late August to mid-September, while Puig is still recovering from an ACL injury and might be unavailable [10, 21]. Matheus Nascimento is out with a groin injury but is expected to recover quickly [21]. On the Orlando City side, goalkeeper Pedro Gallese is a crucial figure [19]. The attacking trio of Luis Muriel, Martín Ojeda, and Marco Pašalić will be key to their offensive efforts [27, 43]. Regarding injuries, Duncan McGuire is expected to return in early September from a shoulder injury, and Wilder Cartagena will miss the entire season due to an Achilles tendon injury [25, 34, 35]. Defender David Brekalo will be suspended for this match after receiving a red card in the semifinal [27, 50].