Galaxy end their 10-year trophy drought with a record-extending sixth title, thanks to goals from Paintsil and Joveljic.
LA Galaxy have beaten New York Red Bulls 2-1 to win a record-extending sixth MLS Cup and snap a 10-year championship drought in North American football’s premier competition.
The final on Saturday looked like it would be a one-sided affair when favourites Galaxy scored twice within 13 minutes through Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic in front of a jubilant, sun-soaked crowd.
The vaunted Red Bulls defence, who lost Andres Reyes just before the start of the game due to illness, initially had no answer to the Galaxy’s attacks despite the hosts missing key midfielder Riqui Puig.
But the Red Bulls clawed a goal back in the 28th when the ball pinged around in front of goal from a corner before Sean Nealis fired past diving Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy.
The goal immediately changed the tone of the contest with the home side playing more tentatively and the Red Bulls going on the attack.
Both sides had chances in a tense second half as the Red Bulls battled to force extra time but Galaxy held firm to seal their first MLS Cup since 2014.
“I’m so proud of these guys,” said Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney.
“I thought at the start of the game we were incredible. They have cemented themselves as legends in this club.”
Gaston Brugman, who stepped in for Puig and was later named MLS Cup MVP, split the Red Bulls defence to find Paintsil for the crucial opening goal.
Galaxy made it 2-0 when an off-balance Joveljic poked the ball into the corner to beat a flat-footed Red Bulls keeper Carlos Coronel, the forward celebrating his goal with a summersault in homage to club legend Robbie Keane.
“To win a trophy again after 10 years is a special feeling,” said Joveljic. “We’re young, hungry guys and we deserve this 100 percent.”
Crown them. 👑@LAGalaxy are back on top of MLS. #MLSCup pic.twitter.com/J4qmcZ5t0k
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) December 7, 2024
The win brings to a close a frustrating period for the Galaxy, one of MLS’s original 10 teams who rose to become a global brand with Hollywood star power.
In recent years, Galaxy have found themselves looking up at neighbours LAFC, and after failing to make the playoffs last season some questioned whether Vanney should keep his job.
“We were relentlessly committed from day one,” Vanney said.
“We committed to winning, we committed to the way we wanted to play, and we stuck with it even during the difficult year of last year.
“Because we stayed true, we got to where we needed to be.”
The defeat brought the Red Bulls’ Cinderella story to an end as the team boasting an array of homegrown talent came up just short in their quest for a first MLS Cup title.
The Red Bulls had sneaked into the playoffs as the Eastern Conference’s seventh seed and went on a blistering run that saw them eliminate defending champions Columbus Crew, cross-town rivals New York City and Orlando City to reach the final.
