Takeaways From LA Galaxy’s 2-1 Win Over D.C. United
Marco Reus leads the way yet again as the Galaxy win its third straight at home.
The silence was loud at Dignity Health Sports Park as the Angel City Brigade and LA Riot Squad supporter groups held silent protests in response to the club’s continued silence during the LA ICE raids and the fallout from last week’s walkout.
The crowd would, however, erupt in the 23rd minute as some pinball action in the box would eventually fall to Marco Reus, who promptly buried it to put LA in front.
The Galaxy would come out with the same intensity in the second half, and it would pay off in the 53rd minute with a deflected shot from Joseph Paintsil falling right to an open Diego Fagundez to double the lead.
DC would fight hard to the end, cutting the lead in half in the 77th minute with a goal from Gabriel Pirani, but the Galaxy defense would hold out for all three points.
LA now secures back-to-back wins for the first time this season, and three in a row at home. It may be a long shot, but this run at home is keeping the season alive for the Galaxy.
Reus Continues to Set the Standard
The LA Galaxy’s 2-1 win over D.C. United wasn’t just another hard-fought result—it was another night where the German showed why he’s become the bar for performance within this squad.
Head coach Greg Vanney didn’t hold back in his praise: “Marco was always fantastic,” he said postgame. “I just felt like he was getting beat up.” Even amid a more physical match than usual, Reus continued to find pockets of influence. His link-up play helped unlock a tight first half, and his composure in possession was vital as LA tried to ride out a late DC push.
While Fagundez has recently adapted to a deeper midfield role, he credited Reus for making that transition easier: “When you have an amazing player in front of you, like Marco that can make plays up front, it’s a lot easier.” That respect speaks volumes. Reus’ impact goes beyond individual brilliance – it stabilizes those around him.
Vanney’s system depends on control through the midfield, and as the coach noted, “Inside of the way we play, it's really important for us to win the midfield… We've been trying to really emphasize those connections and relationships.” Reus has been central to that identity shift.
Whether it’s combining with Fagundez and Edwin Cerrillo or pulling defenders out of shape, his intelligence and feel for tempo are giving LA new dimensions.
As the Galaxy build momentum with five results in their last six, Reus isn’t just raising his own level – he’s raising the ceiling for the entire team.
Still Struggling to Close Games Out
For all the positives surrounding the Galaxy’s recent form, Saturday’s 2-1 win over D.C. United once again exposed a lingering issue: they’re not closing games out cleanly.
LA led 2-0 early in the second half and appeared in control. But instead of locking the game down, they let DC back in. Greg Vanney explained the sequence bluntly, “I felt like we just kept giving them the ball to come back at us... It became a momentum game.” He later added, “We had to battle it out at the end... just because we didn’t see it out the way we wanted to.”
Rather than slow the pace, manage possession, and force DC to defend deep, the Galaxy tried to press forward and chase a third goal. “The field for the third goal was maybe too enticing at times when we needed to think more about just winning the game,” Vanney admitted.
Fagundez echoed that reflection, calling the second half a grind. “Everybody locked in and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to grind it. We’re going to do whatever it takes.’” But he also acknowledged the missed opportunity: “We need to finish those chances, so then it makes it a lot easier on us to finish our games.”
This has been a season-long pattern. Vanney pointed out that “we were undermining what might have been decent performances at times with just goals that we can’t give up.” While the team is improving and learning to scrap for points – “I’m not sure we win this game earlier in the season,” Vanney admitted – this isn’t sustainable over a 90-minute match, let alone a playoff push.
With the playoffs suddenly looking like a non-zero possibility, the upcoming mid-week match against a fringe playoff side in Austin FC just got a lot more interesting.