LA Galaxy Set Record for Worst Start to an MLS Season by a Defending Champion
The LA Galaxy’s dismal form has reached new lows, as the team set a record for the worst start to an MLS season by a defending champion. The Galaxy’s 0-9-3 record is the worst ever for a team that has lifted the MLS Cup trophy in the previous season. Their goal differential is also the worst in the league at minus-20.
According to a report by The New York Times, the Galaxy’s latest defeat came at the hands of the New York Red Bulls, who thrashed them 7-0 in a rematch of last season’s final. The scoreline tied the widest margin of victory in an MLS Cup rematch. Red Bull stars Emil Forsberg and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting both scored twice, while the Galaxy have not won a game in 2025.
The Galaxy’s coach, Greg Vanney, was visibly frustrated after the match. He gathered his players near the center circle and appeared to admonish them in front of the celebratory Red Bull crowd. As the smiling Red Bull players mingled on the pitch after the win, the Galaxy’s players looked genuinely disgraced amid Vanney’s sharp stares. The New York Times reported that Vanney started with a back five defensive shape in an effort to give his team a solid base to play from and clog the midfield. However, it was a new system, and Vanney believes it led to myriad mistakes from his players.
"It was a tactical disaster for Vanney’s side," The New York Times reported. The objective, Vanney told reporters after the loss, was to win the middle of the field and prevent the Red Bulls from playing directly through the Galaxy midfield. However, it didn’t work. "On the first goal, they kill us off a loss of possession between our lines and they play right through us, which is typical Red Bull soccer," a frustrated Vanney said.
Vanney pushed back on the notion that the loss had come down to a lack of effort. He felt it was the first time this season that his players were "totally outplayed," adding that he hoped the Galaxy had hit rock bottom. "This is a horrible night we’ve had," Vanney said. "On rare occasions through the course of a season, you have an absolute shambles, and tonight we did. But in every game prior to this, we’ve been in every game. We’ve competed in every game. The margin has been one goal in most of these games."
The Galaxy have been hurt by injuries and some bad luck, but their fall since lifting the MLS Cup trophy in 2024 is particularly terrible. Goalkeeper John McCarthy summed up the team’s situation before the match, saying, "When it rains, it pours, man. You’ve got to figure out how to get out of it, and no one’s going to help you besides the 28 guys in the locker room. You can’t start looking around and going, ‘Who’s going to do it for us?’ It’s truly got to be an ‘us’ thing."
The Galaxy will next travel to Philadelphia for an interconference match against the Union on Wednesday. It remains to be seen whether they can turn their season around and avoid further embarrassment.
The team’s current form has raised concerns about their ability to compete in the league. As The New York Times reported, Vanney’s assessment of the loss was incredibly blunt. "Today we were shit. And that’s the end of that. And from start to finish it wasn’t good," Vanney said.
In related news, the LA Galaxy’s struggles have sparked debate among fans and pundits alike. While some have called for Vanney’s resignation, others have urged the team to stick with their coach and work through their issues. Only time will tell if the Galaxy can turn their season around and reclaim their status as a top MLS team.
For more information on the LA Galaxy’s struggles, readers can refer to The New York Times for comprehensive coverage and analysis.
This article was sourced from The New York Times.
