It was simply 11 weeks in the past that the Galaxy raised the MLS Cup for a file sixth time, an event the crew celebrated Sunday with a relay of supporters and first responders carrying the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy again to midfield at Dignity Well being Sports activities Park.
A triumphant video performed on the stadium’s big video screens, fireworks crammed the air and a darkish blue championship banner was unfurled above the southwest grandstands of the newly refurbished stadium.
Then the brand new season kicked off and all of that abruptly appeared like a distant reminiscence with San Diego FC, an growth crew taking part in its first MLS sport, crashing the Galaxy’s celebration by driving two second-half objectives from Anders Dreyer and a clear sheet from goalkeeper CJ dos Santos to a shocking 2-0 upset earlier than a sellout crowd of 25,244.
The loss was the Galaxy’s first in 22 video games at house, relationship to the ultimate sport of 2023.
“The challenges are going to be different,” coach Greg Vanney had mentioned earlier than the sport. “It’s going to be a different road to success this year.”
Certainly. And with 4 of the gamers who led Vanney’s crew to the title final 12 months lacking, that street was closed Sunday. Among the many lacking had been MLS Cup MVP Gastón Brugman and Dejan Joveljic, who scored the successful purpose within the ultimate. Each had been sacrificed to the league’s wage cap.
Joveljic was certainly one of 4 Galaxy gamers to achieve double digits in objectives and assists final season; no MLS crew had achieved that earlier than. However simply one of many 4, winger Gabriel Pec, was in uniform since Joveljic was traded final month, and Joseph Paintsil and Riqui Puig are out with accidents.
“We start again,” Vanney mentioned. “It’s all just about fitting these [new] pieces into our puzzle.”
The items didn’t match towards San Diego. Christian Ramírez, the substitute for Joveljic up entrance, was ineffective in his 63 minutes whereas German veteran Marco Reus was unable to offer both the tempo or the passing of Puig within the midfield. That left Pec remoted — and pissed off — for a lot of the afternoon.
Bruce Enviornment’s Galaxy groups of 2011-12 had been the final to win back-to-back MLS titles, a chunk of historical past Vanney’s crew will likely be chasing. However the league has modified quite a bit since then, rising from 19 to 30 groups whereas the addition of allocation cash, U22 initiative signings and younger designated gamers has modified the way in which groups are constructed, making MLS extra aggressive.
But historical past and a rebuilt roster aren’t the one issues working towards the Galaxy. In addition they have an enormous goal on their backs.
“Everyone’s going to come after us,” midfielder Diego Fagundez mentioned.
Dreyer, a Danish worldwide who final month was taking part in in Belgium with Anderlecht, scored the primary purpose in franchise historical past seven minutes into the second half. It was arrange by an enormous Galaxy error with keeper Novak Micovic, making simply his fifth MLS begin, taking a backpass from Miki Yamane in entrance of his purpose and flipping a poor waist-high outlet ball to heart again Emiro Garcés deep within the Galaxy penalty space.
Garcés lifted a boot however was unable to manage the move, which bounced to San Diego’s Chucky Lozano. He then despatched it into the middle of the field for Dreyer, whose left-footed shot beat Micovic cleanly.
The Galaxy, pushing for the equalizer, practically bought it within the 79th minute when a Yamane cross discovered a sliding Miguel Berry, however Berry’s left-footed deflection was smothered by Dos Santos. A minute later Dos Santos made one other save, certainly one of three on the day, on a attempt from the middle of the field by Ruben Ramos Jr.
Dreyer then made all that moot together with his second purpose three minutes into stoppage time. Tomás Ángel, the son of former Galaxy participant Juan Pablo Ángel, bought the help.
