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, who has recorded eight shutouts in 35 appearances (35 starts) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign, starts in goal in the Western Conference Semifinal match against Minnesota. The Philadelphia, Penn., native made a career-high 32 appearances (32 starts), finished second in the league in saves (127) and posted six shutouts during the 2024 MLS Regular Season.
- Japanese International defender Miki Yamane, who finished the 2024 MLS Regular Season with six assists in 33 matches played (33 starts) starts at right back in tonight’s match against the Loons. Yamane, who recorded an assist in Game 1 of the Best-of-3 Series against Colorado on Oct. 26, has tallied eight assists in 38 appearances (37 starts) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign.
- Colombian defender Emiro Garces, 22, makes his seventh consecutive start across all competitions in tonight’s match against Minnesota United. Garces ended the 2024 MLS Regular Season with one assist in nine matches played (4 starts) in his first season with the Galaxy. Garces has recorded one assist in 12 matches played (7 starts) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign.
- Japanese International defender Maya Yoshida captains the Galaxy in tonight’s match. Yoshida ended the 2024 MLS Regular Season with two goals and one assist in 34 matches played (34 starts) and was the only player on the Galaxy roster to start every league match. Yoshida has recorded two goals and two assists in 38 matches played (38 starts) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign. Notably, Yoshida played in three FIFA World Cups (2014, 2018, 2022) for the Japanese National Team.
- John Nelson, who recorded his first career MLS goal (Regular Season or Postseason) and tallied an assist in the 5-0 win over Colorado in Game 1 of the Best-of-3 Series on Oct. 26, makes his 18th start (29th appearance) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign in tonight’s match against the Loons. Nelson ended the 2024 MLS Regular Season with one assist in 23 matches played (12 starts).
- Making first career start in postseason play for the Galaxy is Marco Reus, who has recorded one goal and three assists in eight matches played (4 starts) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign.
- Edwin Cerrillo makes his 39th appearance (30th start) across all competitions for LA this season in tonight’s match against the Loons. Cerrillo has notched one goal and seven assists in 127 regular season appearances (92 starts) in six seasons played in MLS (2019-Present). Cerrillo ended the 2024 MLS Regular Season with one goal and two assists in 33 matches played (24 starts).
- Riqui Puig, who has totaled 34 goal contributions (17 goals, 17 assists) in 34 matches played (33 starts) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign, starts in tonight’s Western Conference Semifinal match against the Loons. The 2024 MLS All-Star finished the 2024 MLS Regular Season with 13 goals and 15 assists and led all players in MLS this season in touches (2,847), passes attempted (2,847), passes completed (2,497), fouls suffered (83) and multi-assist performances (6). With a goal in tonight’s match, Puig (4 goals) will tie the MLS record for the most goals scored (5 – Roy Lassiter in 1996; Ryan Guald in 2024) through a player’s three matches to begin a playoff campaign.
- 2024 MLS Newcomer of the Year Gabriel Pec, who finished the 2024 MLS Regular Season with 30 goal contributions (16 goals, 14 assists) in 33 appearances (30 starts), starts on the right wing in tonight’s match against Minnesota. Pec has recorded 19 goals and 17 assists in 38 matches played (35 starts) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign. The 2024 MLS All-Star has recorded two goals and one assist in two appearances against Minnesota during the 2024 campaign. Additionally, Pec has recorded a goal or an assist in seven consecutive matches played across all competitions dating back to Sept. 18, totaling 12 goal contributions (6 goals, 6 assists) during that span.
- Ghanaian National Team forward Joseph Paintsil, who has totaled 22 goal contributions (12 goals, 10 assists) in 34 games played (32 starts) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign, starts on the left in tonight’s Western Conference Semifinal match. Paintsil recorded 10 goals and 10 assists in 29 matches played (28 starts) during the 2024 MLS Regular Season.
- Serbian National Team forward Dejan Joveljić, who has recorded 17 goals and seven assists in 30 appearances (25 starts) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign, starts up top in tonight’s match against Minnesota United FC. In eight career regular-season appearances against Minnesota, Joveljić has tallied three goals and one assists. Joveljić has recorded three goals and one assist across 149 minutes played in four career playoff appearances (2 starts) for the Galaxy.
