A smile can tell a lot about a person.
It was hard not to notice Hirving “Chucky” Lozano grinning ear to ear, talking about his first LA Galaxy start to reporters on Wednesday night.
The Mexican star was eager to recount how much excitement there was to be in the starting lineup and compete with his team for the first time in almost 10 months. It also marked his first game at Dignity Health Sports Park wearing LA Galaxy colors.
“With a lot of nerves, with a lot of anxiety, with a lot of adrenaline, Since I woke up I was very restless, already on the way here I was very quiet, because many things come to your mind,” said Lozano on his preparations for Wednesday’s match.
“I’m very happy, very happy to be back on the pitch, to step onto the pitch, and to be with the team; I’m really enjoying it,” he said.
The fans are also enjoying the addition of Lozano. The crowd roared every time he received the ball and was serenaded with applause as he walked off the pitch in the 68th minute.
“From the moment I started playing, they supported me, they shouted at me, and every play I made they cheered me on… it’s a bonus for the players, and especially for me, which motivates me a lot to continue helping the team and the club and bringing joy to the people,” said Lozano.
With nine months of no first-team action, building fitness is the main goal in these first few games Lozano is playing. He himself admits that he needs it to get back to feeling his best.
“Cleary I still need to build up a lot of match rhythm and physical conditioning, but I think I’m feeling really good right now so, so we’re taking it step by step,” said Lozano.
“Yeah, honestly, I feel like I’m at about 70%, I don’t feel 100% yet. I’m still missing a lot of those football-specific elements but well, that’s normal; I hadn’t played for a long time. Honestly, though, I feel really good right now; I think I’m taking it step by step, and physically, I feel great,” he added.
Lozano’s match sharpness isn’t fully there yet but the glimpses of what he can bring emerged in the 1-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes.
His quality first touches to receive the ball, not being afraid to take on his man, and the runs to move the backline around were some his best moments in the 68 minutes of action.
Lozano is clearly motivated to rewrite the narrative around him following his exit in San Diego. His hunger to prove himself again is noticeable,
“For me, he’s playing like he has a story to tell about himself, and he wants to tell it on the field, not anywhere else,” said Head Coach Greg Vanney to reporters.
“I’ve been really impressed with just his mentality as he’s come in. He obviously misses playing the game and wants to be out there playing the game,” added Vanney.
With Lozano in the front line, the Galaxy has quite the amount of talent to be a real headache for every team they face. Kyogo Furuhashi and Joseph Paintsil complete the trident upfront with Marco Reus pulling the strings in midfield. It’s a recipe that, given some time, could be a main dish for fans across the league to watch.
“Honestly, the quality is very high. They are great players who have played for major teams and in top leagues,” said Lozano about the potential of the attacking line.
“I haven’t been with the team very long, and we are adapting and getting to know each other... but there is still a bit more to do; they need to understand me, and I need to understand them.”
It’s still way too early to determine if Lozano will end up a success at the LA Galaxy. But he has the right mentality to prove himself during this six-month loan.
“He’s doing everything that you want of a teammate and of a DP and a guy who is going to make our team better,” said Vanney.
“I look forward to how much further he has to go and how much better he’s going to start integrating and get to work with his teammates.”