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Galaxy Matheus Nascimento striker on the left continues the ball with Orlando City defender Sc Robin Jansson in the second half of a MLS football match in Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. Saturday March 29, 2025. Orlando City SC won 2-1. (Photo of Raul Romero Jr., contributing photographer)
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Galaxy Matheus Nascimento striker on the left continues the ball with Orlando City defender Sc Robin Jansson in the second half of a MLS football match in Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. Saturday March 29, 2025. Orlando City SC won 2-1. (Photo of Raul Romero Jr., contributing photographer)
Develop
CARSON – With so many early absences to key players, the first days of the 2025 season put the galaxy in survival mode.
For more than 70 minutes on Saturday, the Galaxy had its goal in the first victory in the league of the season.
However, things would collapse.
A late and dubious fault, which led to a successful penalty kick, equaled the match, then the free kick of Luis Murriel about 35 meters was badly played by the goalkeeper of the Galaxy John McCarthy, leading to the winning goal in a 2-1 setback for the Galaxy (0-4-2) in front of 21.722 in Dignity Health Sports.
“What are you going to say about the second goal, honestly,” said Galaxy coach Greg Vanney. “There is nothing to say on this subject. … at the end of the day, he (the game) should have ended 1-1.
“We have enabled a goal that should not occur and that ultimately becomes the difference in the result.”
McCarthy jumped to get their hands on the Murriel free kick, but could not the corral and the ball rolled on the line for the 90th minute.
Everything was fine for the galaxy approaching the 75th minute.
Playing their first home game on Saturday evening, Christian Ramirez’s goal in the 14th minute of Christian Ramirez gave the Galaxy his first advance in competition MLS this season. The goal has extended his sequence of goal points for four consecutive games.
The galaxy would take this advance from 1-0 to halftime.
In the second half, Joseph Paintsil made his debut of the season, as a submarine, replacing Tucker Lepley in the 62nd minute. Paintsil had been sidelined since the first days of pre-season with a quad injury.
Even before the winning goal, Orlando had a pair of chances that could have opened the match, but on one, Eduard Atuesta hit the post and the rebound was heading.
In the 75th minute, Atuesta descended into the penalty zone and referee Jon Freemon did not hesitate to point out from the distribution point. The fault has apparently been verified by the video review; Freemon was not called to look.
“For me, the only reason you call it is because you look forward to and want to get involved in the game and want to make a call,” said Vanney about the penalty. “There is really like a blow on the heel. The player obviously throws himself on the ground. It’s at the corner of the box … There is nothing there.
Martin Ojeda crossed the ball and converted the penalty to equalize the match.
The Galaxy had posted consecutive draws in the championship game entering the match on Saturday, 1-1 against the Timbers of Portland (March 16) and 2-2 against Minnesota United (March 22), both on the road.
The only victory in the Galaxy this season occurred in the second stage of the 16 series of the CONCACAF Champions Cup against CS Herediano.
The Galaxy will send its attention to the action of the Concacaf Champions Cup with the first stage of the quarter -finals scheduled for home Tuesday against Tigers.
The next championship match is on April 5 on the road against Real Salt Lake.
Originally published:
California Daily Newspapers
