SANDY, Utah (Saturday, June 22, 2024) – Playing their third game in the span of seven days, the LA Galaxy won their third match in a row with a 1-0 shutout victory on the road over Real Salt Lake before 21,570 fans at America First Field on Saturday night. Gabriel Pec scored the game-winning goal, while John McCarthy made four saves and posted his second consecutive shutout in the win over RSL.
Run Of Form
In nine games played dating back to May 5, the LA Galaxy hold a record of 5-1-4 (17 GF, 10 GA), with Dejan Joveljić totaling eight goal contributions (5 goals, 3 assists) and Gabriel Pec notching 10 goal contributions (4 goals, 6 assists) during that run. During the Galaxy’s three-match winning streak (3-0-0) dating back to June 15, the club has outscored their opponents 7-2 and has posted two shutouts during that span.**
LA Galaxy On The Road*
In 11 road matches played during the 2024 MLS Regular Season, the LA Galaxy hold a record of 4-3-4 (16 GF, 14 GA). In nine games played on the road during the 2024 campaign, Dejan Joveljić has seven goal contributions (5 goals, 2 assists). Notably, the Galaxy snapped Real Salt Lake’s 15-game unbeaten run dating back to March 23, and picked up their first win on the road dating back to the 3-1 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC on April 13.
*
Goal-Scoring Plays*
LA – Gabriel Pec (Dejan Joveljić, Edwin Cerrillo) , 74th minute: Dejan Joveljić received a ball in midfield from Edwin Cerrillo and quickly played a one-touch pass into the path of Gabriel Pec, whose left-footed shot from outside the edge of the 18-yard box was squeezed past RSL goalkeeper Zac MacMath at the near post.
*
Postgame Notes**
- Through 20 matches played during the 2024 MLS Regular Season, the LA Galaxy hold a 10-3-7 record (38 GF, 27 GA; 37 points) and sit in third place in the Western Conference standings behind only LAFC (11-4-4; 38 GF, 23 GA, 37 points) and Real Salt Lake (10-3-7; 40 GF, 23 GA, 34 points).
- The LA Galaxy sit in fifth place in the Supporters’ Shield standings, four points behind first place Inter Miami CF (12-3-5; 46 GF, 29 GA, 41 points).
- Tonight’s MLS Regular Season match between the LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake marked the 60th meeting across all competitions between the Galaxy and Real Salt Lake, with LA leading the all-time series 25-20-15.
- Against RSL, the Galaxy hold a 21-17-13 record in league play, a 4-1-2 record in the MLS Cup Playoffs and a 0-2-0 record in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
- Notably, LA is unbeaten in its last five league matches played against Real Salt Lake (2-0-3; 9 GF, 7 GA) dating back to Oct. 1, 2022.
- Gabriel Pec finished the match with the game-winning goal, five duels won, two tackles won and two fouls won.
- In five matches played dating back to May 29, Dejan Joveljić has totaled seven goal contributions (4 goals, 3 assists).
- Joveljić has recorded an assist in three consecutive matches played dating back to June 15.
- Notably, the Galaxy are unbeaten (6-0-5) in each of Diego Fagundez’s 11 starts during the 2024 campaign.
- Maya Yoshida completed 45 of 50 passes (90.0%), won four of six duels and finished the match tied for a team-high four clearances.
- John McCarthy posted his fourth shutout of the season, his second consecutive match with a shutout, after registering four saves in the 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake.
- Edwin Cerrillo finished the match with an assist, 41 of 44 completed passes (91.1%) and four possessions won.
- Tucker Lepley made his first MLS start, completing 17 of 18 passes (94.4%) in 45 minutes of action.
*
Next Game
Next up, the LA Galaxy travel to face the San Jose Earthquakes at Stanford Stadium on Saturday, June 29 (7:30 p.m. PT, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
2024 MLS Regular Season
LA Galaxy (10-3-7, 37pts) at Real Salt Lake (10-3-7, 37pts)*
Saturday, June 22, 2024 – America First Field (Sandy, Utah)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
LA Galaxy 0 1 1
Real Salt Lake 0 0 0
Scoring Summary:
LA: Pec (Joveljić, Cerrillo), 74
Misconduct Summary:
RSL: Oviedo (caution), 55
LA: Yamane (caution), 59
RSL: Gomez (caution), 77
Lineups:
LA: GK John McCarthy; D Miki Yamane, D Martin Cáceres (Jalen Neal, 22), D Maya Yoshida ©, D John Nelson (Julián Aude, 65); M Edwin Cerrillo, M Tucker Lepley (Mark Delgado, 46), M Gabriel Pec, M Diego Fagundez, M Joseph Paintsil (Mauricio Cuevas, 65), F Dejan Joveljić (Miguel Berry, 75)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Novak Mićović; D Emiro Garces, D Eriq Zavaleta; M Isaiah Parente
TOTAL SHOTS: 8 (Gabriel Pec, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Three players tied, 1); FOULS: 10 (Edwin Cerrillo, 3); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 4
RSL: GK Zac MacMath, D Andrew Brody (Philip Quinton, 82), D Bryan Oviedo, D Bode Hidaldo, D Alexandros Katranis; M Braian Ojeda, M Diego Luna, M Andres Gomez, M Nelson Palacio (Noel Caliskan, 66), M Matt Crooks (Fidel Barajas, 75); F Cristian Arango © (Anderson Julio, 21)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Gavin Beavers; D Tommy Silva, M Maikel Chang, M Emeka Eneli
TOTAL SHOTS: 15 (Andres Gomez, 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Andres Gomez, 2); FOULS 14 (Anderson Julio, 6); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 2
Referee: Jair Marrufo
Assistant Referees: Jeffrey Greeson, Ben Pilgrim
Fourth Official: Gerald Flores
VAR: David Barrie
Weather: Clear, 94 degrees
Attendance: 21,570
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
Postgame Media Assets
LA Galaxy postgame soundbites from media availability and match photos can be accessed when ready below.
- LA Galaxy Head Coach Greg Vanney (English)
- LA Galaxy Defender Maya Yoshida (English)
- LA Galaxy Midfielder Diego Fagundez (English)
*Please credit LA Galaxy for any use
PHOTOS: https://mlssoccer.box.com/s/rr4vc1i4fnbv4ymgv583yeaijt8uto85
*Please credit LA Galaxy for any use
LA GALAXY POSTGAME QUOTES
LA GALAXY HEAD COACH GREG VANNEY
On tonight’s game:
“I mean, we knew the third game in a week in RSL (Real Salt Lake) at altitude was always going to be a challenge, just a physical challenge. We had to rotate some guys for varying reasons. The guys that stepped up stepped in and did what they needed to do. You know, Tucker (Lepley) did the job on the defensive side. He did the work that he needed to do to help us in possession. Just keep us solid. He helped keep us solid for the 45 minutes that he was out there and shortened the game for Mark (Delgado) to come in and help us for the next 45. Other guys just continued to step up. It's been a really big week for the group. It's just it's the first time, I know it's been out there, the first time we have won three in a row since I've been here. So that's something we wanted to accomplish this week, actually moving up the table, and now we are tied for first in the west, something we wanted to accomplish this week. So just really proud of these guys because this is not an easy place to come, and they gritted it out and did the job and did the work they had to do.”
On forward Gabriel Pec:
“Finding ways for him to get involved was one of the first things we were trying to do with him when he first got here. At times when he first got here, he was hanging out wide waiting for the game to come to him. We're working with him on when to find interior positions maybe to get on the ball a little bit more, and obviously times when he can get on it wide, he already is there. We've used him on the right and left, just looking at getting different looks and giving different looks to the opposition as well. So one of the keys is I think he's just really been involved and the more touches we get, then the better it is for him; the more he's happy, you know. With these guys, they want to touch the ball. I think just his developing relationship with the guys on either side is starting to come around as well. So we know the quality he has. His ability on the right side to get in on his left foot, and he's had a couple finishes in the last few games on that. When he's on left, he gets to the end line and he creates problems setting up goals which he did earlier in the week. He's finding his ways in this league and in this team, and we are finding ways to continue to get him on the ball in good positions. The guy is a tireless worker. He's a horse. It's like I think he's played 50 games in each of the last three seasons. So coming here and playing the games that we have and the busy schedule moments, for him, it's nothing. He lines up and goes and goes and goes. It's nice to have a player with that kind of durability and can perform and compete day-in and day-out, something he's just grown up to and is accustomed to. It's been great. It helps us and it helps him.”
On the team’s defensive work:
“Something that we really stressed over the course of, right when we hit the midseason, we happened to have a two-week break and one of the things we stressed inside of that is some of our defensive work, our positioning, our connectedness, making things a little clearer and more predictable for each other. I think we were really good at that in the last couple of games. Today, we had to tougher a little bit at times but we still did the job of making the game as predictable at possible and helping each other out and doing the work that we needed to do. I don't think it was always as crystal clear as we wanted it to be but guys did what they needed to do and we stayed compact and we read plays and we helped each other out. I thought it was really good. Today, what people probably don't really understand when you play at altitude and you're already a little fatigued, the brain and the feet don't necessarily talk to each other very well, you know, and so I felt like some of our decisions over the course of the games were a little bit of a lack of oxygen in the brain and we could have maybe held possession. The goal we scored was actually off a little bit of a string of possession where they had to work defensively, we separated them and then the opportunity really showed itself, and then we buried it. Whereas there are times throughout the game where I felt like we rushed things a little bit and/or we kind of played down one side and we weren't as patient and forcing them to have to defend. It was their third game in this week and having been on the road for the first two, they were going to fatigue as well. I thought in the second half we did a better job in stretches of finding some of those possession moments and being able to control the game that way and not just defensively. We definitely put in the defensive work tonight and helped to get another shutout. That's two in a row. That's not something we have done in probably a long time. It's a big thing for our group, as well. If we defend well, we're going to be really, really difficult to beat.”
On plugging midfielder Riqui Puig back in:
“I think it's pretty clear for everybody what we're trying to do and Riqui (Puig) makes us a better team. He's got qualities that very few, if (not) anyone else in this league has. Our goal is to try to find Riqui in positions that he can really turn the game, and we want to be structurally a little sound. It's something that we talked about coming out of the first half of the season of here are the moments when we are really good and here are the moments when we want to be better. No team wants to be overly dependent on one player. We have to make sure that the game continues to spread around. But his qualities are unmatched in many ways across our league. I look forward to getting him back in because I think the group is in a nice rhythm and has found again the things that we had at points in the first half of the season, and now I believe he has the ability to take us to another level when he gets reintegrated back in the group. I'm looking forward to him getting healthy. He'll be ready by next week to be involved. So he's ready to get on the field and start going. So we look forward to that.”
On midfielder Edwin Cerrillo:
“I thought with Edwin (Cerrillo) at the start of the season, when Gastón (Brugman) was injured, he went through preseason and he was really strong. He had the first three to four games, I thought he was really strong. We worked on integrating Gastón because we knew there was going to need to be over the course of the season some rotation in our midfield and we wanted to keep all of those guys going. When we started to rotate, I think he lost a little bit of his rhythm, and now that he's playing against consistently, I think he's found it back again, his defensive reading, the speed at which he covers, his interceptions and breaking up plays is important for us. He's a guy that never complicates the game. He's always wants game moving pretty fast, which also helps the team to find a rhythm inside of there. I think in his moments, especially when he's had a run of games, he's been really good. I think when it was a little stop and start, I feel like he lost a little bit of his rhythm, and now we're back and flowing again. It's been nice. It's important. He's had to run all three of these games and really dig down and do the work and he did it this week and it was fantastic. It was a huge effort for him to be in the middle of the midfield for three games like this is not easy.”LA GALAXY DEFENDER MAYA YOSHIDA
On the team’s defense and back-to-back shutouts:
“First of all, the performance of this week is very solid, and very good team work. We do what we need to do, so very happy for that. And of course, as a defender, a clean sheet is always feeling good. Even we have many games, a clean sheet makes me feel much better, so very happy for that. To be honest, the game was tough. We fight, very dry. Place is very high land. You know, it's really difficult. But it was a challenge for us to get three wins in a row. We made it the first time, so very happy for ourselves and very happy for Greg (Vanney), as well. We have a small, short break and ready for next important games for the (California) Clásico and (El) Tráfico.”
On control of the tempo of the match:
“We are not try(ing) to pressing high today. Instead we make compactness, compact and let them have the ball a little bit. When we get the ball, of course, if it's good opportunity, we try to make contact but otherwise we try to position the ball; and exactly what we've done before the goal -- we try and regain the ball and control the game and dominated. So very happy for what we have done. As Coach (Greg Vanney) said, we just obey what Coach say (said) today. This is very good structure for the squad.”
LA GALAXY MIDFIELDER DIEGO FAGUNDEZ
On the significance of tonight’s win:
“For everybody, it's special that it's three in a row. It's crazy to go back a long week and win two games and lose one. To finally break that little streak, it's nice. I think it shows how much work we wore trying to put out there on the field and how much it means to everybody. Not one player didn't leave a hundred percent on the field. So that's a huge part. Being in this league this long, we know that this half of the season is the toughest. So showing all that hard work and everything, it means a lot to all of us.”
On the difficulty of tonight’s game and this past week:
“It's the third game and it was hot and altitude. We knew it was going to be a tough game for both of us, both teams. We knew they rested a couple players Wednesday. So it was going to be tough. But this team has the fight, the grind, and like I said today, today everybody showed that. There is not one player that didn't leave it all on the field. In the first half we were a little sloppy but it still shows. When you come 0-0 at a tough place to play and you go to half 0-0, you can fix some things. And then in the second half, I think we know what kind of team we are. We can always make some goals happen. Today, Gabe (Gabriel Pec) stepped up and was able to got (get) one. That's huge. I know all the guys in the locker room are happy and this and that, and that's what we want. We want to keep grinding, keep getting points, making sure that when we play the top teams that we can show that we can fight. And like I said, I keep saying it over and over; that this team is unbelievable and we are really good, so when we play a good game, I don't think there's a team that can last with us. We just have to keep doing that, and we still have missing players, the key players that will come and roll, and our team will be better.”
