Zlatan-Won Kenobi, you’re our only hope! If MLS wants to show in the Leagues Cup final, it’s going to be up to LA Galaxy, the only survivor of the four head-to-head matchups between MLS and Liga MX teams in the first round of the inaugural Leagues Cup matches last month. Cruz Azul, which bested the Chicago Fire in the opener, now travels to Carson, California, to meet a Galaxy team featuring the inimitable Zlatan Ibrahimovic and made all the more intriguing by the recent addition of Cristian Pavon.
Here’s everything you need to know to live stream LA Galaxy vs. Cruz Azul, including what to watch for on the pitch.
LA Galaxy vs. Cruz Azul
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- When: 10:30pm ET, Tuesday, Aug. 20
- Where: Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California
- Streaming: ESPN2, TUDN
LA Galaxy vs. Cruz Azul live stream
The match is on ESPN2 in English and TUDN en Español; the following services provide a one-week trial and therefore an easy way to watch Leagues Cup matches for free.
1) Sling TV
- Sling TV pricing: $25-$40 per month (40% off first month)
- Sling TV devices: Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Xbox One, Google Chromecast, Oculus Go, Microsoft Edge, and iOS and Android devices
- Sling TV local channels: NBC, Fox (check your local availability here)
Sling TV provides two base channel package options, each priced at $25 per month. Sling Orange includes three ESPN channels, while Sling Blue includes sports channels like NBCSN (where many Premier League matches appear), NFL Network, FS1 and FS2, and local channels. (Sling Blue customers in select markets get NBC, where some matches appear; see if yours has it here.) If you’re Team “Why Not Both,” Sling Orange + Blue combines the two for just $40 per month. To add beIN SPORTS and maximize your soccer-watching potential, you’ll want to add either Sports Extra: Sling Orange ($5 per month) or Sports Extra: Sling Blue ($10 per month). (The latter also includes NFL RedZone.)
Spanish-speaking viewers have quite a few options. For bilingual families, you might consider the Español: Best of Spanish TV package for either Sling Orange or Sling Blue for 24/7 specialty channel LaLiga TV and beIN SPORTS Connect: Channels 4-9, which features matches from La Liga, Ligue 1 and Copa del Rey, among others. Both packages cost $5 per month after your free trial. Sling TV Latino is another Spanish-language package for $10 per month, including NBC Universo, History en Español, and—of import to soccer fans—four beIN SPORTS channels. (And choosing Sling TV Latino + Sling Orange for $30 per month gives you access to ESPN Deportes.) For more information, check out our guide to Sling TV channels and our Sling TV review.
2) FuboTV
- Cost: $44.99 for your first month and $54.99 per month thereafter (after a 7-day free trial)
- FuboTV devices: Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Android TV, iOS and Android devices
- Local channels: ABC, Fox, NBC, CBS, the CW (in some markets) (check local availability here)
FuboTV is a solid TV streaming service option, whether your tastes run to entertainment (AMC, Syfy, FX), news (MSNBC, CNN), or sports (NBA TV, NFL Network). If you’re a soccer fan, however, it will appear tailor-made for you, NBC and NBCSN, 10 beIN SPORTS channels, FS1, FS2, and Champions League actions via TNT all on tap. If you can’t watch a match live, FuboTV offers a three-day replay for each match and 30 hours of cloud DVR. (Check out the complete FuboTV channels list.)
FuboTV also has bilingual families in mind; each subscription comes with TUDN for Liga MX and Leagues Cup action, UniMás, Galavisión, NBC Universo, beIN SPORTS, Univision, and Fox Deportes. An extra $7.99 per month will bring you Latino Plus, which includes CNN en Español and TyC Sports among its offerings.
3) PlayStation Vue
- Cost: $44.99-$79.99 per month (after a 7-day free trial)
- PlayStation Vue devices: PlayStation 3 and 4, Roku, Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, Google Chromecast, Kodi, iOS and Android devices
- PlayStation Vue local channels: NBC, Fox, ABC, CBS (enter your ZIP code here to check your availability)
PlayStation Vue is a fantastic option for soccer fans who already own a PlayStation console, but this streaming platform is available on a variety of devices. ESPN and ESPN2 are part of the Core package of channels that offer soccer and other sports programming, and the options increase at the Elite and Ultra levels.
4) Hulu with Live TV
- Cost: $44.99 per month (after a 7-day free trial)
- Hulu devices: Roku, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, and iOS and Android devices
- Hulu local channels: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, the CW (check your local availability here)
Hulu with Live TV includes sports programming among its broad spectrum of offerings, and as a subscriber to the service, you’ll get free access to Hulu’s sizable on-demand library. (Check out the full list of Hulu Live TV channels.)
5) YouTube TV
- Cost: $50 per month (after a 7-day free trial)
- YouTube TV devices: Google Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Xbox One, iOS and Android devices
- YouTube TV local channels: NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC, the CW (enter your ZIP code here to check your availability)
YouTube TV is a great option for soccer fans, including ESPN2 for Leagues Cup matches, TNT for Champions League matches, NBC and NBCSN for Premier League matches, and broadcasting partnerships with three MLS teams. (Take a look at the full list of YouTube TV channels here.)
LA Galaxy vs. Cruz Azul: Why it matters
The Galaxy got past Club Tijuana in a weird penalty shootout (winning 3-1!) to get to this stage. It was, prior to last week, a team in the thick of the MLS playoff race. The loan deal that brought Cristian Pavon in from Boca Juniors to the Galaxy, however, may have put them on more equal footing with their crosstown rivals at LAFC—the lone MLS team officially qualified for the playoffs. Pavon appears to be the creative wide player that the Galaxy was missing; its modus operandi for most of the season has been “cross it to Zlatan.” As El Tri fans know, Jona dos Santos and Uriel Antuna are contributors to the Galaxy’s MLS Cup aspirations.
To get to the Leagues Cup final against either Club America or Tigres, the Galaxy will have to get past Cruz Azul, currently eighth in the Liga MX standings. In the most recent Liga MX match, it got past Atlas on the strength of a Milton Caraglio brace. If Caraglio heats up again, it could be an all-Mexican Leagues Cup final … but Zlatan might have something to say about that.
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