LA Galaxy Starting XI: GK John McCarthy; D Miki Yamane, D Emiro Garces, D Maya Yoshida ©, D John Nelson; M Edwin Cerrillo, M Riqui Puig, M Marco Reus, M Joseph Paintsil, M Gabriel Pec, F Dejan Joveljić
Substitutes: GK Novak Mićović; D Julián Aude, D Mauricio Cuevas, D Jalen Neal, D Eriq Zavaleta, M Gastón Brugman, M Mark Delgado, M Diego Fagundez, F Miguel Berry
Lineup Notes:
- 2022 MLS Cup MVP John McCarthy makes his 29th league appearance during the 2024 campaign in tonight’s match against Vancouver. The Philadelphia, Penn., native made three saves and won his 16th match of the 2024 MLS Regular Season in the 4-2 win at home over LAFC on Sept. 14. McCarthy has posted six shutouts and ranks second in MLS with 117 saves in 28 appearances (28 starts) for the Galaxy during the 2024 MLS Regular Season.
- 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 30th league appearance (30th start) during the 2024 campaign in tonight’s match against the Whitecaps. 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).
- Colombian defender Emiro Garces, 22, who has made five appearances (0 starts) for the Galaxy during the 2024 MLS Regular Season, earns his first career MLS start in tonight’s match against Vancouver. Garces started and played 76 minutes in the Galaxy’s 2-2 draw (5-4 PK win) against Club Deportivo Guadalajara in Leagues Cup 2024 Group Stage action on Aug. 4 at Dignity Health Sports Park.
- Japanese International defender Maya Yoshida starts alongside Garces in the center of defense. Yoshida, who has recorded two goals in 30 league appearances (30 starts) during the 2024 campaign, has tallied three goals in 44 career matches played (44 starts) across all comps for LA (2023-Present). Notably, Yoshida played in three FIFA World Cups (2014, 2018, 2022) for the Japanese National Team.
- John Nelson makes his 13th start (23nd appearance) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign in tonight’s match against Vancouver. Nelson notched his first assist for LA in the 3-2 win over Portland on July 20. The Medina, Ohio, native has recorded five assists in 90 career MLS appearances (55 starts) across six seasons played in the league (2019-24).
- Edwin Cerrillo makes his 33rd appearance (25th start) across all competitions for LA this season in tonight’s match against the Whitecaps. Cerrillo has notched one goal seven assists in 127 games played (92 starts) in six seasons played in MLS (2019-Present). Notably, Cerrillo recorded his first career MLS goal in the 4-2 win over LAFC on Sept. 14. Cerrillo ranks second in MLS behind only Darlington Nagbe (96.31%) with a 95.67% pass completion percentage (min. 1,000 minutes played) during the 2024 campaign.
- Marco Reus makes his second start at home for the LA Galaxy in tonight’s match against Vancouver. Reus, who has tallied one goal and three assists in four appearances (2 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 seven goal contributions (4 goals, 3 assists) in five league matches played dating back to July 17, starts in tonight’s match against Vancouver. During the 2024 MLS Regular Season, Puig has 23 goal contributions (10 goals, 13 assists) in 25 appearances (24 starts) and leads all players in MLS this season in touches (2,812), passes attempted (2,478), passes completed (2,183), fouls suffered (68) and multi-assist performances (5) and ranks third in the league in distance covered in possession (132.85 km). Puig is one of four players in MLS this season with at least 10 goals scored and 13 assists (Lionel Messi, Evander, Luciano Acosta). Notably, Puig has recorded a goal or an assist (7 goals, 8 assists) in 11 consecutive regular-season matches played at Dignity Health Sports Park dating back to March 30, 2024.
- MLS Newcomer of the Year candidate Gabriel Pec, 23, who has 25 goal contributions (14 goals, 11 assists) in 32 appearances (29 starts) across all competitions for the Galaxy this season, starts on the right wing in tonight’s match against Whitecaps FC. Notably, Pec has recorded nine goals and eight assists in 15 games played at home (13 starts) during the 2024 MLS Regular Season. Pec is one of five players in MLS this season to have recorded at least 12 goals and 10 assists (Cristian Arango, Cucho Hernandez, Evander, Lionel Messi).
- Ghanaian National Team forward Joseph Paintsil, 26, who recorded a goal and an assist in the 4-2 loss to the Portland Timbers on Sept. 14 starts on the left wing in tonight’s match. Paintsil has 19 goal contributions (9 goals, 10 assists) in 25 appearances (24 starts) during the 2024 MLS Regular Season for the LA Galaxy. Notably, Paintsil has totaled eight goal contributions (3 goals, 5 assists) in his last five league appearances for LA dating back to July 17.
- Serbian National Team forward Dejan Joveljić, who scored in the 3-1 win over Vancouver on April 13, makes his 20th start of the season in tonight’s match. Joveljić has 19 goal contributions (14 goals, 5 assists) in 24 appearances (19 starts) during the 2024 MLS Regular Season for the LA Galaxy. Notably, Joveljić has notched eight goals and three assists in 12 matches played at DHSP in 2024
