Defeat for winless Galaxy as Maya Yoshida scores an own goal against Kansas City.
Spotlight on Stumbling Galaxy: LA's turbulent season despite past victories
In the midst of a nightmarish streak, Galaxy defender Maya Yoshida unfortunately notched the only goal in Sunday's match, an own goal that landed Sporting Kansas City a 1-0 victory. This unfortunate win extends the LA Galaxy's dismal record as the worst defending champions in league history to start a season.
Still grappling for their first triumph, the winless Galaxy (0-8-3) find themselves in a precarious position 11 games into the season. Even a history of victories against Sporting KC (3-7-1) couldn't steer them to success this time around.
A self-inflicted misfortune in the 13th minute is all it took for Sporting KC to secure the victory.
John Pulskamp needed to make only one save throughout the game, and it came during the first half before halftime on a right-footed shot from the center of the box by John Nelson - a testament to Pulskamp's stellar performance and his second clean sheet in 11 starts this season.
Unraveling the Struggles
The LA Galaxy's fracas-filled journey began with capturing the MLS Cup title, yet their season has since spiraled out of control. Will they be able to salvage their campaign and make a run for the playoffs?
John McCarthy, the LA Galaxy's netminder, didn't make a single save for the entire match.
A sweet triumph for Dejan Joveljic, who traded cash-for-player deals to join Sporting KC, left his former team in tatters. He leads the team with a remarkable five goals, all netted at home.
The Galaxy miss the influential Riqui Puig, who hasn't played since sustaining a season-ending knee injury in the playoffs. Moreover, key contributors Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Pec, who combined for a staggering 50 goals during the championship run, have secured a paltry four so far this season.
A curious correlation — former US men’s national team colleagues Kerry Zavagnin (Sporting KC's interim coach) and Greg Vanney (LA Galaxy's coach) faced off in the conference final of the 2000 MLS Cup. That historic encounter ended with the then-Kansas City Wizards claiming a 1-0 win over the Chicago Fire, becoming the champions of the year.
The Galaxy will be traveling to the Big Apple to battle the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. Meanwhile, Sporting KC will engage in a skirmish with the Portland Timbers on the same day.
Amidst their season's struggles, it seems the LA Galaxy's misfortune extends beyond football, as they have yet to secure a victory in soccer as well, mirroring their dismal record in sports. Dejan Joveljic, who traded to Sporting KC, now leads against them, a stark contrast to his previous tenure.
