LOS ANGELES (Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024) – Continuing their Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs campaign, the LA Galaxy advanced to MLS Cup 2024 with a 1-0 shutout win over Seattle Sounders FC in the Western Conference Final before a sell-out crowd of 26,327 fans at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday night. Dejan Joveljić recorded the game-winning goal, Riqui Puig notched the game-winning assist and John McCarthy recorded four saves and a shutout as LA advanced to MLS Cup for the first time since the 2014 campaign.
MLS Cup 2024 Tickets
2024 and 2025 LA Galaxy Season Ticket Members receive the first opportunity to secure tickets for MLS Cup through their AXS FanAccount. Fans can also Get More #withAmex at AXS.com. American Express provides Card Members with access to Amex Presale Tickets(TM) available now for purchase. Tickets for the 2024 MLS Cup Championship go on sale to the general public beginning Monday, Dec. 2 at 12:00 p.m. PT, while supplies last. Early access to tickets is one of the many entertainment benefits American Express Card Members can access across the arts, theater, sports and music through Amex Experiences(TM).
LA Galaxy Marching On To MLS Cup
In 81 all-time MLS Cup Playoffs matches, the Galaxy improved to 50-24-7 (145 GF; 91 GA). LA improved to 15-8-2 in 25 all-time matches played in the Western Conference Final. In 39 all-time MLS Cup Playoffs matches contested at home, LA holds a 34-4-1 record. With 16 goals scored during the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, the LA Galaxy have set a new MLS record for the most goals scored through a team’s first four games to begin a playoff campaign. In four matches played during the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, the Galaxy have outscored their opponents 16-3. The Western Conference Final win over Seattle marked the LA Galaxy’s 10th Western Conference Championship (1996, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2024). In four matches played during the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, Riqui Puig has recorded seven goal contributions (4 goals, 3 assists) and Joveljić has notched five goals and two assists. Notably, the Galaxy’s 85 combined MLS goals scored (Regular Season & Playoffs) ranks as the third-highest all-time in a single season behind only the 1998 Los Angeles Galaxy (94) and the 2019 LAFC (90). In nine all-time MLS Cups, the Galaxy hold a 5-3-1 record.
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Unbeaten At Dignity Health Sports Park*
In 20 matches played across all competitions at Dignity Health Sports Park during the 2024 campaign, the LA Galaxy hold an unbeaten record of 16-0-4 (56 GF; 27 GA). The 2024 LA Galaxy’s 16 wins at home ranks tied for fourth all-time in MLS history for the most wins at a single venue within a season (Regular Season & Playoffs). The MLS record for the most wins at a single venue within a season is 17 (2014 LA Galaxy – Dignity Health Sports Park; 2000 Chicago Fire – Soldier Field; 1998 D.C. United – RFK Stadium). The Galaxy have won 14 consecutive matches played across all competitions at Dignity Health Sports as the home team dating back to May 25, 2024, outscoring their opponents 43-18 during that span. Puig has recorded a goal or an assist in 15 consecutive games played across all competitions at Dignity Health Sports Park as the home team dating back to March 30, totaling 24 goal contributions (10 goals, 14 assists) during that span. Joveljić has totaled 19 goal contributions (14 goals, 5 assists) in 16 MLS matches played (Regular Season & Playoffs) at DHSP this season.
Media Credential Information for MLS Cup
The media credential application for MLS Cup 2024 presented by Audi is now open and accepting requests. To apply, please click HERE. The deadline to apply for media credentials is Monday, Dec. 2 at 5:00 p.m. PT. No late applications will be accepted. Media in need of assistance with completing the MLS Cup 2024 accreditation process should contact comm.credentials@mlssoccer.com prior to the application deadline. MLS all-venue credentials, team full-season credentials and/or credentials from previous MLS events will not be valid for MLS Cup 2024 presented by Audi. A full schedule of media availabilities and events for the 2024 MLS Cup presented by Audi will be made available on Monday, Dec. 2, on www.MLSsoccer.com/media-resources.
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Goal-Scoring Plays*
LA – Dejan Joveljić (Riqui Puig, Mark Delgado), 85th minute: Mark Delgado scooped a pass over the Seattle defense to Riqui Puig. The Spanish midfielder took a touch and laid the ball off to Dejan Joveljić, whose low shot from the edge of the 18-yard box beat Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei at his near post.**
Postgame Notes**
- Through 41 matches played across all competitions during the 2024 campaign the LA Galaxy hold a 24-9-8 record (90 GF, 59 GA).
- The Western Conference Final between LA and Seattle marked the 52nd meeting across all competitions between the two teams, with the Galaxy trailing the all-time series 18-20-14.
- Against Seattle, the Galaxy hold a 11-14-14 record in league play, a 5-3-0 record in the MLS Cup Playoffs, a 2-2-0 record in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and a 0-1-0 record in Leagues Cup play.
- In four meetings across all competitions between the Galaxy and the Sounders during the 2024 campaign, the Galaxy led the series 2-1-1 (3 GF, 4 GA).
- In four all-time MLS Cup Playoffs matches played at home against Seattle, LA holds an unbeaten record of 4-0-0 (7 GF, 1 GA).
- In five all-time matches against Seattle in Western Conference Final action (2012, 2014, 2024), the Galaxy hold a 3-2-0 record and advanced to MLS Cup on all three occasions.
- In 81 all-time MLS Cup Playoffs matches, the Galaxy improved to 50-24-7 (146 GF; 91 GA).
- In four matches played during the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, the Galaxy are outscoring their opponents 16-3.
- LA’s 85 combined MLS goals scored (Regular Season & Playoffs) ranks as the third-highest all-time in a single season behind only the 1998 Los Angeles Galaxy (94) and the 2019 LAFC (90).
- The Galaxy have recorded 20 assists during the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, which ranks third-all time for the most assists in a single postseason campaign (2000 – Chicago Fire: 24; 1997 – D.C. United: 21).
- Head Coach Greg Vanney improved to 15-6-2 in 23 MLS Cup Playoff matches managed between Toronto FC (10-5-2) and the LA Galaxy (5-1-0).
- In 36 matches played (34 starts) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign, Riqui Puig has totaled 37 goal contributions (17 goals, 20 assists).
- Dejan Joveljić has recorded 20 goals and 8 assists in 32 appearances (27 starts) across all competitions this season.
- John McCarthy recorded his eighth shutout across all competitions during the 2024 campaign in the win over Seattle.
- The 2024 LA Galaxy’s 16 wins in MLS play at home ranks tied for fourth all-time in MLS history for the most wins at a single venue within a season (Regular Season & Playoffs).
- This marked the 10th time this season that Dignity Health Sports Park had a sell-out.
Next Game
Next up, the LA Galaxy play host to the New York Red Bulls in MLS Cup 2024 at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday, Dec. 7 (1:00 p.m. PT; MLS Season Pass, FOX, FOX Deportes).
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Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs – Western Conference Final
LA Galaxy (No. 2 Seed) vs. Seattle Sounders FC (No. 4 Seed)*
Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024 – Dignity Health Sports Park (Los Angeles)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
LA Galaxy 0 1 1
Seattle Sounders FC 0 0 0
Scoring Summary:
LA: Joveljić (Puig, Delgado), 85
Misconduct Summary:
SEA: de la Vega (caution), 55
SEA: Roldan (caution), 61
SEA: Nouhou (caution), 75
SEA: Ragen (caution), 90+6
Lineups:
LA: GK John McCarthy; D Miki Yamane, D Emiro Garces, D Maya Yoshida ©, D John Nelson; M Edwin Cerrillo, M Riqui Puig, M Marco Reus (Mark Delgado, 46), M Joseph Paintsil (Diego Fagundez, 90+2), M Gabriel Pec, F Dejan Joveljić (Gastón Brugman, 88)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Novak Mićović; D Julián Aude, D Mauricio Cuevas, D Jalen Neal, D Eriq Zavaleta, F Miguel Berry
TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Dejan Joveljić, Gabriel Pec, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Dejan Joveljić, Gabriel Pec, 2); FOULS: 8 (Gabriel Pec, 3); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 4
MIN: GK Stefan Frei ©; D Nathan (Josh Atencio, 90+5), D Nouhou, D Jackson Ragen, M Cristian Roldan, M Pedro de la Vega (Raul Ruidiaz, 81), M Albert Rusnak (Joao Paulo, 70), M Alex Roldan (Leo Chu, 88), M Obed Vargas, M Georgi Minoungou; F Jordan Morris
Substitutes Not Used: GK Andrew Thomas; D Jonathan Bell, D Yeimar, D Cody Baker; M Danny Leyva
TOTAL SHOTS: 8 (Albert Rusnak, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Albert Rusnak, 3); FOULS: 8 (Pedro de la Vega, 4); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 4
Referee: Drew Fischer
Assistant Referees: Corey Parker, Kathryn Nesbitt
Fourth Official: Ted Unkel
VAR: Kevin Stott
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 65 degrees
Attendance: 26,327
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
LA GALAXY POSTGAME QUOTES
LA GALAXY HEAD COACH GREG VANNEY
On his emotions in the second half:
“I felt in the second half we were rushing sometimes and that means a lot of work in the transition and defending. So more than anything, to get us to find the right tempo and allow ourselves to set up so that we can stay in control of the game and not be kind of end-to-end or having to drop and defend low. For, me I was focused more on trying to get the right messages across and trying to get guys thinking the same thing because sometimes, in these games, you feel like you have to go get the goal right away. When we got the goal, it was a huge sigh of relief, but also it switches your mentality immediately. Because now you're protecting a goal and it's thinking through all the potential changes, personnel, shape, anything that you have to do now to see the game out because now your objective has just shifted from staying in control of the game and working to make sure you're the only one that gets a chance to win this thing and finish it off in regulation and managing things on the other side. I'm super excited for these guys to be able to lift a trophy tonight, but the objective is still one week away. As one game ends, the anxiety for the next game already emerges.”
On how this journey to the championship is different from years past, especially against Seattle:
“To start, they [Seattle Sounders FC] are a team that is very, very stingy, and a really good team and a hard-fighting team and a very good defensive team and really committed to that cause. And obviously they know how to play in possession, as well. So as the game progressed and it wasn't breaking for us, for me, I was again focused on us trying to remain patient and to make sure that we were as much defending with the ball as we were trying to break them down and catch them on an action, or find a right moment to transition and catch them on an action. For me I don't get too caught up in the big picture when the game is going. I try to stay focused on what the game needs in the moment and make sure that that message is getting across. And for me it was trying at times to slow down and set our numbers in the right spots and see if we could create a chance without exposing ourselves in the other way. They [Seattle Sounders FC] are used to these games. A 1-0 game is a lot of weeks for them. For us especially in this event, this tournament, we've had a lot of games that have really opened up, and the scores have been big and we have not had to play down to the last minute in the same exact way. I was proud of the guys for staying locked in and seeing how plays, defending our box, defending our goal and the necessary times when it was 0-0 and seeing out the game. This is how the playoffs can be. I think it was wonderful that we had three games like we did before, but this is typically a little bit more what the playoffs would look like in general. And so the question was, can you win a 1-0 game it you need to in the playoffs? And we certainly did. And we dealt with set pieces and dealt with a lot of other things and proved tonight that we can beat a team that can go through stretches of defending and still get you in a 1-0. Proud of these guys. As far as, this year, it's a kind of a combination of 2016, in the early round, we scored a lot of goals and got ourselves into what ended up being a lot of goals and got ourselves to the finals. Where in 2017, we had a really good team and a high-scoring team in Toronto, and it was a defensive effort that got us all the way until final game. No two roads to this point are ever exactly the same, and this group has created their own path and done what they needed to do to get there. And now it's going to be about refocusing our attention and energies on the Red Bulls. I will say that it's intriguing to me that probably the two most aggressive teams in some way, shape or form in the West and the East, them, and the defensive side, us on the attacking side, have found ourselves into the finals in what tends to be a dogged, defensive hard-fought playoffs, is usually what you get out of that. It's interesting. It's an interesting match-up because they are not going to sit on the top and wait for us. They are going to come after us, and it's going to be a different challenge for us.”
On Seattle’s defense:
“Yeah, they are very, very good and well-schooled on the defensive side, well-organized. They really never let anybody get isolated in too many one-on-one situations. They are providing cover and they are running through with guys that are running through. They are clogging up channels a lot of times, and so sometimes it feels like for our guys, I think it felt like, man, there's no space to run through and we would stop our runs, when we needed to continue our runs. But they do a great job between the two pivots, who are machines, and really helping to protect the center backs, but also they provide inside cover for the fullbacks sometimes. And then I think the work of the wingers in addition, in terms of helping their fullbacks at the right times was there. It was hard for us to try to stack numbers in certain areas of the field because their proximity was there, and their movement is very good. And again, they get into good covering positions for one another, and it makes it difficult to break them down; and when you do, they do a good job of protecting the goal, whether it's the two center backs or whomever, they get some numbers right in front of Frei, and they do a good job of protecting the face of the goal, and it's hard to get clean looks. It almost has to be in a play that's in transition and is a little more open. And as such, we get the ball where Dejan plays inside and he continues his run, and you find him just a little stretched out and that's not a situation they wanted to be in. But we were able to find our moment. Again, they are really well-organized, and they did a good job in possession moments, for them, shortening the defensive load by being good in position and pulling us apart in certain ways in that way, as well.”
On potential player availability for next week:
“I have to see what's going on with both of them [Reus, Puig]. With Marco, it was something early that he felt. I think it was more of a knock. He had an issue coming out of the last game, but he trained for the last part of the week and felt like he was in a good spot. But he said probably 15 or 20 minutes in he felt something, and I don't know if it was an actual hit. Last week it was more of a contusion type of scenario. Riqui, I don't know exactly what happened. It was right at the end of the game, and next thing I know he was walking off the field, and I don't know exactly what the situation is and what happened. So I have to find out when we go back in the room, and probably be assessed over the next day or so and see where these guys are at.”
On Joveljić’s contributions this season:
“I'm really happy for Dejan. The first season he came in he was coming off the bench and giving us the last 20, 30 minutes a game when the game was opening up and the space was there. The question that he was answering was, could he be a 90-minute guy and still score those kinds of goals. And you see that when you put the right players with the right striker, you see the intelligence of his movements off the ball, when we can disorganize the opposition a little bit, he's very clever about his movements and his finishing and he's a finisher. When you can get him in the box and facing the goal a couple times tonight, he was in the box but facing the wrong direction and wasn't able to get the shot after. And then the one play Marco played across him, just escaped, his run didn't quite get there. But when the group can move some defenders around and he's able to have some space to work, this is when he's deadly. I'm proud of him because he's been working really hard. We've been talking about a lot of different things with him to try to help him to connect with those guys and get himself some chances. He's a striker that scores goals, and I’m really proud of the work that he's put in and where he's at. He deserves the moment, and he's got one more week to try to continue to be the hero striker for us that I know he wants to be and that he believes he can be and we believe he can be.”
On what he attributes to the team’s success as Western Conference Champions compared to last year:
“Last year -- I'm going to end last year. I don't want to keep talking about last year too much. But last year it was a perfect storm of a lot of challenges within this group, and we managed through those. I always say we didn't sacrifice last year for where we could be at the beginning of this year, and we took it on the chin last year. But we held tight to the notion that we were going to have two open DP slots, and we needed to find the right guys to fit what we were trying to do and we knew there would be a couple other spaces that we would have to fill. As we got to this off-season and all through part of last year all we were really talking about, was what do we really need the team to look like when we come out of the of penalties from last year and all the challenges we had. A lot of people were doing some really good work here to identify the right types of and players the right options for us. And then I give a lot of credit to the guys that were here last year that, when they came back from the first day of preseason, that the year prior was behind them and they were ready to attack this year. They were confident and fit and ready to go. When we add the new pieces right off from game one against Miami, which is a wonderful game to start the season because it gets all your attention because it's a big one, it's like an MLS Cup almost for the opening game of the year. The guys were focused and ready and proved on that day that they could be here, if they continued to grow together as a group, they could be at this moment playing for a MLS Cup. They have done a lot of things right over the course of the year to make sure that they have given themselves this opportunity and this opportunity to play at home with our fans, who also from day one of the start of this year were a hundred percent behind this group and saw the changes and saw the first game against Miami; and also I think felt that there was something different that was going on inside of this group. So I am proud of these guys. Again, they have answered every challenge over the course of the year and now we've got one more.”
On trusting the process as a coach over the years, and what this moment means to him:
“That's a long story if I were to get into all of that. There are so many things from when I joined the club, which was coming out of COVID, and we were trying to reconstruct the team at a time when you couldn't really go to too many places to watch games, and it was hard to get anywhere. We were trying to talk about how we were going to rebuild the image of the team and what we wanted it to look like. Obviously, it wasn't simple and it wasn't smooth, and we had some guys who we thought we were going to have on the team and who didn't come back, and they were a big part of how we were going to build this team. We were working through that. At the same time, rebuilding infrastructure here to be able to support the team. I'm proud of all the work that everybody has done over the years to help rebuild this club. And when I say that, I mean from sports science, from the scouting, from every aspect that you need. When I sat down for the opportunity to get this job, I said ‘in order to win a championship, nowadays in MLS, you have to have every piece of the infrastructure that is necessary to support a really good team. You can't just have a good team and no infrastructure and win. Too many clubs are too good now and have too many things going right for us to be in that position. We have to have all the bits and pieces that are underneath to support a really good team. And then it took us a couple years to get all the pieces of that really good team, and certainly we have gotten there, and this group fits together nicely. They complement each other and when you have a good team that's what should happen. They should complement each other especially in this league and the way we go about having to build teams, you want pieces that can really fit together and you don't need any redundancies or things like that, and we have that with this group. Then it's about building spirit so that they trust each other and believe in each other and believe in the process. I think we have all of those things. I'm really just proud of the group. The process to get here is never easy especially when you encounter the challenges we had last year which were clearly unexpected. But we stayed to the vision and everybody here has that same vision and is moving in that course and all supporting each other and working with each other to achieve it, and good things can happen when you do that.”
On the importance of the fans' support:
"As I said earlier, from the opening day and even before that, I think there was just a genuine excitement about the roster that was being put together and also what this team showed on the first day. That's been carried through by the fans all year. I always believe that relationship is reciprocal. The fans are here to be entertained. They us want to win games. So when they come to their stadium, they want to feel good about when they leave, about the product and about the results. And we've been able to give that to them, and they have been able to in return give us all the energy. The fight and all the things that they give to the guys on the field and to us to fight for the last minute to fight for the badge, to fight for them. When that synergy is working in the right way, and it has been all year, we achieve together. I think that's the biggest thing this year is that with the fans, this team has been able to do great things at home. And now because of it, they have earned the opportunity together to play one more game, MLS Cup. We look forward to it. The other thing I'll say, when the guys walk into the stadium waiting for the game to start and it's full and the crowd is going before the whistle blows, and right when they walk in, I can sense the energy and the passion before the whistle even blows just to get after it right from the start. I don't know, one of the things in the past is I felt like we gave away early goals and little things. Now I just feel like this group is right from the whistle with the fans ready to go and all 90 minutes matter and we saw that again tonight. All 90-plus minutes mattered. We are appreciative and want to do it one more time and want to get the sixth one for them, so we are looking forward to it."
LA GALAXY FORWARD DEJAN JOVELJIĆ
On his game-winning goal:
"Yeah, actually, three and a half years I'm here. But before the goal, it was a good reaction, I'm not sure Riqui (Puig) got the ball, I knew he was going to play. I saw the open space. I run into it and I know the goalkeeper is going to make one step to his left side so I just shot it with 60 percent of power but he almost saved it. I was a little bit lucky."
On going to the MLS Cup:
"We prepared for this time. Happy but not surprised."
On shutting out Seattle in front of Galaxy fans:
"Yeah, it's an amazing feeling. They said that their defense is the best. They showed that today. They played best defensive football. But their defense is locked, but they didn't know one thing. We have the keys from every locker on the West side."
On the difficulty of Seattle as an opponent:
"I think that they did a good job because they somehow stopped us from our counterattacks. We couldn't run behind them so much. They saw the games and it almost paid off. Second thing, I mean what can I say? I'm very happy, very proud and I cannot wait to play next game in front of our fans and our home. I hope that we are going to lift that trophy, the real one."
On this season being the best of his career:
"A hundred percent, yeah, a hundred percent. I can agree with you, this is maybe my most important goal in my professional career. My numbers are the best so far."
On the Designated Players, " "Killa P’s," and the team advancing to the MLS Cup :
"I said this many times. It's a pleasure to play with "Killa P's," even before the season I talk with the coach, the guy from the front office, I said just bring good, fast, young, talented players around me and I'm going to score a lot of goals. It's easier to play when good players are around you."
On if he thought the team could make it this far:
"I also said that many times before the season when we brought new players. Yeah, from the first day when I saw (Gabriel) Pec and Miki (Yamane) and other guys, I knew we were going to be special and good this season."
On his journey and who has mentored him:
"It means a lot because this is my first season that I'm a real starter. In the past seasons I was super sub, and now I showed and prove myself; I'm really No. 9, and I feel like I'm going to keep doing that. The second, question, that's for sure, Sacha, Sacha Kljestan. I learned a lot of things from him, and he was my inspiration and he was the real example of how one professional needs to train every day, how needs to do everything. So he's the guy. And also (Marco) Reus, when you see him next to you in the locker room."
On Greg Vanney:
"He's the reason why I came here. Not anyone else. He's the real reason why I came in LA Galaxy and I don't regret it. I'm super proud of my decision, and he's a very good man. Of course he's a good coach but first of all, he's a real gentleman, and I appreciate him and I like his style of football. I like his idea. And I just don't like -- because he doesn't like to -- wingbacks and -- power backs on side of the box, this is the only thing I disagree."
Additional commentary:
"I just want to say that today is Magnus Carlsen, the best chess player in the world's birthday. I wanted to say congrats and right now he's the World Cup of Chess; one Chinese guy he's playing against. So I'm happy to watch that tomorrow. I have one routine, that before the season I said to myself that I'm not going to play chess on the game day, maybe after the game. So now I go home to play some chess and finally enjoy."
LA GALAXY GOALKEEPER JOHN MCCARTHY
On what this moment means:
“It's a big moment for the club. It's a big moment for the team. Grateful to be a part of it. It's everything and more you play for…is to lift trophies and this is one more step closer to where we want to be.”
On if there was a particular moment where he thought this team could be in the final:
“I think we have a lot of special players on this team. I think we have some very good players, as well. And I don't think those players define the team. I think it's the team in total. Not one player is going to win this game. Not one player is going to lose the game. It's a true team effort, and everyone's been bought in since the first game of the season against Miami, and now it's taken us this far and we take the same mentality and hope to keep it going.”
On how impressive the Galaxy defense was:
“I was asked this before. Games can be defined by one moment, and Greg said it before. It doesn't matter if we come out of a game 1-0 and win. Winning is winning. I have the same mentality. I think the group has really bought in, in the later part of the season and the playoffs, knowing that if it takes 1-0, it takes 1-0. If it takes 4-3, it takes 4-3. Whenever it takes to win is the right mentality, and it was a great defensive effort.”
On the defense winning the game:
“I appreciate that. I think Seattle was statistically the best defensive team in the League this year with goals against. They are a great group. They are really organized and well-coached and some great players on that side of ball. We had the mentality that it might take some time, it might take 90 or might take 120. We tried to stay on the front foot as much as possible to get one goal and like I said, if it took one, great. If it took two, it took two. It was just one play at a time, one moment at a time and it was a real group effort to keep it clean in the back. It's huge in the playoffs to have that mentality. Whatever it takes it truly is whatever it takes.”
On being the only player the only player in MLS to go to three straight MLS Cup matchups:
“That's cool. Hopefully we win this one. I'm really happy. Whatever it takes to win, you lift trophies -- this is a great moment for the club myself, the team, the organization, however you want to look at it I'm really happy. And one more. One more is the big one and that's what you play for.”
On the difficulties Seattle caused the Galaxy:
“Seattle is very organized. They make you play around them. They are not easy to break down and pass through the middle and create quick combinations. They are an experienced group that proves their record of giving up the least amount of goals. They are really bought into the defensive side of things and they have had some great attacking pieces and we were just able to deal with them tonight as a group, and we knew, like I said before, it could be one chance; it could be ten chances on both sides of the ball. It doesn't matter; you have to find every chance.”
On the new addition to his family and starting in the MLS Cup:
“It's awesome. My wife was an absolute champ in that moment. She crushed it and had a baby girl. You have to credit the wife for everything. I just stood there and cheered her on. I'm happy to have a girl be part of the family, we are all blessed for that. To be part of the MLS Cup, I'm looking forward to it. It's, like I said, it's what you dream of and what you play for. It's just you've got to take it as one game at a time and this is the next game, enjoy the moment, play in the moment, and yeah, just really looking forward to it. Can't look too big. It's just another game. It's just a game. At the end of the day, I still have my mom and my dad and my wife and my kids. Hopefully coming home to the little ones and the trophy, that would be great.”
On his relationship with Maya and Emi[ro] and seeing Emi grow under Maya’s tutelage:
“Maya is great. Very experienced player. Has done it all. At the highest level he can play at, in Europe playing for his national team in the World Cup. Great pro and great person and great leader, and happy to have him as my captain. He stepped up big in big moments this year and obviously tonight he had some huge plays. He's a very reliable person. And then Emi has been great, as well. Obviously, he came I think in the summertime, maybe, around there. Got him up to speed. He's a funny kid. Really enjoys playing. Works hard. Gives 100 percent on every play. And he's fully invested to learning and getting better. And I think he changed, and he's shown something different and something better at a young age and center back comes with experience, and over time, I think he could be something special, as well. So to have those two guys in front of me, like you said, I called him grandpa, and young guy in Emi, it's great. They are great center backs and great people, and they are in the same mindset of, you buy into the team and when you invest in the team hopefully good things come off for everyone.”
On how this season has been different for him:
“I appreciate everything Will has done for me, giving me the opportunity here, and Greg, giving me the belief in myself to ride it out and be the star in the beginning. So it means a lot to have those guys believe in you from the beginning and to show up to work when you have the support from the coaching staff and the front office, it goes a really long way with your mentality and it helps you believe in yourself even more. For those guys, I'm grateful for giving me the opportunity and just happy.”
On preparing to play a team the Galaxy haven’t played yet, in the final:
“Yeah, Red Bulls, someone mentioned to me, we played them preseason once. I think they had a great start to the season if I remember, they kind of fell off a little bit in the middle and towards the end they caught their stride again with all their players healthy. I mean, it's been a long time since we played them and it's obviously preseason. We got to look at some film, really buy in and keep our mentality right. It has to do with us and our preparation and truly believing in ourselves and our work to get us over the finish line. It's a weird one. Knowing Red Bull from previous seasons, they are a high-pressing team and run and work, and they are a team that does not give up on a single play throughout my time playing against them. They have that little edge mentality to them, from experience. It's something we have to prepare for. And like I said, if we can worry about ourselves, focus on our work, make the most out of it, some good things will come our way.”
On if he thinks the Houston loss was a turning point for the team:
“No, it's part of the game. It's part of life. You're going to win some games. You're going to lose some games. It is what it is. That was a heartbreaking moment. I wish we would have won it. I wish we would have figured out how to get out of there. But it's in the past. We can't dwell on. It doesn't mean anything to us now and now it's just on to the final which we are playing in and we're looking forward to it as a group. And the beginning of your question, thank you for my kid and stuff like that, I appreciate it.”
