LA Galaxy win MLS Cup for record 6th time, beat NY Red Bulls 2-1
Los Angeles Galxy players celebrate after winning the Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup Final match between the LA Galaxy and the NY Red Bulls at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, on December 7, 2024. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP
CARSON, Calif. - The Los Angeles Galaxy won their record sixth MLS Cup after defeating the New York Red Bulls 2-1 in the MLS Cup Final Saturday in Carson.
The championship marks a massive turnaround for the Galaxy, after they finished 13th in the MLS' Western Conference in 2023.
The scoring started early for the Galaxy, after forward Joseph Paintsil scored in just the ninth minute. After scoring, Paintsil held the jersey of teammate Ricard Puig up to the Carson crowd. Puig did not play Saturday, after tearing his ACL in the Galaxy's Western Conference final against the Seattle Sounders. Puig was one of the team's top scorers in 2024.
LA Galaxy's Ghanaian forward #28 Joseph Paintsil celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup Final match between the LA Galaxy and the NY Red Bulls at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, on Dece
Just four minutes after Paintsil's goal, forward Dejan Joveljic scored one of his own, making it 2-0. Before the half ended, however, the Red Bulls got one back in the 28th minute, thanks to Sean Nealis.
Despite the Red Bulls dominating possession throughout the game, and constant pressure in the second half, the Red Bulls weren't able to equalize.
Both the Galaxy and Red Bulls were founding members of MLS in 1996, back when the Red Bulls were the New York/New Jersey Metro Stars. The Red Bulls remain just one of three of MLS' original 10 teams to never win an MLS Cup. Saturday's championship win is the Galaxy's first since 2014.