The LA Galaxy lost a close contest to visiting FC Cincinnati at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday night.
Scoring opened up in the 10th minute on an FC Cincinnati goal in the bottom right corner of the net by winger Ender Echenique. Cincinnati would add to their lead in the 22nd minute on a goal in the upper right side of the post by forward Brenner Souza.
The Galaxy would get on the board in the 38th minute on a header by forward Joseph Paintsil in the bottom left corner of the goal.
It was Cincinnati’s pressure on the attacking end that provided them with the two goal lead before halftime, as the Galaxy defenders were unprepared for Cincinnati’s pressing attack.
LA’s Isaiah Parente would pick up a red card in the 51st minute on a sliding tackle, making him ineligible for the Galaxy’s next game against Sporting Kansas City.
In the 88th minute, Brenner Souza would notch his second goal on the day in the top right corner courtesy of a Evander Da Silva Ferreirz assist. LA’s Mauricio Cuevas would answer with a goal of his own in the first minute of stoppage time, but the Galaxy’s comeback would ultimately fall short.
Saturday’s game was just the second meeting all-time between the LA Galaxy and FC Cincinnati. The last meeting between the two squads was on June 22, 2019 in Cincinnati in a game that the Galaxy won 2-0.
The Galaxy would allow Evander to match the FC Cincinnati record for assists in a game with three.
LA boss Greg Vanney addressed the squad’s first half struggles in the postgame press conference.
“A lot of chances had gone missing…Goals we give up are, they’re good actions by them, but we just get pulled apart and lose track of guys running off us.”
The Galaxy will play at home again next week on Saturday, September 27, as they take on Sporting Kansas City.