A bad night on the pitch for the LA Galaxy got much worse as time went on in a 3-1 loss against St. Louis SC at home on Wednesday night.
Despite lacking some offensive pressure, the Galaxy controlled nearly the entirety of the first half and kept St. Louis at a minimum amount of touches in the box. They found chances and had their fair share of moments in the opposing box, but a double-whammy of conceded goals put them right back at square one from their last contest.
St. Louis’ Lukas MacNaughton put his team on the board with a beautifully placed header in the 42nd minute, which was immediately followed by a Marcel Harcel strike that reached the back of the net just four minutes later before the half’s end.
Just before halftime, the Galaxy’s fate felt evident heading into the break.
“It was really us trying to get at them, them trying to get at us,” said Head Coach Greg Vanney. “I thought we had the better of it until the final six minutes of the half. So from that side, it’s frustrating.”
Momentum felt lost in a moment that felt prejudiced for the Galaxy. St. Louis converted their second goal on a play where Galaxy forward Marco Reus winced on the ground holding his leg, as the game went as St. Louis did not have a clear advantage with the ball.
Vanney did not have an update on Reus’ status, who went on to play with a consistent limp before being the Galaxy’s first substitute.
Defender Carlos Garcés did not help his club shortly after. A second yellow card in the 49th minute of the second half, both of which on fouls not directed towards the ball, gave the Galaxy a red while already in a hole.
Discipline is an evident improvement needing to be made for LA. Lacking it led to an incensed squad in a match that felt like it was given away.
“What we need to see right now from everybody is discipline and clean play,” Vanney said. “Picking up silly yellows, it leads to suspensions, it leads to things where we hurt each other. It’s these little things that create vulnerabilities inside our group, and there are layers to the vulnerabilities right now.”
Things unraveled even further when the Galaxy conceded a third goal in the 68th minute, when St. Louis’ Simon Becher broke away from the defense and chipped the ball over goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski.
Heading into their post-World Cup break opener against LAFC last Saturday, the Galaxy sat an even .500 across the standings. In two games since returning, they have allowed a total of six goals.
The Galaxy had conceded at least three goals in a game just twice in the first half of the year. They have now done it twice in as many games after the break.
“Mistakes are going to happen. But it just seems that throughout everyone, we could be better with bringing intensity and being on the front foot with urgency,” said Harbor Miller. “We need to win this game, we have to win this game. It’s more than just playing a game right now.”
The pressure feels on for the Galaxy. Now at a record of 5-5-7 after letting two poor efforts define their second half start, urgency is felt to keep themselves in the postseason picture, despite being shorthanded.
“I think in some of these games, if we can just keep the game clean and keep it at zero, give ourselves a chance to win the game over time, we’re going to find some success,” Vanney said. “But the way we’re giving up goals is a little frustrating.”
Ironically, the Galaxy’s best soccer came towards the end of the game with only 10 men on the field.
Miller, who has impressed in his transition from the defense to wing, initiated a daring attack that led to a ricocheted ball to Troy Elgersma, who pocketed his first career goal for the Galaxy’s lone goal in his second MLS appearance.
“He’s one of those guys that will bring that effort, that heart to fight for the badge,” Miller said. “I know that he always brings that everyday, I can see that in the training field.”
A young core of players showed off a dynamic energy in the game’s closing minutes. For a match with minimal positives, the late effort was an encouraging one for Vanney’s squad, especially one that looks to be mightily depleted heading into a date on the road against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday.
The hope is that the best remains on the horizon. With the recent signing of Kyogo Furuhashi, a proactive forward coming in from England’s Birmingham City, the Galaxy’s attack could have a promising future in the second half.
But in the meantime, the motive remains the same for the Galaxy. Though undermanned, find a way to earn points and stay afloat.
“We need to step out with the right mentality. The tactics, the talent, that’ll all come,” Miller said. “But we need to step out with the intensity that we will do everything in our power to get three points this weekend.”