Player Ratings: LA Galaxy advance to Leagues Cup Quarterfinals with 4-0 win over Santos Laguna
Mauricio Cuevas shines in LA's must-win Leagues Cup match at home
The LA Galaxy is through to the Leagues Cup quarterfinals following its 4-0 victory over Santos Laguna on Thursday night.
Mauricio Cuevas was the catalyst of the LA Galaxy’s attack with his two assists in front of the home crowd at Dignity Health Sports Park. Goals from Joseph Paintsil, Maya Yoshida, and a brace from Matheus Nascimento helped LA finish in the top four of the MLS stable. The Galaxy took care of business in this must-win game against foreign opposition.
With the victory, LA will face C.F. Pachuca in the quarterfinal. The date and time of the match are yet to be determined.
Here are the player ratings for LA’s third match of the competition. Substitutes with 20 minutes played or more will be given a rating.
N. Micovic 3/5
Santos couldn’t do anything on the offensive end, and thus, there wasn’t much for Micovic to do on the night. The Liga MX side recorded just four shots (none on target) compared to the LA Galaxy’s 24. The Serbian didn’t have to make a save on the night as LA booked its ticket to the next round of Leagues Cup.
M. Cuevas 5/5
The night belonged to Cuevas; he was the clear standout player in this must-win match for the LA Galaxy.
The 22-year-old recorded two assists, six chances created, and was creating danger with his crosses down the right wing. If some of LA’s attackers were a bit more clinical, he likely would have ended up with more assists on the night.
The Galaxy was dangerous with balls whipped in from Cuevas. His crosses carry the right amount of spin and speed to be dangerous in the box. His speed and ability to run down the right side of the pitch are very reminiscent of former LA Galaxy player Julian Araujo.
A memorable performance for the LA Galaxy academy product. He’s building momentum to prove he should be starting games. Buy your Cuevas stock now if you haven’t already. The talent has been there, and it’s now showing on the pitch more consistently.
E. Garces 3/5
The Colombian had a solid game through the first 45 minutes. He hobbled off the pitch near the end of the first half and was subbed out of the game. Vanney said postgame that it was a knock to his ankle, but he gave no clear timetable or clarification on whether he would play on Sunday night against Seattle.
M. Yoshida 4/5
In his return to the starting lineup, Yoshida was quite impactful. His goal late in the first half gave the LA Galaxy the three-goal cushion it needed to advance into the next round of the tournament. He recorded a crucial block that could’ve resulted in a goal for Santos in the first half, and he also recorded three clearances on the night.
The LA Galaxy captain is going to be a key part of LA in the knockout rounds, given his experience and leadership. A good night for the 36-year-old defender.
J. Aude 3/5
Despite a lot of the Galaxy’s players having some impact in the attack, Aude wasn’t popping off the screen on the night. He was calm and tidy, but didn’t really have much of an impact compared to Cuevas on the other flank.
With Paintsil on the left, there isn’t much link-up play or possession, but rather verticality. Aude’s impact on the games isn’t noticeable of late, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
E. Cerrillo 3.5/5
“Steady Eddy” has been one of the most consistent performers this season for the LA Galaxy. He may not be flashy or the most ambitious in possession, but he gets the job done for Vanney’s side.
He finished the game completing 71 out of 73 passes, five passes into the final third, and four recoveries. He sprayed the ball a lot in the first half of the game as LA pushed for goals. He continues to be one of the pillars of this LA Galaxy team.
M. Reus 3.5/5
A lively first half in terms of involvement, but without the finishing touch. He had two great chances — skying one from six yards and missing with a near-post header — and his service was sharp, delivering multiple dangerous crosses to Pec and Garces. He also threaded a clever ball through the middle to Nascimento in the buildup to a Paintsil chance.
The German was subbed off after 63 minutes, helping set the tempo in possession — but his influence was limited to creation rather than conversion.
D. Fagundez 3/5
Had a relatively quiet outing with limited influence on the attacking patterns. While his work rate was present, he didn’t feature prominently in the decisive moments or combinations that broke Santos apart. Spent more time linking play than directly creating chances, and the attack flowed more through Cuevas, Pec, and Reus.
G. Pec 3.5/5
A constant threat down the right and the main creative spark. He delivered a perfect through ball to set up the assist on Paintsil’s opener. Nearly had an assist of his own just minutes later, slipping Paintsil through again and creating repeated overloads with Cuevas.
The finishing left more to be desired, a few disappointing shots missed in front of the goal and running out of options after a 60-yard run being the highlights, but his chance creation drove the Galaxy attack.
M. Nascimento 4.5/5
A brace and plenty of intelligent movement. His first goal was a scrappy finish off Cuevas’ low cross, showing determination in the box. Nearly added another with a near-post flick early in the second half.
His second goal came by way of a shot from Sanabria that just clipped his leg and trickled into the net — just a case of right place, right time to steal a brace. The Brazilian could have had a hat trick with a bit more luck, but his movement and execution were excellent throughout a full 90 minutes.
J. Paintsil 4/5
The Ghanaian opened the scoring just seconds into the match and could have had a hat trick before halftime, missing two good chances from Pec’s service and a Nascimento pass. His pace consistently stretched the Santos backline, and his positioning was sharp. Came off in the 80th minute after a productive night that set the tone for LA’s attack.
Subs
Zanka 3/5
With Santos down to nine men at the start of the second half, LA’s backline wasn’t going to face much pressure. The Mexican side recorded just 19% possession, zero shots, 13 passes in the opposition’s half and no touches in the LA Galaxy’s penalty box. Zanka didn’t have much to do but just be a body and move the ball around in possession
L. Sanabria 3.5/5
The 21-year-old entered in the 63rd minute for Reus and made an immediate attacking impact. He picked up an assist on Nascimento’s second goal, although he deserves credit for the goal as Naci only got a slight deflection on the shot.
The Uruguayan wasn’t heavily involved in the buildup otherwise, but showed directness and a willingness to shoot. Solid contribution in a limited time, helping seal the result.
M. Yamane 3.5/5
With Santos already retreating deep, Yamane was allowed to push forward and attack down the endline. He played a role in LA’s fourth goal of the game with a well-timed run that created that moment. His qualities in possession shined and he helped LA stay in control for the final 25 minutes of the match
Cuevas has arrived 🔥