“It’s always tough to lose like that,” LA Galaxy captain Marco Reus said, reflecting on a 3-1 defeat to St. Louis City on Wednesday night. The loss marked the Galaxy's third straight home match with six or more goals conceded since parting with their top scorer, Gabriel Pec. St. Louis capitalized on the team’s early-season turbulence with two quick first-half goals that shifted the game’s momentum.
A quick burst of firepower
Lukas MacNaughton opened the scoring in the 42nd minute, heading in a corner kick from Marcel Hartel past the Galaxy's back post. Less than four minutes later, Hartel added the second goal, gliding past defenders and hitting a looping shot that goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski could not reach. The back-and-forth play left Reus flat-footed, and tempers flared afterward as players from both teams exchanged shoves.
Galaxy's defense under pressure
The Galaxy's problems deep in the back were magnified when defender Emiro Garcés received a second yellow card in the 49th minute and was sent off. St. Louis quickly made the most of their advantage, as Simon Becher scored in the 68th minute on a counterattack. The Galaxy tried to respond, but it wasn’t until the 86th minute that Troy Elgersma, playing in just his second MLS match, scored his first league goal to cut the deficit to one.
St. Louis claims playoff spot
With the win, St. Louis leapfrogged the Galaxy into the Western Conference’s playoff positions and extended their unbeaten streak to six matches since early May. The Galaxy, meanwhile, remain in the throes of roster transition. Kyōgo Furuhashi, the Japanese striker acquired on Tuesday, is expected to join soon, but long-time forward João Klauss is sidelined due to foot surgery in April.
The Galaxy’s fans, clearly frustrated, chanted “We want better!” during the second half, as the team searched for answers after the high-profile sale of Pec for at least $12 million to Cruzeiro during the World Cup break.