THE Galaxy are back.
After a collapse of a decade in which he lost almost as many games he won, the team closed an improbable increase from near to the first Saturday, capturing a sixth record MLS Cup with a 2-1 victory On New York Red Bulls at Dignity Health Sports Park.
With the playmaker Riqui Puig, who torn ACL in his left knee in last week Western conference finalLooking from the touch, the galaxy won behind the first goals of Joseph Paintsil And Dejan Jovljic And a solid performance of a defense that was tested all afternoon. The team then set up an erect scene in a hurry in the midfield to accept the Philip F. Anschutz trophy, named after the team's founding owner.
“Let me say thank you to all the fans who continued to trust the galaxy,” said Anschutz during the presentation of the trophy. “Last year, we were at the bottom of the league. This year, we won the Cup. ”
At the final whistle, Puig was transported from his headquarters to the field where he joined a party that quickly decamped for a cloakroom soaked in Champagne, which Puig turned with a victory in hand.
A year ago, the Galaxy won only eight games and finished 13th in a conference of 14 teams. With the victory on Saturday, which occurred 10 years the day after their last victory of the MLS Cup on the same field, the Galaxy became the first team in 23 years to go from eight victories or less to a league title in one season.
The defender of the Galaxy Maya Yoshida, in the center, redirects the ball with a boost in the MLS Cup final on Saturday.
(All J. Schaben / Los Angeles)
A celebration of public victory is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sunday at Dignity Health Sports Park.
“After 10 years to win the trophy again, it is a very special feeling. We deserve it,” said Jveljic. “I really don't know what to say. I trust my guys. I was patiently waiting for this moment. ”
Paintsil and Jveljic both played football for young people, Painting in Ghana and Jveljic in Serbia, when the Galaxy won its latest title in 2014. Boycott of fans This saw the most loyal supporters of the club refusing to attend the matches.
However, this generated one of the greatest reversals in the history of the league, which started with the hiring of Will Kuntz As a main vice-president of players' staff. In 16 months, Kuntz, who was promoted to managing director last December, completely redid the list, signing 10 of the 13 men who played in the final on Saturday.
He then fell to Greg Vanney coach To transform these players into a team who won 24 MLS games, including the playoffs this season. And they were undefeated in 21 games in all competitions at Dignity Health Sports Park.
The Galaxy was particularly impressive in an undefeated playoff series, scoring 18 league goals in five games, one more than the Toronto de Vanney team scored in six playoffs in 2016.
“I think it's a bit of the stamp that we are back,” said Vanney, her blue -soaked blue suit under the just as soaked black mls baseball cap. “This year, this team has proven – the quality of football and the quality of the players, the style of play, all these things – that the quality is there and that the quality is back. But at the galaxy, it is a question of winning championships. Entering this week was the thing.
“We have proven that we are back as an organization, we are back as champions and we are again at the top.”
And Vanney was the key to this day. Without Puig, he started a makeshift midfielder from Mark Delgado, Edwin Cerrillo and Gastón Brugman and obtained two assists and a performance of MVP from the trio.
The Red Bulls striker Cameron Harper overturned the striker of the Galaxy Dejan Jveljic with a sliding tackle during the MLS Cup final on Saturday.
(All J. Schaben / Los Angeles)
Paintsil put the galaxy in front to stay in the ninth minute at the end of the sequence that started with the Cerrillo and Brugman fields working at the Red-the Bull End. Brugman, the MVP of the game, then put on a pass in the shape of a Puig in the heart of the defense at Paintsil at the top of the box and the Ghanaian did the rest, slipping his shot under the Carlos Coronel goalkeeper.
PAINTSIL celebrated the goal by brandishing a PUIG n ° 10 jersey.
After Jveljic doubled the advantage four minutes later on a assist by Mark Delgado, he made a perilous jump in the penalty area, then fled his teammates and bowed to Puig on the key.
The two goals in 13 minutes equaled what the Red Bulls conceded in their first four eliminatory games combined. They returned to the match in the 28th minute on the fly of the right foot from Sean Nealis to Sean Nealis in traffic, but they could not get closer despite a rairing of wild action in the Galaxy penalty zone in time.
The Red Bulls, like the Galaxy, an original MLS franchise, played in their second cup final and first since the loss against Columbus on the same field in Carson 16 years ago. To celebrate their return to the championship match, the team brought its entire front office in Carson, buying 2,200 tickets for the staff, supporters and seasonal ticket holders who filled half the upper bridge, transforming the east tribune of the stadium in a sea of Red Bull Red.
Galaxy striker Joseph Paintsil, on the left, famous after scoring the first goal of the MLS Cup final while the Red Bulls Cameron Harper striker looks away.
(All J. Schaben / Los Angeles)
The Victoria block behind the goal of the North was blindly white, filled with galaxy fans in the traditional jersey of their team. Behind the supporters, he was sitting 13 members of the last MLS Cup championship team of the franchise while the coach of the male national team Mauricio Pochet Pocsettino was also part of the 26,812 crowd, looking at a suite above the West touch line.
And what they have seen is a frankness formerly destroyed that regrets her pride and the MLS Cup that she had not seen for a decade.
