LA GALAXY 3-2 COLORADO RAPIDS
Sep 26, 2026
Att: 19,452 • Dignity Health Sports Park
CARSON — LA Galaxy mount a win at home in a 3-2 victory over Colorado, making it two wins in a row. Head coach Greg Vanney hopes this win carries momentum into future games.
LA Galaxy hosted Colorado Rapids during the international break, so starter Hirving Lozano wasn’t able to play due to his international call-up. Along with injuries that have kept this team from being 100%, missing key players in each match they have played. “Not having all the same lineup every game, and injuries and health issues stopping this team from being at its full potential,” said Vanney. “Because we come back with three games in six days, it’s outrageous we play on Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday.”
With Marco Reus not in the starting lineup, just like the last match, coach Vanney’s goal is to restore him back to his full strength. Reus has been coming off the bench in the past two games, and it’s “not coincidental.”
LA Galaxy started the first half down two goals. Colorado winger Donovan Phillip scored in under 10 minutes. In the 39th minute of the game, a clever move from Colorado midfielder Paxten Aaronson beat the physicality of LA Galaxy defender Jakob Glesnes’s press to get inside the box and score. LA Galaxy has less possession but finds ways to get attacking chances through, but nothing hits the back of Colorado’s net, ending the half 0-2.
With Vanney’s side down at half, a quick formation change from 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3 for a more effective man-to-man pressing football that showed during the second half. With a more defense-to-offense style of football, catching Colorado in the transition. “We changed our shape to press out…. They’re a team committed to their methodology and trying to play in a way they’re doing things; we needed to beat them in the press.”
This was the message at halftime, and it showed with immediate success. Striker João Clauss constantly pressed and eventually caused Colorado defender Reggie Cannon to score an own goal to start the comeback in the 53rd minute, early signs of life for the team.
With Reus being subbed in, his immediate impact was felt with his versatile, highly intelligent attacking midfield play and exceptional vision. According to Fotmob, Reus created the most chances for the team at the end of the game. Reus came on the pitch with high praise from coach Vanney: “He’s obviously deadly in his quality and decision-making… with him on the bench knowing we can come back.”
Clauss’s luck continued when an error from Nicholas Hansen led to Clauss’s first goal, with his pressure causing these errors to happen. LA Galaxy’s statement play was Justin Haak from a corner by Robert Taylor, which caused a lead change in the 74th minute; the momentum shift in the second half was evident.
“It wasn’t necessarily a game of beautiful soccer, but it was a game of commitment and disruption through the press,” said Vanney.
- Alejandro Polanco
- Julien Salinas
