The LA Galaxy’s title defense did not get off to a good start in 2025, as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to expansion side San Diego FC at Dignity Health Sports Park.
The loss marks the team’s first home defeat in over a year, ending a 21-match unbeaten streak at home. For a night that started as a celebration of the club’s championship triumph, it ended with a harsh reality check.
Fans arrived early to soak in the return of MLS action, tailgating in the familiar party atmosphere at the Diggity. The home opener felt like the first day of school—old friends reuniting, new faces joining the mix, and an overall buzz of excitement. Before kickoff, club legend Cobi Jones and supporters paraded the 2024 MLS Cup through Victoria Block before handing it off to Riqui Puig. The unveiling of the championship banner cemented the moment, a fitting tribute to the team’s historic run last season. But the celebration quickly turned to disappointment.
““Everything up until the point where we started the game was going great. And then the game started.””
San Diego came into this match hoping to spoil the party, and they did just that. From the opening whistle, the expansion side controlled the tempo, forcing the Galaxy onto the back foot. The champs struggled to put their game plan into place, looking disconnected, sluggish, and uninspired. With only six players from last year’s MLS Cup-winning squad in the starting XI, the chemistry issues were glaring. The midfield, once a lethal weapon with the “PPP” trio of Puig, Paintsil, and Pec, was down to just one P. Puig’s torn ACL and Paintsil’s thigh injury left Gabriel Pec as the lone holdover, and he was shut down effectively.
““You get punched in the mouth, and then you wake up. That was this team last year. The problem is, Riqui isn’t here to put them on his back now.””
Image Provided by The LA GALAXY
The offseason was not kind to the Galaxy, as they were forced to part ways with Mark Delgado, Gastón Brugman, and Dejan Joveljić due to salary cap restrictions. These were key contributors to Greg Vanney’s system, and their absence was painfully obvious. Newcomers Lucas Sanabria and Christian Ramírez struggled to make an impact, spending much of the game isolated from the action. Marco Reus, expected to step up in Puig’s absence, was nearly invisible—a major concern given his pedigree.
“If Marco Reus was supposed to be the guy, then where was he? Champions League experience doesn’t mean much if you’re invisible on the field.””
Despite the struggles, goalkeeper Novak Mičković was a bright spot, making several key saves that kept the score from being even worse. Still, his distribution error led to San Diego’s opening goal, a mistake that immediately put the Galaxy in a hole they never climbed out of. Dreyer’s second goal came late as the Galaxy pushed forward desperately, leaving themselves exposed on the counterattack. The frustration was clear among the fans, but many are keeping things in perspective.
The Galaxy must now regroup quickly as they prepare for their first road test of the season against the Vancouver Whitecaps, a team that opened their campaign with a dominant 4-1 victory over Portland. While the defending champs are still adjusting to a reworked squad, the league won’t wait for them to figure things out. The target is now on their back, and every opponent will be looking to take down the reigning kings. The question is: how long will it take for them to start playing like champions again?
““This is week one. Take a deep breath. We’ve got a long way to go.””
