KANSAS CITY, Kan. — On Sunday night, Sporting Kansas City secured a 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy due to an unfortunate own goal by Galaxy defender Maya Yoshida. This match further solidified a challenging start for the defending champions in Major League Soccer.
The Los Angeles Galaxy are enduring a rough patch this season, still seeking their first win after 11 games (0-8-3 record). Despite their previous positive record of 3-0-2 against Sporting KC in the last five encounters, the Galaxy could not capitalize on past successes in this recent face-off.
The decisive moment came when Yoshida’s own goal found the back of the net in just the 13th minute, giving Sporting Kansas City an early lead. Meanwhile, Sporting’s goalkeeper, John Pulskamp, was crucial in maintaining a clean sheet, making one key save in the first half. His quick reflexes denied Galaxy’s John Nelson, whose effort was aimed at the goal from the center of the box just before the halftime whistle.
In contrast, the Galaxy’s John McCarthy did not register any saves during the match, leaving the team vulnerable. This game marked a triumph for Dejan Joveljic, a former Galaxy player, who now leads Sporting KC with five goals—all scored at home—after joining them in a groundbreaking transfer.
The Galaxy has been hampered by injuries, notably missing Riqui Puig’s presence on the pitch since he sustained a knee injury in the playoffs. Additionally, Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Pec, pivotal to last season’s triumph with 50 goal contributions, have collectively managed just four this season.
The match also represented a reunion of sorts for the coaches, with Sporting KC interim coach Kerry Zavagnin and the Galaxy’s Greg Vanney having once played together on the US men’s national team. The pair faced off on different sides back in the 2000 MLS Cup conference finals, when the then-Kansas City Wizards, now Sporting KC, bested the Los Angeles Galaxy before going on to claim the championship against the Chicago Fire.
Looking ahead, the Galaxy are set to face the New York Red Bulls on their turf this Saturday, while Sporting Kansas City will travel to compete against the Portland Timbers.