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 and 142 saves in 36 appearances (36 starts) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign, starts in goal in the Western Conference Final match against Seattle. 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. The Galaxy hold a 22-8-6 record in 36 matches played across all competitions with John McCarthy playing in goal during the 2024 campaign.
- 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 Seattle. Yamane, who has recorded an assist in three Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoff appearances (3 starts), has tallied eight assists in 39 appearances (38 starts) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign.
- Colombian defender Emiro Garces, 22, makes his eighth consecutive start across all competitions in tonight’s Western Conference Final. 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 two assists in 13 matches played (8 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 39 matches played (39 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 tallied two assists in the 6-2 win over Minnesota United FC in the Western Conference Semifinals on Nov. 24, makes his 19th start (30th appearance) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign in tonight’s match against the Sounders. Nelson ended the 2024 MLS Regular Season with one assist in 23 matches played (12 starts).
- Marco Reus, recorded an assist in the 6-2 win over Minnesota United FC in the Western Conference Semifinals, makes his second straight start in the MLS Cup Playoffs in tonight’s match against Seattle. Reus has recorded one goal and four assists in nine matches played (5 starts) across all competitions for the Galaxy during the 2024 campaign.
- Edwin Cerrillo makes his 40th appearance (31st start) across all competitions for LA this season in tonight’s match against the Sounders. 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 36 goal contributions (17 goals, 19 assists) in 35 matches played (34 starts) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign, starts in tonight’s Western Conference Final match against Seattle. 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). Puig has recorded a goal or an assist in 14 consecutive games played across all competitions at Dignity Health Sports Park as the home team dating back to March 30, totaling 23 goal contributions (10 goals, 13 assists) during that span.
- 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 Seattle. Pec has recorded 21 goals and 17 assists in 39 matches played (36 starts) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign. The 2024 MLS All-Star has recorded two goals in three appearances across all competitions against Seattle during the 2024 campaign. Additionally, Pec has recorded a goal or an assist in eight consecutive matches played across all competitions dating back to Sept. 18, totaling 14 goal contributions (8 goals, 6 assists) during that span.
- Ghanaian National Team forward Joseph Paintsil, who has totaled 25 goal contributions (14 goals, 11 assists) in 35 games played (33 starts) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign, starts on the left in tonight’s Western Conference Final. Paintsil has recorded four goal contributions (3 goals, 1 assist) in three matches played during the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. Additionally, Joseph Paintsil released his newest single “Blessings” on all streaming platforms on Nov. 27.
- Serbian National Team forward Dejan Joveljić, who has recorded 19 goals and eight assists in 31 appearances (26 starts) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign, starts up top in tonight’s match against Seattle. Joveljić has recorded five goals and two assists across 238 minutes played in five career playoff appearances (3 starts) for the Galaxy, which equates to 2.64 combined goals and assists per 90 minutes during the playoffs.
