LA Galaxy beat SKC 3-2 in riveting comeback on the road
The Galaxy records its first win in Kansas City since the 2019 season. LA's offense explodes in the second half to score three goals in eight minutes.
The LA Galaxy is continuing to prove it’s a different team in 2024 following a 3-2 come-from-behind victory versus Sporting Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday night. The Galaxy sit in second place in the Western Conference (one point behind Minnesota United) through five games following this victory.
LA was once again haunted by corner kicks by a team in the Midwest as it was how SKC scored its first-half goals. Nemanja Radoja and William Agada punished the Galaxy's lackluster marking to send the SoCal club with their heads down heading to the locker room at halftime.
It took some time for the LA Galaxy to get into gear offensively as KC defended well through the middle and limited the impact of Joseph Paintil and Gabriel Pec - who made his first start for the Galaxy. The breakthrough came from Eriq Zavaleta in the 72nd minute after getting a strike on a loose ball in the box from a corner kick.
The momentum immediately flipped inside the stadium and the visiting Galaxy showed why they are one of the top attacking sides in MLS. Three minutes later, Riqui Puig played an excellent through ball for Dejan Joveljic to score his goal in his fifth consecutive of the 2024 campaign. The Serbian joined Brian McBride as the only players in MLS history to score in a team’s first five matches to begin a season.
The Galaxy then found the game-winner as Mark Delgado got on the end of Gabriel Pec’s low cross at the back post to tap in in the 80th minute of the game. LA closed out the game and put an end to their five-year winless run in Kanas City.
“Last year we suffered for 90 minutes [in Kansas City] and got a draw, like really suffered for 90 minutes Tonight we didn't play well for solid 60 and managed to turn around at 2-0 to get a win,” said Head Coach Greg Vanney postgame.
“I think it shows that no matter where we are, this team is capable of winning games and causing some problems”. This victory marked Vanney’s first managerial win over Peter Veremes in 12 games played between the two coaches.
In the Record Books
Scoring in every game you play to start a season and being part of the MLS record book is as good a start as Joveljic could’ve dreamed of. Not only is he at the top of the MLS Golden Boot race but his lackluster season in 2023 is in the rearview mirror.
“My job is always to score. I’m always thinking about that, and about how I can help the team to take all three points. Yes, I was thinking about how to score. If the team plays like this, if they feed me with the balls, it's going to be a lot more,” said the Serbian striker after the game.
To reach this level, Joveljic needed to evolve his game and start to be more unpredictable. “I've talked to [Joveljic] about not running in straight lines, but coming from angles because it shows Riqui where he wants the ball. And these things are happening for him at times now more so but he's going to be the beneficiary of the pace that we have on the outside with Joe [Paintsil] and the work that's being done in the wide channels,” said Vanney.
During his presser, Puig also reiterated that he’s talked to Joveljic about making more direct runs between the center backs to give him more dangerous passes inside the box.
It was that angled movement that made LA’s second goal possible and put Joveljic in the best position to put the ball in the back of the net.
“Scoring five goals in the first five games says a lot about the quality [Joveljic] has and that this year he is putting them away which is good for the team,” said Puig to the media in Spanish.
The two are starting to connect in more dangerous areas and building chemistry in the final third of the pitch. If Joveljic and Puig can take their connection to another level, it could keep the Galaxy's current offensive production sustainable all season long.
“I know just it's my job to just make a good run and [Puig] is going to put the ball in the right place, so I did that two times and unfortunately the first time was offside, and the second one was perfect. So it was just an easy goal,” Joveljic told the media. He’s continuing to be a threat and showing that this start isn’t a fluke.
Keepin’ the Strong Mentality
The Galaxy has found themselves in positions to lose in its last three games and yet the team hasn’t ended a game with a sour taste of defeat. It’s stretches like this that truly show what a team is made of and how they respond to this adversity.
While taking to the media, Joveljic told reporters that he noticed that different mentality during his goal celebration.
“It's some different energy this year. I mean, this is the great example, when I score the second goal, it's just one guy was celebrating with me. And this here is the different thing. Since I am here, this is our first win here. One game we play 0-0 and other games we lost here. It's a tough place to play and I'm happy because we won all three points in such a hard place.”
The first 65 minutes of the game were rough to watch. Puig looked like he was set on a course to have another poor performance, Paintsil and Pec had made no impact in the final third, and the Galaxy were outshot 18 -2 in the first half.
Puig told me that the team came out “empanados” (Spanish slang for being extremely confused) at the start of the game. You can see that by their lack of control in possession and not having much creativity going forward. It was the worst 45 minutes of LA Galaxy soccer this season.
“I remember that I said, guys, we need just one goal, and everything is going to turn out, and it's like that,” Joveljic told reporters. “We score one goal and we created some chances. In the first half I was thinking, am I going to shoot one ball in this game? You see it's completely two different halves and two different matches. In the second half, we came out and we killed them.”
“I think we are a more competitive team than last year, we don't give up to lose,” said Puig. “Despite being down 2-0 we showed we are a very strong team.”
The Galaxy’s ability to not crumble and get something out of losing positions is the reason why they are sitting second in the West. This is the mentality you need to be an established contender for the MLS Cup.
“This win is very, very important, especially on the road and I think the previous game we should have won at least one out of two, and this is good confident boost and injection,” Joveljic told me.
“We needed that and we are going to keep pushing and working hard, and next game against Seattle is minimum three points.”
What a comeback! I hope Pec can get more explosive like Paintsil soon.... next Saturday is his chance as Seattle are not doing well and it's time for a W at home!!!!