Match Report: Galaxy Erase Two-Goal Deficit in 3-2 Home Win over Colorado

LOS ANGELES (September 26, 2026) – The LA Galaxy (9-10-9, 36 points) rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat the Colorado Rapids (11-13-3, 36 points) 3-2 at Dignity Health Sports Park. Trailing 2-0 at halftime, the Galaxy responded with three unanswered goals in the second half to secure three crucial points in the Western Conference playoff race. After João Klauss leveled the match in the 66th minute, defender Justin Haak headed in the eventual game-winning score eight minutes later, opening his LA Galaxy goalscoring account in the process.

Goalscoring Plays

COL – Donovan Phillip (Josh Atenscio, Jackson Travis), 4th minute: Colorado broke forward down the left side, with Atencio finding Phillip, who converted a breakaway chance to put the visitors in front 1-0.

COL – Paxten Aaronson (Rob Holding), 39th minute: Colorado clipped a ball over the top of the Galaxy backline, finding Aaronson, who finished to double the visitors' lead.

LA – Reggie Cannon (OG), 54th minute: Pablo Ruiz played a free kick into the box that Justin Haak flicked on, and with João Klauss applying pressure, Colorado conceded an own goal. 

LA – João Klauss, 66th minute: Klauss intercepted a pass from the Colorado goalkeeper and finished from close range to level the match for the Galaxy.

LA – Justin Haak (Robert Taylor), 74th minute: Taylor delivered an out-swinging corner kick that found Haak, who headed home his first goal for the Galaxy to give the hosts a 3-2 lead.

Postgame Notes

• João Klauss made his return to the Galaxy’s starting eleven tonight for the first time since his early exit on April 18 due to injury. The Brazilian forward has now scored in back-to-back matches since his official return to the pitch on September 12, both of which have been the equalizing goal in come-from-behind victories for LA.

• Sergi Roberto returned to the pitch for the LA Galaxy tonight after missing the previous match due to injury. The Spaniard led the team in both passes completed (41) and passing percentage (95.3%, minimum 15) on the night.

• The Galaxy’s 10 points in the month of September marks their highest total in a single month this season so far. In addition, tonight was the first time in the campaign that the LA Galaxy have won back-to-back matches.

• LA Galaxy forward Hirving Lozano was unavailable for the contest as he was called up to the Mexico Men’s National Team for the current international window and subsequently started for El Tri in their friendly against Colombia tonight. (1-1 final)

Next Up

The LA Galaxy head to Missouri on the other side of the international break for an MLS Regular Season contest against St. Louis CITY SC at Energizer Park on Sunday, October 11 (4:00 p.m. PT, Apple TV). 

Match Information

Match: LA Galaxy vs Colorado Rapids

Date: September 26, 2026

Venue: Dignity Health Sports Park; Carson, California 
Weather: Cloudy and 75°F

COL: Donovan Phillip (Josh Atenscio, Jackson Travis), 4’ 
COL: Paxten Aaronson (Rob Holding), 39’

LA: Reggie Cannon (OG), 54’

LA: João Klauss, 66’

LA: Justin Haak (Robert Taylor), 74’

Lineups

LA Galaxy: GK JT Marcinkowski; D Lucas Calegari (Marco Reus, 61'), D Jakob Glesnes, D Justin Haak, D John Nelson; M Pablo Ruiz, M Sergi Roberto (Lucas Sanabria, 76'), M Erik Thommy; F Harbor Miller, F Robert Taylor (Maya Yoshida, 84'), F João Klauss (Kyōgo Furuhashi, 84')

Substitutes not used: Novak Mićović, Emiro Garcés, Julián Aude, Elijah Wynder, Troy Elgersma

Colorado Rapids: GK Nicolas Defreitas-Hansen; D Reggie Cannon, D Loic Williams, D Rob Holding (Noah Cobb, 83’), D Miguel Navarro; M Keegan Rosenberry (Darren Yapi, 76'), M Josh Atencio (Hamzat Ojediran, 66'), M Paxten Aaronson; F Donavan Phillip, F Jackson Travis (Alex Harris, 83’), F Morgan Whittaker

Substitutes not used: Adam Beaudry, Kosi Thompson, Jonathan De La Fuente, Christopher Aquino, Kimani Stewart-Baynes

Misconduct Summary

COL: Keegan Rosenberry (caution) 10’

COL: Rob Holding (caution) 31’

LA: Pablo Ruiz (caution) 46’

COL: Josh Atencio (caution) 53’

Officials

Referee: Armando Villarreal

Assistant Referees: Ian McKay, Kevin Lock

Fourth Official: Jair Marrufo

VAR: Geoff Gamble

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial

LA Galaxy Postgame Top Quotes

LA Galaxy Head Coach Greg Vanney

On what his message was to the team at the half:

“The message was we changed our shape to press, tried to make it a lot clearer for us to step directly towards our direct opponents. So, we shifted out of what was like a four-two-three-one and went more four-three-three, matched them more, and just tried to step out and press. They’re a team that's very committed to their methodology and trying to play and the way they're doing things. And we felt like to get ourselves in the game and to get momentum, we needed to do it through the press.  The message was ‘Go trust each other. Get clarity. Get our matchups. Step to the ball and defend. When you go step to the ball, defend after the pass.’ All the little things and make sure we did it committed. We couldn't have anybody be late or get late too many times, or else we were going to get ourselves in trouble. A lot of credit to the guys for trusting each other and going because it's a game won off of the press. It's a game won off of the commitment and trusting each other. We had to deal with some situations once we got down2-0, but in dealing with some situations, we created a lot more opportunities and really disrupted their game and forced some mistakes. And so, for me, it wasn't necessarily a game in the category of beautiful soccer. It was a game in commitment and disruption and create your own luck through hard work and through the press. And so, just proud of the guys for digging in. I felt like coming in [to the locker room] they were disappointed, but I didn't feel like they felt like they couldn't get something out of the game. And when you have enough belief in the locker room, and you know you have Marco coming in, and you have some other things that you can do to impact the game, the guys I think got right off pretty quickly out of the gates, got going, and won some balls, which I think gave them also the confidence to keep pushing.”

On Mexican Heritage Night and the support of the Mexican fans:

“I think it's amazing and it's huge. Ever since '96, obviously the first year of the team and my first year in Compos coming in, and obviously the most vibrant, probably one of the most vibrant Mexican players in history. The energy we played in front of, and I think periodically through the course of time, the Mexican fans have just grown to adore the Galaxy, and the Galaxy has won championships along the way, and I think everybody wants to be a part of that. And when this thing is working at its best, the energy and the positivity and the support that the fans bring, the players feel it, and they in return have to give the fans back entertaining soccer and positive emotions, and of course wins and things like that. And it's been a great relationship for close to 30 years now. And so we live for it and we thrive on it, and we know it's our responsibility to give back to the fans that are coming to support us. Yeah, I felt like tonight was perfect for that because it was this in sync. To me, the crowd and the players and the energy in the stadium was as in sync tonight as it has been for maybe two years, and so I felt like that was huge, and I felt like that's part of what brought the energy that we were able to come back. And so we're going to need it down the stretch. We have some massive home games against teams that are right in the direct mix with us for playoff spots, and so if we can make this place a fortress and get our energy connected again together.”

On if he feels like fortune is turning:

“I'm not a big believer in luck. I do think that when we were proactive and we were aggressive and we were coming and we were disrupting them and we were making them uncomfortable, I think you start to create your own luck in those situations. I think tonight, part of that is, and sometimes when you're a little more passive and you're deep then things can happen to you as well. So I think yes, It's sometimes I feel like we don't get sometimes the same calls as maybe this or that, and sometimes we don't get a bounce here there. I agree with you, but I do think it's just the effort and the energy and the positivity and the commitment and things like that. When you make a team uncomfortable, you put them in positions to make mistakes.”

LA Galaxy Defender Justin Haak

On if having JT Marcinkowski in goal instills confidence in the team: 

“One hundred percent. First of all, I tell him almost every day I think he's been our best player this year. I think I feel like almost every game he comes up with a big save to keep us in the game, which is what you would hope your goalie can do. And it gives me a lot of confidence knowing he's back there. I think it gives the whole team a lot of confidence. Also, was talking about coming here, there's a lot of big players on the team, a lot of guys that you know around the league. But he wasn't really somebody I thought too much about. But he's been the person that I've been the most impressed by how he conducts himself every day, and he fully deserves to be having the season he's been having.” 

On seeing the team evolve throughout the season: 

“I think we brought a lot of quality into the team. A lot of veterans that come with a lot of experience, and I think being out on the training field, you really start to get a feel of what's possible, and I'm very glad that we've been able to show the last two games what's been possible. Also, the New England game at home, the parts of the Seattle game didn't finish well, but I think we're starting to see the pieces really coming together. But we can't get ahead of ourselves. We have to keep putting the work in and training. This is just three more points at the end of the day, and we still have work to do to qualify for the playoffs and then keep going from there.” 

On his performance tonight: 

“I felt better as the game went on. I feel like we had a tough start, but really, I think it was the team being more together and all performing well, and that makes my job so much easier at the back. And if I could help in set pieces, get a goal, that also helps the team. But I really would say it came down more to just the team playing much better in the second half.” 

LA Galaxy Goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski 

On if he believes he’s the most consistent, best player on the field this season: 

“No. You look at the quality of the team and the quality in that locker room. We have guys who have played all over the world, at the highest level. And I think what's really cool is that we're coming together at the right time. I think there's been plenty of games; you look back earlier in the year where it's just small details. We missed a pass here. We let in a goal there, but it seems to be that we're kind of clicking and taking it at the right moment. I think if I thought I was the best player, I would be probably delusional. All I really want to do is just help the team, so that's the most important part.” 

On the mentality of the team right now and why it’s working: 

“I think when you see things that work, that always helps. So I think last week against Minnesota, where we went down and I think we let in two kind of soft-ish goals, and I think we went into halftime and we were able to rebound and fight through that adversity, and then coming back here today, it's the same thing. We know we didn't play well in the first half. I think there were things that Colorado was doing well. There were things that we were doing poorly, and we made a few adjustments at halftime. And I think Greg's message was super clear, and you can see the way that we turned around the second half. And I think in this game, you make your own luck, and I think Klauss puts himself in position for that to happen a lot because he works really hard, and I think he does a lot of things that maybe go unnoticed. It's obviously great to have him back after a super long time, and everybody kind of came into the game. I think he did a really good job.” 

On what happened in the locker room at the half to turn around the team: 

“I think it was constructive. We were obviously frustrated with the way the scoreline was, but we knew there were ways for us to fix it. We knew there were ways for us to counteract what they were doing, and I think we just needed to get control of the game. We did a much better job in the second half of playing through their pressure, but also putting more pressure on them. Greg switched around a few guys and changed the way we were trying to defend them, and I think it worked really well.”