LOS ANGELES (Saturday, July 20, 2024) – Playing the third of three matches in the span of seven days, the LA Galaxy earned a 3-2 victory over the Portland Timbers before 23,588 fans at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday night. Riqui Puig, Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Pec each recorded a goal, as the Galaxy remained unbeaten at Dignity Health Sports Park this season.
Galaxy Cookin’ At Home
In 12 matches played at Dignity Health Sports Park during the 2024 campaign, the LA Galaxy hold an unbeaten record of 9-0-3 (30 GF, 17 GA). Notably, the Galaxy have won seven consecutive matches played (7-0-0) at Dignity Health Sports Park dating back to May 25, outscoring their opponents 19-9. In 12 matches played at DHSP during the 2024 campaign, Pec has tallied eight goals and eight assists. Paintsil has totaled 11 goal contributions (5 goals, 6 assists) in 10 matches played at Dignity Health Sports Park this season, while Puig has five goals and six assists in 10 matches played at the venue in 2024.
Killa P’s Performing
In 13 matches played in the starting lineup together dating back to March 23, Pec has recorded seven goals and four assists, Paintsil has notched four goals and eight assists and Puig has registered three goals and 11 assists. It marked the second time this season that Paintsil, Pec and Puig have scored in the same match, with the first occurring in the 4-3 win over the San Jose Earthquakes on April 21. With his 10th goal of the season scored in the win over Portland, Pec became the fourth player in team history to produce at least 10 goals and 10 assists in his first season with the club (Zlatan Ibrahimovic – 2018, Romain Alessandrini – 2017, Landon Donovan – 2005). Notably, Paintsil, Pec and Puig are the only trio of teammates in MLS this season with at least eight goals scored and nine assists.
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Goal-Scoring Plays*
LA – Gabriel Pec (Joseph Paintsil, Riqui Puig), 38th minute: Riqui Puig’s incisive pass released Joseph Paintsil free down the right flank. Paintsil’s squared pass into the penalty area found Pec, whose sliding shot found the back of the net.
LA – Riqui Puig (Joseph Paintsil), 48th minute: Working down the left flank, Joseph Paintsil dribbled into area and found Riqui Puig at the top of the 18-yard box. Puig took a touch, before drilling his low shot into the lower corner of the goal.
POR – Jonathan Rodriguez (Evander, Santiago Moreno), 52nd minute: Jonathan Rodriguez’s shot from inside the box was curled into the lower right corner.
LA – Joseph Paintsil (Diego Fagundez, John Nelson), 58th minute: Diego Fagundez delivered an outside the boot pass down the left side of the penalty area to Joseph Paintsil, who cut inside on his right foot and curled his shot past Portland goalkeeper James Pantemis.
POR – Santiago Moreno (Claudio Bravo), 73rd minute: Santiago Moreno dribbled towards the top of the penalty area and fired a shot past LA goalkeeper John McCarthy.
Postgame Notes
- Through 26 matches played during the 2024 MLS Regular Season, the LA Galaxy hold a 14-5-7 record (50 GF, 37 GA; 49 points) and sit in first place in the Western Conference standings.
- LA sits atop the Western Conference at the MLS All-Star break for the first time since the 2011 campaign.
- The Galaxy rest in second place in the Supporters’ Shield standings, four points behind first place Inter Miami CF (16-4-5, 56 GF, 39 GA; 53 points).
- In nine games played dating back to June 15, the LA Galaxy hold a record of 7-2-0 (19 GF, 11 GA).
- Saturday’s match marked the 37th meeting across all competitions between the Galaxy and the Portland Timbers, with LA leading the all-time series 15-13-9.
- In 18 all-time regular-season matches home matches played against Portland at Dignity Health Sports Park, LA holds a 10-3-5 record.
- Notably, LA is unbeaten in its last seven regular-season matches played against the Timbers (4-0-3; 16 GF, 9 GA) dating back to July 30, 2021.
- The Galaxy rank first in MLS with 10 games with three or more goals scored during the 2024 campaign.
- Joseph Paintsil recorded a goal and two assists for a second consecutive match following the win over Portland.
- Paintsil has recorded at least a goal and an assist in a single match in five games played during the 2024 campaign.
- Riqui Puig tallied his eighth goal and 11th assist of the season, completed three dribbles, won six of 11 duels and won four possessions in the win over the Portland Timbers.
- With his 10th goal of the season scored in the win over Portland, Gabriel Pec became the fourth player in team history to produce at least 10 goals and 10 assists in his first season with the club (Zlatan Ibrahimovic – 2018, Romain Alessandrini – 2017, Landon Donovan – 2005).
- Mark Delgado created a game high five chances, completed 75 of 84 passes (89.3%), won five of seven duels, two tackles and 11 possessions and registered one interception in the win against the Timbers.
- In his fifth start of the season, John Nelson tallied his first career assist for the Galaxy, won two tackles, two duels and eight possessions, recorded one interception and completed 40 of 44 passes (90.9%) in the win over Portland.
- Diego Fagundez notched his fourth assist of the 2024 campaign in the victory against the Timbers.
Next Game
Next up, the LA Galaxy begin Leagues Cup play by traveling to face the San Jose Earthquakes at PayPal Park on Wednesday, July 31 (7:30 p.m. PT, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).**
2024 MLS Regular Season
LA Galaxy (14-5-7, 49pts) vs. Portland Timbers (10-9-6, 36 pts)**
Saturday, July 20, 2024 – Dignity Health Sports Park (Los Angeles)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
LA Galaxy 1 2 3
Portland Timbers 0 2 2
Scoring Summary:
LA: Pec (Paintsil, Puig), 38
LA: Puig (Paintsil), 48
POR: Rodriguez (Evander, Moreno), 52
LA: Paintsil (Fagundez, Nelson), 58
POR: Moreno (Bravo), 73
Misconduct Summary:
POR: Evander (caution), 14
POR: Chara (caution), 41
POR: Zuparic (caution), 62
LA: Nelson (caution), 90
POR: K. Miller (caution), 90+5
LA: Berry (caution), 90+6
POR: Rodriguez (caution), 90+8
Lineups:
LA: GK John McCarthy; D Miki Yamane (Mauricio Cuevas, 77), D Maya Yoshida ©, D Martin Cáceres, D John Nelson; M Edwin Cerrillo, M Mark Delgado, M Diego Fagundez (Miguel Berry, 90+3), M Riqui Puig, M Gabriel Pec, F Joseph Paintsil (Emiro Garces, 86)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Novak Mićović; D Jalen Neal, D Eriq Zavaleta; M Tucker Lepley, M Isaiah Parente, M Jonathan Pérez
TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Riqui Puig, Gabriel Pec, 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Three players tied, 2); FOULS: 6 (Riqui Puig, 2); OFFSIDES: 5; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 2
POR: GK James Pantemis; D Miguel Araujo, D Claudio Bravo (Zac McGraw, 81), D Dario Zuparic (Kamal Miller, 64), D Juan Mosquera; M Evander, M Eryk Williamson, M Diego Chara © (Cristhian Paredes, 64), M Santiago Rodriguez (Nathan Fogaca, 86); F Jonathan Rodriguez, F Felipe Mora (Antony, 64)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Trey Muse, D Eric Miller, D Larrys Mabiala
TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Evander, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Jonathan Rodriguez, 2); FOULS: 13 (Three players tied, 2); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 3
Referee: Sergii Boiko
Assistant Referees: Stefan Tanaka-Freundt, Matthew Nelson
Fourth Official: Tim Ford
VAR: Jorge Gonzalez
Weather: Clear, 72 degrees
Attendance: 23,586
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
LA GALAXY POSTGAME QUOTES
LA GALAXY HEAD COACH GREG VANNEY
On Joseph Paintsil:
"I think he's done a great job adapting to the role. He's played a little of it over the years with teams. I don't think with Joe (Joseph Paintsil), with the way he runs and you don't necessarily want him just staying in one place, let him threaten different channels, different gaps behind different defenders, creating all kinds of issues for guys. We get balls on the outside and he's running. We just curl things around like we saw later in the game. He's keeping the oppositions' back lines very busy and very worried. He's really involved. He's done a great job of holding up play and linking people in and things like that. If again, I think the last two games when we play against a team that presses us. In this game we were able to get up in the game which opens up some space behind. At times I felt like we were rushing attacks and we were really going fast and when you do that, the game gets separated so we can also be deadly in separation. We also give yourselves some stuff to deal with on the defensive side when it gets open like that. It's a little bit of a catch-22 but Joe's brought us over the last bit, everything he's brought us some juice and stretch and he's been involved. I think with him, Riqui (Puig) and Gabe (Gabriel Pec) being closer together because he's not on the opposite tide of the field we're seeing them link up a little bit more when they're both on the wing so it's fun to watch and at times, it's nerve racking but it's fun to watch."
On managing control of the game:
"For the quantity of good chances we created and how in a way soft the goals were that we gave up, that's the issue, right? And that's something that just has to be clean and I'll go back to saying in the league sometimes you can get away with that but in a knockout tournament you can't do that, whether it's MLS Cup or Leagues Cup or any of those kinds of things. It's a high risk type of scenario and as we go through the last part of the season, this tournament and final eight games, it's finding the balance between opening it up and doing the things that we do and what makes us really dangerous and also managing control of the game because of in the knockout tournament, one mistake can knock you out of the whole thing and so we've got to make sure we're mindful of that as we keep pushing here down the stretch."
On being in first place:
"I think it's good for us just to see rewards for our labor. Getting these points helps you down the stretch. You never know in Leagues Cup, too, what can happen with teams. It can be anywhere from two to five, six games and you never know with teams. You don't know what teams are going to do in the window to re-enforce so every point matters. Set yourself up, have the confidence being in the position that we're in is always beneficial. So winning before we go on this stretch is beneficial and so I think emotionally it puts us in a good start and it helps me re-enforce some messages because you can see we can be at the top of the table. Now the question is how do we evolve to become a knockout champion type of team versus a team that, yeah, we can win games through the season but what's the evolution to become that threat to lift a trophy at the end."
On Riqui Puig, Gabriel Pec and Joseph Paintsil working together:
"I think a couple of things, one of them is I think these games and because of the way the group is running. Coming out of Dallas which is not how we want to play the game, we saw some running in behind, some stretching in terms of our runs and us being more dynamic as a group and I don't know how many teams can play with us when we're dynamic. When Gabe (Gabriel Pec) is running and his capacity one-on-one and his ability in transition. Riqui's (Puig) ability to slip on gaps and move and make additions on the run. Joseph's (Paintsil) ability to find another gear and speed and get into speed as well. One, we got moving in the last two games. We were moving. I feel like in Dallas we weren't moving as an example. When we get moving I don't know how many teams can stay with us when we're doing that well. The second part I think is just familiarity amongst them is continuing to grow. I'm seeing a lot more guys leaving the ball to a guy a little bit early and then continuing and making another run with the anticipation that they're going to get the ball back. It's not give the ball to the guy and let's see what he does. They're moving for each other, they're moving after the pass, before the pass. There's familiarity I think that's continuing to grow with each of them with each other that also makes them not just individually dangerous but collectively more dangerous. We're seeing now each of them has a goal, each has an assist involved with the other one and they can enjoy each other's success not just their success. They know together they're each going to benefit from that. I feel like that's growing amongst them. We had a little break in there because Riqui was out and Joe was out and now Joe is up to speed and Gabe has found his form for sure and Riqui's back flying so I just feel like those things are coming together and they're enjoying, really enjoying playing and taking the game to another speed together."
On impact of Mauricio Cuevas and Emiro Garces:
"The guys came in and did the job. At times, it became a challenge because when we won the ball, we were so fast to go and try to get the next one to separate the game. If that didn't come off, we're a little separated and having to manage situations, having to manage some balls. Emiro (Garces) won a couple of headers and balls and he got out tight on a couple of guys where he dogged a couple of guys. He made the one thing coming across the face of the goal which was a huge play. Mauri (Mauricio Cuevas) I think just coming in fresh legs, Miki (Yamane) had done a ton of work up and down and Mauri came in, gave us fresh legs defending tough guys out there and gave us some fresh legs in the possession and he was clean in his possession moments. Miguel (Berry) came in and won a header right off the corner kick which was huge. We've dealt with corner kicks at time and he got first contact, which was really big. Each guy contributed a lot specifically on the defending side of things which is important because that's where the game was at that point. It was don't give up anything at that point. If we can get another one, great, which we weren't able to do but we saw the game out. We managed the corners kind of sort of but, yeah, we got to keep getting better at seeing games out, whether staying connected, getting the third, getting the extra goal and making sure we're protecting our goal and box and tonight we did the job at 3-2. I feel like we should have done it earlier but at 3-2 we got it done. Thank you."
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LA GALAXY FORWARD JOSEPH PAINTSIL
On his changed role in the last two matches:
"It's not a difficult role. It's sometimes annoying because sometimes you don't get a lot of balls which is okay, you need to do some runs and just helping the team at least making the run also helps to create some spaces, so for me this is not my first time playing in that position. I did that when I was playing in a couple of games so it's not my first time but, yeah, I just need to do whatever I need to do in whatever position that I'm being used to help my team. That's the most important thing. It doesn't matter if I play on the right or on the left or on the strike. What I need to do is just to give my all and when I'm done, I'm done."
On time off due to injury:
"I think the injury taught me a little bit of a lesson because I needed to relax myself because I was playing a whole lot of games and I just came to continue in the season here so I think that's also helped me with the rest because if not, my body will be really down and maybe I can get multiple injuries, but I think it helped me recover and I came back faster and, yeah, I'm really good. The level I am now, I'm trying to come back to whatever I am and the level that I am, so it's important for me to go one game to the other, not always that you need to score, make an assist, but the impact you need to put on the team to help the team to win. That's why I'm here and that's why I'm here to help the team including Riqui (Puig), including Gabriel (Pec), including everyone with the family of LA Galaxy. We all do everything together. For me I'm just glad to give everything that I have just to help the team no matter how the outcome comes."
On his relationship with Riqui Puig and Gabriel Pec:
"It feels good. We are not too long together, I think four-and-a-half or five months but as you can see, we do whatever we need to do especially on the wing with Riqui (Puig) also. The combination is really good. Sometimes it's annoying, you get mad at each other, but that's football, so sometimes I get mad at Riqui, Riqui gets mad at me, Riqui gets mad at Gabe (Gabriel Pec). It's not that we don't like each other, but we want the best for each other so we communicate and tell each other what to do and what not to do. With the bond that we have, it's really strong and as we keep going, if we go like this, like I said, in a couple of months we'll be unstoppable with our offensive plays."
Mindset going into the last 8 games following Leagues Cup:
"What we were looking for in these eight games is to win all these eight games if possible and the players are really willing to win each and every game even if we are on a road trip, at least winning a game or having the points back is the most important thing and always killing it in the home game, but we have told ourselves to take one game at a time and win one game at a time because it's really important. These eight games will determine where we stand at the end before we go to the playoffs so these eight games is really important to us. We are really going to go all out no matter where we find ourselves because it's really important for us to win these eight games and, yeah, at the end of these eight games, we will see where we are."
LA GALAXY MIDFIELDER DIEGO FAGUNDEZ
On first place going into the Leagues Cup break:
“I think I have been saying it all the time, this group of players that we have we're so good. Either we play a good game and we win games or we make mistakes and sometimes it costs us and I think you can see we can score goals, we just have to be a little bit better so we don't shoot ourselves in the foot. Some games we can go up three goals and it would be a lot easier and we don't really have to stress but I guess we really lake that little danger part but I think it's huge going into first place we have eight or nine games left. Remind us that this break will help us and when we come back, make sure we stay on top."
On what needs to improve:
"I think fix ourselves a little bit more defensively. We give away some goals we shouldn't be giving away. When we're scoring lots of goals, I don't think we really realize that we're shooting ourselves a little bit in the foot, but I think if we fix that part, we can go up 3-0 in games and don't have to really be stressing on it. But like I said, this team is so good. We know we can score goals so we just have to keep doing that and we're still undefeated at home so that's important."
On the team's talent and capabilities:
"To be honest, I have played with really good players all over. Right now I think the group we have is so good. We go forward and you know there's going to be an attack the amount of players we have, the quality, the passing, the finishing, I think we have it all right now. I don't look at what team was the best but right now I'm having a lot of fun with this team and that's what's important. I think we lost it a little bit ago, and finally I was getting it back. I'm very happy where I'm at, and I think the quality of play right now we're giving to our fans and to ourselves is amazing."
On starting:
"I feel like there's always room to grow no matter the position on the field. If we want to be a really good team, we need to learn new things. Players can play in different positions and that's huge. You see it on the field sometimes. Riqui (Puig) is dropping back or Joseph (Paintsil) is out wide, we have to make sure we know how to play those positions. It doesn't matter where you are. At the end of the day if there's a corner you're in a different position so we have to know how to do that and I think this team definitely knows how to do that and that's huge, especially when you come to a game and you know that (Gabriel) Pec likes to be on the right side and he wants to cut and suddenly you see him on the left and teams sometimes don't know how to stop that and I think that's what makes us really strong right now."
On Joseph Paintsil:
"Joseph, the speed he has, every defender is scared of him. At halftime I told him, hey, check two and go. Look at the goal. I was so happy for him because the amount of work that he puts the amount of sprinting and running and he wants to be in the box. He wants to score goals and today he deserved it. On the first goal, he passes it to (Gabriel) Pec and Pec scores so I think that's what kind of quality player we have for Joseph and like I said, we're all going to be growing and it doesn't matter what position we're playing we just have to play well and try to score goals and win games."
LA GALAXY DEFENDER JOHN NELSON
On closing out games:
“Yeah, a lot of these games like tonight was a lot of transition back and forth, back and forth and that's something we don't want, especially with a got team like Portland, one of the best attackers in the league, their front three. I think it's something, close off the middle more. I think we can do a little better at that. They're just flying down the middle and if they we can do that many more, it will help us tonight."
On first place going into Leagues Cup break:
"I would say a lot especially from the start of the year to now and I would say defensively, not giving up as many goals, better on defensive free kicks, defensive corners and these are mature wins. Yeah, we give up maybe some goals but good teams find a way to win and like you said, going into this break, top of the west, it's huge going into Leagues Cup and then the last part of the season."
On eight minutes of stoppage time and substitutions:
"Yeah, honestly I don't think it should have been that long. They had maybe one chance at the end. Once we went to three in the back, Mauri (Mauricio Cuevas) did great, big headers, even guys like Miguel (Berry) who came in and did defensive work, that's huge for us. Everyone is contributing defensively to win a game like that, it's massive for us."
