It was just 11 weeks ago that Galaxy picked up the MLS cup for a record for the sixth time, an opportunity celebrated the team on Sunday with a relay of supporters and the first respondents and Philip F. To take the Anschutz Trophy back to Midfield at Dignity Health Sports Park.
A winning video played on the huge video screen of the stadium, fireworks filled the air and a dark blue championship banner was launched over the south -west Grandstands of the new refurbished stadium.
Then the new season was closed and all of that suddenly looked like a distant memory with San Diego FC, an expansion team that was playing her first MLS game, two seconds from Anders Draer and two seconds from goals and a goalkeeper Riding a clean sheet, crashed the Galaxy party. A surprisingly CJ DOS Santos, 2–0 before a crowd selling 25,244.
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This disadvantage was Galaxy’s first in 22 matches at home, dating in the last game of 2023.
“It can’t be,” said coach Greg Vanni. “This is where we get marks, this is the place where we win. We established something that was very important for us, and something we did last year. We do not lose at home.
“So is this a rally cry?” This is a wake-up call, I think. We are more ready and we have become better, especially at home. ,
Galaxy recalled four players who won the title last year, including the MLS Cup MVP Gaston Brugman and Dijan Joveljik who scored the winning goal in the final. Both were traded, sacrificed for the salary cap of the league.
“There is no excuse,” said captain Maya Yoshida. “We remember some important players, experienced players, who can change the game. We have the team’s basis from last season.
“We should have done better.”
But if it was not an excuse for Sunday’s loss, it was at least part of the explanation. Joveljic was one of the four Galaxy players, who reached double digits in goals in the previous season; No MLS team had done so earlier. Nevertheless, one in four, Winger Gabriel PEC, Joveljik was in uniform since trading last month, and Joseph is out with Paintsil and Ricky Puig injuries.
Lamped vanni used to puzzle a lineup together in absences that were not fit. Christian Ramirez, replacement for Joveljic up front, was ineffective in his 63 minutes, while German veteran was unable to provide pure speed or passing at Marco Rece Midfield. It isolated the PEC – and frustrated – for most of the afternoon.
“We were not very dynamic in the half of the field,” Vanni said. “When we were moving forward and coming to the next position, we were not really changing the property in attacks.
“We just looked a little dissatisfied. Maybe we were not ready to need to live with new additions. We did not look like a team that won only the championship. ,
Derrier, a Danish International who was playing in Belgium with Anderlech last month, scored the first goal in the history of the franchise, in the second half in seven minutes. This keeper was installed by a huge galaxy error with Novak Mikovic, causing a backpass from Mickey Yam in front of his target and a poor waist-high outlet ball was taken back deeply in the galaxy Penked area.
Garsses lifted a boot, but was unable to control the pass, bouncing the Chaki Lozano of San Diego. He then sent it to the center of the box for the dreer, whose left-foot shot defeated Mikovic cleanly.
“Eventually, the game turns to a mistake,” Vanni said.
“It was almost more self -defense, as it was actually trying to do something with it. He was just trying to bring it down, ”he said about the mission of Micovic nearby Garsses. “The whole thing just felt a little, and it did not really need to be.”
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The score opened the game as Galaxy pushed to equal, receiving it in about the 79th minute when a Yamen Cross found a sliding Miguel Berry on the edge of the six-yard. But Berry’s left leg deflection was smooth by DOS Santos. A minute later, DOS Santos made another savings in another day by Ruben Ramos Junior on one attempt from the center of the box.
Draer then helped former LAFC forward Toms ángel in stops time with three minutes with his second goal.
For the galaxy, it was a bitter end of a day that began with a joyful festival.
“It is very clear,” Yosida repeated. “We have to be better.”
The story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
