Solid debuts for Ashley Cole and Jelle Van Damme as Galaxy and Xolos end goalless

The LA Galaxy kicked off their second exhibition match of preseason with a 0-0 draw against Xolos de Tijuana on Tuesday night.

Galaxy manager Bruce Arena fielded a strong starting XI as fans got their first glimpse of new signings Ashley Cole and Jelle Van Damme.

Both teams exchanged possession of the ball frequently but struggled with creativity in the final third. In all, it was your typical preseason game, but with some positives to take ahead of the CONCACAF Champions League game against Santos Laguna on February 24.

Player Ratings:

GK Dan Kennedy, 6.5 -- Dan Kennedy wasn't tested very much by Xolos de Tijuana's attack but did well to stay alert throughout his time on the field. He did make a mess out of goal-kick at some point in the match, but it is preseason and these sort of things happen.

DF Robbie Rogers, 6.5 -- Perhaps the busiest of Galaxy's defenders, Robbie Rogers went toe-to-toe with Tijuana's Gonzalo Diaz. The Argentine midfielder was arguably the best player on the field, and Rogers did his best to neutralize his threat from the left wing.

DF Leonardo, 7 -- Leonardo has had some shaky performances in the past but did well with Jelle Van Damme in defense. It was a solid outing from the Brazilian.

DF Jelle Van Damme, 7.5 -- Impressive game from Galaxy's newest signing. He was excellent in the reading of the game and was quite vocal at times. Van Damme looks to have the potential to be a consistent performer for the Galaxy and his leadership is very much worth acknowledging.

DF Ashley Cole, 7 -- Cole was smart in his defending and helped keep control of Tijuana's right wing. He was one of the harder-working players on the pitch, and overall, it was a good debut for the 35-year-old.

MF Giovani Dos Santos, 5.5 -- Giovani Dos Santos was largely quiet during his time on the field. Sure, he had some interesting dribbles, but most of his efforts on the ball led to nothing. Technically there are only a few players in MLS and Liga MX able to match Dos Santo's ability, but it was an unconvincing performance from Gio.

MF Steven Gerrard, 6 -- One would expect Steven Gerrard to be a catalyst in the center of the pitch for the Galaxy, but he went increasingly unnoticed as the game wore on. Gerrard remained a threat on set-pieces, but his performance still left much to be desired.

MF Baggio Husidic, 7-- Industrious as ever, Baggio Husidic did a fantastic job in the middle of the park. Husidic was smart in his pressing and helped keep control of possession when needed.

MF Emmanuel Boateng, 6 -- After a standout performance against FC Shirak, Emmanuel Boateng was another player with a surprisingly quiet game. The 22-year-old was well marked and quickly became a small factor on the left-wing.

FWD Gyasi Zardes, 6.5 -- Gyasi was hardly ever a threat and became predictable as the game wore on. Whether it was Leiton Jimenez or Michael Orozco, it always looked like they were one step ahead of him. Gyasi did have what was perhaps Galaxy's best chance, though, forcing Federico Vilar to a good save after a quick break.

FWD Robbie Keane, 6.5 -- We all know what Robbie Keane is all about. His movement on and off the ball is a delight to watch, and he is always one of the smarter players on the pitch. But unfortunately for Keane, he was never given the opportunity to finish the ball and ended the game with no major highlights to his name.

Substitutes

DF Oscar Sorto, 6.5 -- Substitute for Ashley Cole in the 58th minute. Sorto had a decent outing and did his job well as right-back. Sorto proved crucial in what was perhaps Tijuana's best chance in the second half by deflecting a dangerous cross for a corner

DF Dan Gargan, 6.5 -- Substitute for Jelle Van Damme in the 64th minute. In truth, the second half of the match was to forget. Gargan didn't have to do much defensively as both teams settled for the stalemate.

FWD Mike Magee, 6 -- Substitute for Robbie Keane in the 67th minute. Failed to connect with the players around him and was quiet for most of the match.

MD Jose Villarreal, 6.5 -- Substitute for Emmanuel Boateng in the 72nd minute. There was no game-winner from Villarreal this time around. Still, he did well during his limited time on the pitch.

MD Rafael Garcia, 6.5 -- Substitute for Steven Gerrard in the 73rd minute. Brought solidity to the midfield during his brief cameo.

MD Bradford Jamieson IV, 7 -- Substitute for Giovani Dos Santos in the 76th minute. Looked very energetic in his 15 minutes on the field. Perhaps it was Giovani Dos Santos' lackluster performance out on the right wing, but Bradford was like a breath of fresh air as he tried his best to dribble around defenders.

MF Raul Mendiola, N/A -- Substituted on in the 80th mi nute

FWD Ariel Lassiter, NA -- Substituted on in the 83rd minute

DF Daniel Steres, N/A -- Substituted on in the 86th minute

DF Josh Turnley, NA -- Substituted on in the 88th minute