LA Galaxy Starting XI: GK John McCarthy; D Miki Yamane, D Emiro Garces, D Maya Yoshida ©, D Julián Aude; M Edwin Cerrillo, Marco Reus, M Riqui Puig, M Joseph Paintsil, M Gabriel Pec, F Dejan Joveljić
Substitutes: GK Novak Mícovíc, D John Nelson, D Mauricio Cuevas, D Jalen Neal, D Eriq Zavaleta, M Gaston Brugman, M Isaiah Parente, M Diego Fagundez, F Miguel Berry
Lineup Notes:
- 2022 MLS Cup MVP John McCarthy makes his 312st league appearance during the 2024 campaign in tonight’s match against the Houston Dynamo. The Philadelphia, Penn., native made four saves in the 2-1 win over Austin FC on October 5. McCarthy has posted six shutouts and logged 123 saves in 31 appearances (31 starts) for the Galaxy during the 2024 MLS Regular Season. The win over Austin took McCarthy to 9th all-time in wins for Galaxy goalkeepers in the MLS Regular Season with 18.
- Japanese International defender Miki Yamane, who recorded his seventh assist of the 2024 campaign across all competitions in the 2-1 Leagues Cup Group Stage win over the San Jose Earthquakes on July 31, makes his 33rd league appearance (33nd start) during the 2024 regular season campaign in tonight’s match against Austin. Yamane was named to the J1 League Best XI in three consecutive seasons (2020, 2021, 2022), and helped Kawasaki Frontale earn two J1 League titles (2021, 2020), two Emperor’s Cup titles (2020, 2023) and one Japanese Super Cup (2021). Yamane was named the LA Riot Squad (LARS) supporters’ group’s player of the year for this season after the Galaxy’s 2-1 win vs Austin FC on October 5.
- Colombian defender Emiro Garcés earns his 9th appearance (4th start) for the Galaxy in league play after playing the full 90 minutes the past three matches. Garcés has one assist for the Galaxy in 305 minutes of 2024 MLS Regular Season action.
- Japanese International defender Maya Yoshida in the center of defense. Yoshida, who has recorded two goals in 33 league appearances (33 starts) during the 2024 campaign, has tallied three goals in 47 career matches played (47 starts) across all comps for LA (2023-Present). Notably, Yoshida played in three FIFA World Cups (2014, 2018, 2022) for the Japanese National Team.
- Julián Aude returns to the LA Galaxy lineup for his first start since July 4 due to injury. Aude was a late substitute in the Galaxy’s two most recent games against Colorado and Austin, playing just three minutes combined. Tonight is Aude’s 21st start of the MLS Regular Season for the Galaxy and 25th He has 1 goal and 2 assists in 2024 MLS play. Aude was No. 16 on the MLS 22 Under 22 presented by BODYARMOR Class along with teammate Jalen Neal, who was selected No. 9.
- Central midfielder Edwin Cerrillo earns his 33rd appearance and 24th start of the 2024 MLS Regular Season in tonight’s match against Houston. Cerrillo’s first career MLS Regular Season goal came in the form of the equalizing goal at 2-2 as the Galaxy came from behind to beat LAFC 4-2 at Dignity Health Sports Park on September 14. Cerrillo ranks second in MLS behind only Darlington Nagbe (96.5%) with a 95.5% pass completion percentage (min. 1,000 minutes played) during the 2024 campaign.
- Marco Reus, who signed for the LA Galaxy during the summer transfer window from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, makes his return to the lineup for the first time since playing 66 minutes against Vancouver on September 21. Reus, who has tallied one goal and three assists in five appearances (3 starts) during the 2024 MLS Regular Season, recorded two assists in the 4-2 win over LAFC at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sept. 14.
- Riqui Puig,who has five (5) goals and five (5) assists for the Galaxy in the past six Galaxy matches, had two assists in the Galaxy’s 2-1 win over Austin for his sixth multi-assist game in MLS Regular Season play for the Galaxy. It also marked Puig’s 27th and 28th assists, bringing him to 7th all-time for the Galaxy in the MLS Regular Season. During the 2024 MLS Regular Season, Puig has 29 goal contributions (13 goals, 16 assists) in 28 appearances (27 starts). Puig notched a brace in the Galaxy’s 3-1 win over Colorado on Wednesday to earn a spot on the MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchday 36 and earned the same honor for his two-assist performance against Austin in Matchday 37.
- MLS Newcomer of the Year candidate Gabriel Pec, 23, who has 29 goal contributions (15 goals, 14 assists) in 32 appearances (29 starts) in league play for the Galaxy this season, starts on the right wing in tonight’s match against Houston. The 2024 MLS All-Star has tallied a goal in each of his last four games for the Galaxy. He was named the MLS Player of the Matchday for Matchday 34. In just his first season in MLS, Pec’s 29 goal contributions lead the Galaxy in MLS play.
- Ghanaian National Team forward Joseph Paintsil, 26, who recorded a goal and assist in the 4-2 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps on September 21, starts on the left wing in tonight’s match against Austin. Paintsil has 20 goal contributions (10 goals, 10 assists) in 28 appearances (27 starts) during the 2024 MLS Regular Season for the LA Galaxy. Notably, Paintsil has scored two goals in his past four games for the Galaxy, dating back to September 18.
- Serbian National Team forward Dejan Joveljić, who scored the winner against Austin in the Galaxy’s last match and found the net twice in the Galaxy’s comeback 4-2 win over LAFC on September 14, gets his 23rd start of league play in tonight’s match. Joveljić has 21 goal contributions (15 goals, 6 assists) in 27 appearances during the 2024 MLS Regular Season for the LA Galaxy. Notably, Joveljić has notched nine goals and three assists in 14 matches played at DHSP in 2024. Joveljić played 45 minutes as starter for Serbia against Spain in the UEFA Naitons League on October 15 in the recent FIFA international window.
