LOS ANGELES (Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024) – Playing in their first league match since July 20, the LA Galaxy earned a 2-0 shutout victory over Atlanta United FC before a sellout crowd of 25,174 fans at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday night. Riqui Puig scored the game-winning goal, while Marco Reus recorded a goal and an assist on his debut for the club in the win over Atlanta.
Marco Reus’ LA Galaxy Debut Is A Hit
In 28 minutes played as a second-half substitute, Reus tallied a goal and an assist in his debut for the Galaxy. Notably, Reus is the first player in club history to register a goal and an assist off the bench in their regular-season debut for the Galaxy. The Dortmund, Germany, native is the 28th player in Galaxy history to score on his debut for the club, and the 20th player in team history to register an assist in their first career appearance for LA.
LA Galaxy Cookin’ At Home
In 13 matches played at Dignity Health Sports Park during the 2024 campaign, the LA Galaxy hold an unbeaten record of 10-0-3 (32 GF, 17 GA). Notably, the Galaxy have won eight consecutive matches played (8-0-0) at Dignity Health Sports Park dating back to May 25, outscoring their opponents 21-9 during that span. Puig has 12 goal contributions (6 goals, 6 assists) in 11 league matches played at the venue in 2024.
Milestones Galore
With the win over Atlanta, the Galaxy became the first team in MLS history to win 400 matches in regular-season play. In 915 all-time MLS Regular Season matches played, the LA Galaxy hold a record of 400-316-199 (.546 Winning Percentage). With his appearance in the victory against Atlanta United, Miguel Berry played in his 100th career MLS Regular Season match. With the sellout crowd of 25,174 in attendance in the match against Atlanta, the LA Galaxy became the first team in MLS history to host 10,000,000 fans in regular-season play. In 457 all-time MLS Regular Season home matches, the Galaxy have hosted 10,024,253 fans combined between Rose Bowl Stadium and Dignity Health Sports Park.
Goal-Scoring Plays
LA – Riqui Puig (Marco Reus), 76th minute: Marco Reus slid a pass just outside the top of the box to Riqui Puig, who smashed his shot into the top right corner of the goal.
LA – Marco Reus, 84th minute: Gabriel Pec dribbled past his defender down the right flank and delivered a pass into the box that Marco Reus fired at Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan. Reus was first to the rebound and calmy slotted his shot into the bottom far corner.
Postgame Notes
- Through 27 matches played during the 2024 MLS Regular Season, the LA Galaxy hold a 15-5-7 record (52 GF, 36 GA; 52 points) and sit in first place in the Western Conference standings.
- The Galaxy rest in second place in the Supporters’ Shield standings, four points behind first place Inter Miami CF (17-4-5, 58 GF, 39 GA; 56 points).
- With the win over Atlanta, the Galaxy became the first team in MLS history to win 400 matches in regular-season play.
- With the sellout crowd of 25,174 in attendance in the match against Atlanta, the LA Galaxy became the first team in MLS history to host 10,000,000 fans in regular-season play.
- The Galaxy have won three consecutive league matches played (3-0-0; 8 GF, 4 GA) dating back to July 17.
- Saturday’s match marked the fifth all-time MLS Regular Season meeting between the Galaxy and Atlanta, with LA trailing the series 2-3-0 (4 GF, 9 GA).
- In two all-time matches played at home against Atlanta United, the Galaxy hold a record of 2-1-0 (4 GF, 2 GA).
- Riqui Puig recorded a goal, completed 100 of 113 passes (88.5%) and five of eight dribbles, won 11 of 17 duels and three fouls and recorded two interceptions in the win over Atlanta.
- Notably, Puig has scored in three consecutive league matches played (3 goals, 1 assist) dating back to July 17.
- Puig will miss the match against St. Louis CITY SC on Sunday, Sept. 1 due to yellow-card accumulation.
- In 28 minutes played as a second-half substitute in his debut for the Galaxy, Marco Reus tallied a goal and an assist, created a team-high three chances, completed 31 of 33 passes (93.9%) and won four possessions.
- On his 36th birthday, Maya Yoshida completed 93 of 95 passes (97.9%), recorded three clearances and won a team-high eight possessions and three interceptions.
- On his 21st birthday, Jalen Neal completed 99 of 103 passes (96.1%), recorded two clearances and won three possessions.
- In 90 minutes of action, John Nelson won five possessions, created one chance and completed 54 of 57 passes (94.7%) in the win over Atlanta.
- In his 25th appearance of the 2024 campaign, goalkeeper John McCarthy logged four shutouts and posted his sixth shutout of the season in the win over Atlanta United.
- With his appearance in the victory against Atlanta United, Miguel Berry played in his 100th career MLS Regular Season match.
Next Game
Next up, the LA Galaxy travel to face St. Louis CITY SC at CITYPARK on Sunday, Sept. 1 (11:45 a.m. PT, Free on Apple TV, FOX).**
2024 MLS Regular Season
LA Galaxy (15-5-7, 52 pts) vs. Atlanta United FC (7-12-7, 28 pts)**
Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024 – Dignity Health Sports Park (Los Angeles)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
LA Galaxy 0 2 2
Atlanta United FC 0 0 0
Scoring Summary:
LA: Puig (Reus), 76
LA: Reus, 84
Misconduct Summary:
LA: Paintsil (caution), 46
ATL: Fortune (caution), 64
LA: Puig (caution), 71
Lineups:
LA: GK John McCarthy; D Miki Yamane (Mauricio Cuevas, 86), D Jalen Neal, D Maya Yoshida ©, D John Nelson; M Edwin Cerrillo (Gastón Brugman, 62), M Mark Delgado (Marco Reus, 62), M Diego Fagundez (Miguel Berry, 62), M Riqui Puig, M Gabriel Pec, F Joseph Paintsil
Substitutes Not Used: GK Brady Scott; D Eriq Zavaleta, M Tucker Lepley, M Isaiah Parente, F Dejan Joveljić
TOTAL SHOTS: 20 (Gabriel Pec, 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Three players tied, 2); FOULS: 8 (Edwin Cerrillo, 2); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 4
ATL: GK Grad Guzan ©; D Derrick Williams, D Stian Gregersen, D Brooks Lennon, D Pedro Amador; M Bartosz Slisz, M Saba Lobjanidze (Tyler Wolff, 81), M Dax McCarty (Alexey Miranchuk, 61), M Jay Fortune; F Xande Silva (Edwin Mosquera, 72), F Jamal Thiare (Daniel Rios, 72)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Josh Cohen, D Luis Abram, D Noah Cobb, M Matthew Edwards, F Luke Brennan
TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Saba Lobjanidze, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Daniel Rios, 2); FOULS: 12 (Derrick Williams, Ajani Fortune, 3); OFFSIDES: 4; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 6
Referee: Rubiel Vazquez
Assistant Referees: Cameron Blanchard, Adam Wienckowski
Fourth Official: Brandon Stevis
VAR: Kevin Stott
Weather: Clear, 70 degrees
Attendance: 25,174
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
LA GALAXY POSTGAME QUOTES
LA GALAXY HEAD COACH GREG VANNEY
On midfielder Marco Reus entering the game in the 60th minute and his impact:
"Our target was right around 60, 55, 60. I thought he came in and he brought just class, composure. Intelligence, only. Quality. A lot of things. In a way, he made things look a little bit easy at times where it's just smooth and in the flow and in the rhythm of the game and just picking things out. I thought it was great. In talking to him coming into this game, he feels like he's 60 to 70 percent of where he wants to be fitness-wise because he has not got much in terms of team training time. We have to be progressive with how many minutes we give him. Hopefully getting a full week of team training under his belt going into next week, he'll be further along for sure. You see his quality out on the field and his pedigree is there. It's pretty clear to see. It's exciting. You get Riqui (Puig) who is buzzing around and Marco who is calculating his spaces and what the play is going to look like, and it's an interesting combination. It unlocked him at the end. They did a lot of work for 60 minutes because we had the ball so much, and the ball was moving a lot. They had to do a lot of defensive work and spaces started to open up a little bit more and pockets and opportunities started to open up, and then we were able to take advantage of those with the quality and the decisions down the stretch. It was nice to see them out there. I wanted to see Gastón (Brugman) out there as well in that pivot position. So we kind of got there as the game progressed."
On the challenge of playing time for team with addition of Marco Reus:
"At the end of the day we are not going to be able to get everybody on the field who has quality. But that's what happens when you have a good team and a deep team is certain guys on certain days are going to have to come in and impact the game. The guys that came in, made the difference in the end and the guys who set up the game, they set it up for the guys who came in to win it. And that's what you're going to need if you're going to be a team that's going to compete for a championship; you have to be able to impact games for 90 minutes, and you have to have guys that can come in and change the game. So it creates some competition. It also creates different profiles. Marco (Reus) is a different profile than Mark (Delgado). When Joe (Joseph Paintsil) goes to the outside and Miggy (Miguel Berry) comes on, we've got a true nine on and Joe went to more of his natural position. When Gastón (Brugman) came on, it was some fresh legs, and Gastón's qualities which are a little different than Eddie (Edwin Cerrillo). It's nice because we have options, and that's great. You know, if these guys strive to compete to win a Cup, they need each other and we need every one of these guys and everybody has to be ready when called upon to do the job. It was nice to see that happen tonight."
On Marco Reus' effect on his teammates:
"I think it was an exciting moment. When you have the quality, the pedigree, all those things, guys are excited to play. You see his immediate impact, but also the stadium starts to lift up again. It had been 60 minutes of 0-0, and we had just missed a penalty a couple minutes before. There may be this feeling like is it going to happen or not happen tonight. And now you bring on Marco Reus, and the crowd gets going again and the energy level picks up, and with Gastón (Brugman) and Miggy (Miguel Berry). Just everything started to pick up in tempo, hope in the stadium, everything. Energy started to pick up and guys started to go. I think all of those things contribute to that."
On the first 60 minutes and the team's defensive performance:
"I thought in general we were good with the ball. I think we ended up with 70 percent -- just over 70 percent possession. We were pretty good with the ball. With 70 percent possession, as we said in the first half, we need to create and finish more attacks in dangerous areas. Sometimes we were almost getting there and then turning back out and keeping possession and more numbers were behind, and we were trying to get Joe (Joseph Paintsil) is not a natural nine. So he's sliding over getting involved in plays and getting areas where he's comfortable with. And so a little bit of it was us being a little bit more, for ourselves, a little more predictable and a little more certain when we were going to look to finish attack so that we could get guys in front of the goal and get people in -- it becomes when you pass so much, it becomes a little uncertain for the guys who are trying to get in front of the box when the play is actually going to end and when to get there. We talked about this at halftime, creating a little more certainty. When we do good in good areas, to whip balls in the back line or cut back crosses or set guys up for shots. We need to do that. We can't turn out and put more passes together. You can if you're up two or three nothing, you can consider that, but not at 0-0 and you're trying to get on top of the game. I did feel like for the most part, when you have 70 percent possession, you can lose balls in bad areas that really can hurt you the other way and I felt like we minimized those. We had a couple but we didn't have a lot of them. I think our pass completion was over 90 percent which means we are not just losing the balls carelessly and putting ourselves in bad situations. I thought our counter pressing was better on the day. We were more aggressive to disrupt their exit passes. I thought our reactions in that was better. We had a couple moments that we had to deal with. Overall, I thought it was better and because you have 70 percent you're only defending 30 percent of the game and then you have got to deal with those 30 percent moments. I didn't think they created a ton of chances inside of their set possessions. A couple where they maybe had little transitions and a couple offside calls that I'm glad they were offside. I think they were calculated by our team but I'm not sure. I have to look back. So overall I'm happy with the performance, especially coming off of a little bit of a longer break to have a reasonably sharp -- it's a very sharp performance after a couple weeks off is a good sign."
On defender Maya Yoshida in tonight's game:
"I thought he had a very good night. I think the break was important for a few guys, especially Maya (Yoshida) who played a ton of minutes in the first part of the season and just getting a little chance to recover, catch his breath. I thought he had a very solid night, very clean night. I thought he led from the back. I thought it was all very solid. So a refreshed Maya is good for us for sure and I thought Jalen (Neal) had a solid night through much of the night. Some things that we've been working on with him were better tonight. I thought John Nelson had a strong showing over on the left side. I thought he had a really great night in terms of again solid in possession. His defending was excellent. I thought he had a great night."
On the team missing penalties including Joseph Paintsil missing one tonight:
"We can't miss penalties. It's too important, especially when you are talking, okay, we got away with it tonight. Maybe we can get away with it another night. You're not going to get away with it in the playoffs. You're not going to get away with it in big games. We have to bury those at a much higher percentage than we have. We'll address that. We have a new guy in town. Maybe he's a penalty kicker. We'll see. We'll address it."
On the addition of Marco Reus making the team a complete squad:
"I think we have a very good team. We have options. We've got to get healthy. Continue to get healthy so that we can get Julián (Aude) back and get a little more healthy on that left side so it's not John (Nelson) all the time every single time. You know, Martín (Cáceres), it's important that he gets a little bit healthy just so we have his experience down the stretch as well. Dejan (Joveljić), obviously to get our nine that's back into the mix. When you look at it on paper, I'm really happy with the group. Collectively we certainly, you can see that we have some incredible attacking pieces. It's going to be our collective defending that is going to determine it for us. That's the thing that we all, while our group loves to attack and has some beautiful attacks, we all have to really grind and lift up and roll up our sleeves, and every one of us has to be ready to defend and compete on the defensive side. Because that's going to be important as we play some of these teams that are also strong in the attack but defend well. Teams that are hard to score against and then have transitions that are powerful, those are teams that we've got to be able to take care of business on the defending side."
On the combination of Riqui Puig and Marco Reus:
"I hope that's a glimpse of what's to come. I think they can be very compatible because you see what Riqui (Puig) does, Marco (Reus) isn't going to do. He's not going to dribble through people and get to the next line and then eliminate the first defender. He's going to find gaps and pockets. He's going to link things up and find incredible passes. Riqui who drops low, Marco who stays high; there's a good combination there at times. So the question is, I have a vision. Tonight I saw some of that of what it can look like. And the key now is to continue to grow that relationship and those around them. And the other key is making sure that we are solid on the defensive side with the group of players out there that we all are real stable when it comes to the defensive piece because we know the attacking creativity and quality is there for sure."
On the center-back pairing of Maya Yoshida and Jalen Neal:
"I thought they had a good night. We had a lot of the ball so I thought their decisions with the ball first and foremost starting our attacks, being solid in their decisions so that nothing really transitioned in front of them as a starting point that was 70 percent of the game. 30, I think our counter pressing was good. Our ability to step and press some of the exit passes I thought Jalen (Neal) was a little more aggressive tonight. I think maybe he lost one dual here or there, but I thought he had a pretty good night of getting tight and being physical. Something that we were wanting from him. I thought they had a good, solid night, especially, look, we came off of a game where we gave up some silly goals in Seattle, and we wanted to bounce back. And I thought the guys bounced back and showed a certain level of aggressiveness and also managing some transition situations that could have gotten a little fuzzy. We dealt with them pretty well."
LA GALAXY MIDFIELDER MARCO REUS
On his MLS debut:
"First of all, I was really, really excited before the game. I didn't play for two months, I think. I was really, really excited to come in and to get a couple minutes from the coach with the team. I was really, really happy that we found a way to win the game. It was a little bit late. We have I think in the first half enough situations where we (were) in a 1v1 situation but we missed the last pass or striker was not in his position. We have to learn from it. But a good finish. We won this game. We are top of the league. Yeah, it's good."
On impact coming off the bench in his debut and partnership with Riqui Puig:
"Like I was talking in the press conference a couple days ago, it's not about Riqui (Puig) or about me. It's about the team, how we defend together, how we play in the offense together. But yeah, especially when Riqui and me (are) on the field, you can see that the connection is there. We try to find each other and to help each other in difficult ways. Yeah, I give him easy assist and I was really, really happy for him and for the team."
On scoring his first MLS goal in his debut tonight:
"It was not so difficult, I would say. I missed the first shot. Like honestly, I was a little bit dead after a couple minutes because it was my first match since more than I think two months. But it's important to get some pins. Today I had a couple training sessions with the team, and yeah, like I said, like I told you, it's not about me. It's about the team that we, yeah, can continue this way. We want to be champions after the season. So we take game by game."
On the importance of scoring a goal in his debut:
"I am an offensive player, so that is always my target to help the team. But it's not my first choice, I would say, to score goals. Moment of the time, I like to give assists to my teammates. But of course when I'm in situations like today, I want to score, also, of course, yes."
On the crowd at Dignity Health Sports Park tonight:
"Of course it's a little bit different than in Europe. But today, I was it I think more than 30,000 people in the stadium. So it was a good atmosphere. I really enjoyed it when we was going out for the warmup. Like I said, when I came in, I was really excited and happy that I'm back on the pitch trying to help my team to win these games. I hope the next game, as well. So yeah, the atmosphere was great."
On taking the team to the next level:
"Yeah, that's my motivation. I played so many years in the top club with the highest level. Of course, that's my responsibility. I have to take for the team, as well, so I'm here to help my teammates and to getting better every single day. But of course, to learn from my teammates, as well and from my coaching staff, to bring new energy into this team. Like I said, in a press conference, the energies was really when I arrived here. It was really easy for me to join this group because we have really good people around the team and in the team. Always the target for me is protect the team, and yeah, try to give my best for the team."
On his current level of fitness and head coach Greg Vanney stating it was at 60 or 70 percent:
"Yeah, something like that. Like I said, I wasn't playing for more than two months, so I need, of course, a little bit of time to adapt. Also with the temperature here, it's really different than in Europe. Yeah, but we will see. Like every training session will help me to get in form every day. So I think next week I will be much better than this week, and I hope we can continue like this."
On adapting to living in Los Angeles:
"Besides the traffic, really everything is amazing. The people, so friendly. Of course, the weather, it's really nice when you wake up in the morning and the sun is shining. You start different on the day. So I'm really, really happy every morning I come into the dressing room, and I'm just happy and excited."
*
LA GALAXY DEFENDER MAYA YOSHIDA*
On the addition of Marco Reus:
"As I say before the game Thursday, he could be the game changer. He could today. Very happy for him. Very happy for the team. Also, I felt like today, he could lift our midfielders, our strikers to the other level. Because like a little bit this kind of chemistry, it's too early to say but just one game because yeah, you can say whatever you want, but I feel, okay, if we are on the right way, this could be another level. That, we needed. As I said before the game, we still need to catch up with the other several clubs who we need to fight for the titles. That's very obvious and we need it. So I'm very positive today and very happy for the winning."
On 70 percent position for the team tonight and defensive effort:
"Normally according to the data, if we are in possession a lot, we always lost. Most of the games we lost. More possession, more defeat. But today we are very solid, very organized. A couple of off side but we are pretty organized since from the beginning. Me and Jalen (Neal) spoke like my birthday present could be clean sheet, and his birthday present could be clean sheet. So mission completed."
On the importance of the clean sheet:
"I know the Los Angeles people like entertainment but I prefer more calm and solidarity and organized. We feel like really mature today, and also, we didn't consider from set pieces very focused. We need to keep going on like that. Yeah, so just one game but it's a big one game. One step forward. There's no shortcut so we need to build our confidence game by game."
On the his performance tonight being the best in his LA Galaxy career:
"I don't know. I'm not journalist. So you decide. I focus on my performance. I try to play well every game and I want to grow up still, and Jalen become 21 and the other is 18. I mean, 18 years professional. Still I keep going."
On the partnership with defender Jalen Neal:
"I like to play with a young player, and you can see he has a potential. Potentially, very good. But sometime, lack of concentration. This is very normal as a young player, young center back. From the mistake we need to learn, he need to learn, and I can probably add some tip through the training, through the game, also preparation. He's a nice kid. Sometimes he's too nice on the pitch as well. So he has to be very nasty sometimes. This is very important for the center backs. Now, everything on the camera, it's difficult to be like, for example, Ancelotti or Gattuso or something like this, but this kind of mentality is very important as a center back. He's still a lot of possibility to improve. I'm very happy to help, and I also, like if I play with a good player, I feel like also improving. So I need to feel this kind of feeling and I need a more competitive players between the squad. This is where -- this is what I have and where I have been, like Italy, this kind of level, and we are (listening to) each other. So this kind of environment is very important for the young players."
On the team celebrating his and Jalen Neal's birthday:
"Yes, they smashed my neck. Normally the training, they make the corridor, the tunnel and we run through. I'm sure that they hit my neck very hard. I will get it back one day."
On downtime following team's exit from Leagues Cup:
"Well, negative side, we are out of the Leagues Cup, very disappointed, because we are very serious to get through. Especially defeat from Seattle was very disappointed, how we play, also, was very unacceptable. But the positive side, we could have a rest, very good rest, and prepared well for this game. Especially Marco (Reus) came and very short period for him, but he showed his quality and we tried to help him a lot. Also, we practice our set pieces as well. So, so far, it's okay. I always take a positive side and that break helps us a lot for the rest of the season and also for the playoffs."*
