ST. PAUL, Minn. (Wednesday, May 15, 2024) – Playing in their eighth road game through the first 13 games played to begin the 2024 campaign, the LA Galaxy earned a 2-2 draw against Minnesota United FC at Allianz Field on Wednesday night. Dejan Joveljić and Diego Fagundez both registered goals, while Riqui Puig notched two assists for the second consecutive match in the road result against the Loons.
Joveljić Reaches 100 Matches Played Across All Competitions
With his second-half appearance against Minnesota, Dejan Joveljić made his 100th career appearance across all competitions in four seasons played with the Galaxy (2021-Present). Notably, Joveljić has 42 goal contributions (30 goals, 12 assists) across 4,576 minutes played in 100 career appearances (46 starts) for the LA Galaxy.
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Goal-Scoring Plays
MIN – Bongokuhle Hlongwane (Robin Lod, Joseph Rosales), 30th minute*: Bongokuhle Hlongwane’s shot from the edge of the 18-yard box was fired in off the underside of the crossbar.
LA – Dejan Joveljić (Gabriel Pec, Riqui Puig), 61st minute: Riqui Puig played a pass out wide to Gabriel Pec, whose low pass into the six-yard box was drilled in by Dejan Joveljić
LA – Diego Fagundez (Riqui Puig), 68th minute: In transition, Riqui Puig played a through ball towards the top of the box to Diego Fagundez, whose first-time shot beat Dayne St. Clair at the lower corner of the goal.
MIN – Kervin Arriaga (Joseph Rosales), 80th minute: Joseph Rosales’ in-swinging corner-kick service was headed in by Kervin Arriaga from close range.
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Postgame Notes*
- Through 13 matches played during the 2024 MLS Regular Season, the LA Galaxy hold a 5-2-6 record (25 GF, 21 GA; 21 points).
- Wednesday’s match marked the 15th meeting across all competitions between LA and Minnesota United FC, with the Galaxy leading the all-time series 7-3-5.
- Against Minnesota, LA holds a 6-3-5 record in league play and a 1-0-0 record in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
- In eight road matches played during the 2024 MLS Regular Season, the LA Galaxy hold a record of 3-2-3 (14 GF, 12 GA).
- Joveljić recorded his team-leading seventh goal of the season in the draw at Minnesota.
- Dating back to Aug. 28, 2021, Joveljić ranks first amongst all players in MLS with 12 goals scored as a substitute, with the next closest played being Jose Martinez (9) and Anderson Julio (9).
- Riqui Puig recorded two assists for a second consecutive match in the result away at Minnesota United FC.
- Puig is the fourth player in team history to record two assists in two consecutive matches.
- In 12 appearances (12 starts) during the 2024 campaign, Puig ranks tied for second in MLS in assists (8) behind only Lionel Messi (11) and has added three goals.
- The Galaxy had two substitutes score a goal in the same match for the fourth time in the team’s 29-year history in MLS, with the last time occurring back on Sept. 24, 2023 against Austin FC when Dejan Joveljić and Michael Barrios scored as second-half substitutes.
- Diego Fagundez registered his second goal of the season in the match against Minnesota.
- Gastón Brugman completed 62 of 72 passes (86.1%), won nine of 16 duels, seven possessions and two tackles and registered two interceptions against Minnesota.
Next Game
Next up, the LA Galaxy travel to face Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday, May 18 (4:30 p.m. PT, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
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2024 MLS Regular Season
LA Galaxy (5-2-6, 21pts) at Minnesota United FC (6-2-4, 22pts)*
Wednesday, May 15, 2024 – Allianz Field (St. Paul, Minn.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
LA Galaxy 0 2 2
Minnesota United FC 1 1 2
Scoring Summary:
MIN: Hlongwane (Lod, Rosales), 30
LA: Joveljić (Pec, Puig), 61
LA: Fagundez (Puig), 68
MIN: Arriaga (Rosales), 80
Misconduct Summary:
MIN: Oluwaseyi (caution), 45
MIN: Rosales (caution), 58
LA: Fagundez (caution), 90+6
Lineups:
LA: GK John McCarthy; D Miki Yamane, D Maya Yoshida ©, D Martin Cáceres, D John Nelson (Julián Aude, 77); M Mark Delgado, M Gastón Brugman, M Riqui Puig (M Edwin Cerrillo, 77), F Gabriel Pec (Jalen Neal, 77), F Joseph Paintsil (Diego Fagundez, 52), F Miguel Berry (Dejan Joveljić, 59)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Novak Mićović; D Mauricio Cuevas, D Eriq Zavaleta; M Daniel Aguirre
TOTAL SHOTS: 6 (Diego Fagundez, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Dejan Joveljić, Diego Fagundez, 2); FOULS: 8 (Gastón Brugman, 3); OFFSIDES: 5; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 6
MIN: GK Dayne St. Clair; D Miguel Tapias, D Michael Boxall ©, D Joseph Rosales, M Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi (Teemu Pukki, 60), M Wil Trapp, M Robin Lod, M DJ Taylor, M Kervin Arriaga, M Sang Bin Jeong (Franco Fragapane, 60); F Bongokuhle Hlongwane (Caden Clark, 60)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Clint Irwin; D Devin Padelford, D Zarek Valentin, D Victor Eriksson, D Carlos Harvey, M Alejandro Bran
TOTAL SHOTS: 23 (Robin Lod, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Joseph Rosales, 3); FOULS: 13 (Tany Oluwaseyi, 4); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 3
Referee: Lukasz Szpala
Assistant Referees: Adam Wienckowski, Kali Smith
Fourth Official: Sergii Boiko
VAR: Sorin Stoica
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 70 degrees
Attendance: 18,723
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
Postgame Media Assets
LA Galaxy postgame soundbites from media availability and match photos can be accessed when ready below.
- LA Galaxy Head Coach Greg Vanney (English)
- LA Galaxy Forward Dejan Joveljić (English)
- LA Galaxy Midfielder Diego Fagundez (English)
*Please credit LA Galaxy for any use
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PHOTOS: https://mlssoccer.box.com/s/akf3s4hkru16zs2e9j7fhsgiofvwvn8i
Please credit LA Galaxy for any use
LA GALAXY POSTGAME QUOTES
LA GALAXY HEAD COACH GREG VANNEY
On first half and adjustments made in second half
“In the first half, we were creating actions to try to play that one pass that was going to open up the game or unlock the game or to give us that one chance on goal. And every time we looked to play that type of pass, we were either off-sides or we hit somebody with the pass. We needed to be a bit more patient and back them up and maybe somebody makes the run, but we don't have to play the run and we can back them up and keep moving the game more into their half of the field. So, showing patience and not being too enticed. We knew they played a high line and there would be opportunities for Joe (Paintsil) or Gabe (Gabriel Pec) or some of the guys to get in behind. I felt like we were really looking for that so much that it kind of disrupted the flow of things. I wanted us at halftime to get a little closer together to just allow the game to move a little bit more in terms of our connections to get up, to play from side to side a little more and not to play so vertical and look for the moment and see if we could win some field position a little bit. Maybe our attacks would finish from a little deeper attacks, and not try to finish, like that one ball from behind that would break things. That was part of it, in terms of managing the game a little bit better, and maybe again playing the game in a little bit different area of the field. We knew they were stepping out of the line pretty aggressively. If we could keep the ball moving and play more in combination, the spaces for us to run through and play through would open up and become a little more visible for us. I thought in the second half, we found more opportunities. We dissected them with some passes that were a little clearer, and the timing was a little better. We were able to play off the sides a little bit cleaner and not necessarily be in a rush and just play balls in behind. And I thought we started to establish a little bit more rhythm and obviously Riqui (Puig) finds some great balls where the distances weren't so great necessarily for those final passes. They were still at a little bit of distance but not safe from half field. I thought it was a better second half. I think the energy and we just started to lose a bit of gas there at the end, Joe (Paintsil), some hamstring tightness so we had to make a move there. He started to feel like he was tightening up. So we had to be smart with the string of games that were going. We had some other guys with just some things that (they) were starting to feel a little bit. It's our first game in midweek and guys were starting to feel a little bit of some things. We wanted to be mindful of not trying to risk people and overplay people but still try to win the game. It became a little bit of a trick down there at the end to figure out the best way to manage some of that as well as now going up 2-1, trying to close out the game. We wanted to close some of those spaces we were going to by running five, and ironically we gave up a goal on a set piece again. We looked it as it was 2-1, knowing how the game had gone to try to -- where we were physically to try to shut the game down a little bit more and try to keep the ball, but also be able to protect ourselves in some of those attack moments. We got a point out of it. It was a hard-earned point and we take (it) right now. As I said to the guys, we're in the grind. We are in the MLS grind right now where you're playing four out of five or whatever it is on the road, and we're in, kind of the tough part of it, east coast swing going Midwest to east coast. Every point is a tough point, and I know we wanted three and we were in position with 15 minutes to go to take three, but we've got to try to take this point and start to heal and start to recover and move on to the next one knowing that on the other side of this, we've got a string of home games that are waiting for us. You know, good, hard-earned point at the end of the day even though there was a chance for us to get three there at sort of the tail end.”
On the defense and giving up a set-piece goal:
“I don’t think we should have given up a set-piece goal. Doesn't mean everything was perfect. As we got 2-1, wanted to be mindful of Riqui (Puig) and the minutes he's played, knowing he's been nursing things through the course of the season as well and how much we have going on right now. I had one sub left and if I needed to get him off the field, I couldn't take two more subs to switch everything. It was the moment that I needed to try to get all the adjustments necessary. I wanted to close off is the thing. I felt (what) was getting us at times was the run-outs from those half-spaces and our center backs or our defensive midfielders having to chase those guys running into the depth in behind us and us getting stretched apart or giving our defensive midfielders even more work to chase guys through. I figured five would close those spaces up a little bit more and make it a little bit clearer for us managing some of their attacking runs, and get you (to) go a little bit bigger for set pieces. As I said, I always have regrets when we give up a goal, but having said that, we shouldn't give up. We've got three center backs on the field, a striker and other pieces. We need to defend the set piece and see that play out. It's not the only way they had chances, but it's the only way they got goal and we have to be better at that. Second goal was off of a set piece where we don't recover the second ball or keep it from us, and it ends up in the back of the net. I think, again, you go on the road and you score two goals, you've got to get something out of the game and we were able to get a point and there was three there for us at one point.”
On forward Dejan Joveljić:
“We talk about Dejan and the way he's scoring goals, it's always kind of the same thing. We get guys working into the depth like Gabe (Gabriel Pec) was able to do. He got to the end line. It opened some space in front of the goal. Dejan does a great job of finding where the space is, getting himself to the front of the goal and Gabe plays a ball and he does what he does which is he's a good finisher and he took that one well. It wasn't an easy ball. It was kind of coming in on the bounce and he was able to stay over the top of it and finish it. I think that's one of the big things. Confidence is always important for strikers, but he's got guys who are getting deep and getting behind which is opening spaces that make his runs a little bit clearer to the front of the goal. He made a great run at the end to get in behind and he had a chance maybe to seal it there towards the end and maybe, maybe rushed it, but I know he felt Boxall (Michael Boxall, Minnesota United FC defender) coming from behind and you know he ends up finishing it into the keeper. I think it's a combination of things. I think, you know, getting the right pieces around him has helped which is what we've always said but him being able to do the things that help him be a good goal scorer are all there for him.”
LA GALAXY FORWARD DEJAN JOVELJIĆ
On scoring a goal this match:
“First of all, I want to say that we should have won this game. In the first half, actually, I thought it's going to be impossible to win here because we could not create anything. But in the second half, game just opens up and we had everything, 2-1 for us, and again corner kick and we couldn't manage the numbers and they scored, 2-2. On 2-2, I had very, very good chance, and I had open first post and I should have had adjust(ed). I check it again and I should have scored that ball a hundred percent. Those balls, I score ten out of ten. But, okay, after 1-0 down, one point is okay. I don't want to say that I'm happy, but let's go for the next one.”
On the long road trip and potential “heavy legs”:“Yeah of course, because we played every seven days. Now we play every three days. So yeah, I can say it's like that. But that's not important when you have 2-1. You need to close the game. I don't know how but somehow you need to close the game and we are going to work on that and hopefully we are going to close more and more games.”
On physical health:
“Obviously I didn't play ten days and I played almost 17 minutes against Real Salt Lake. I was feeling very good that game. The coaches made the decision for me (that) it's better to play the game from the bench, and I feel every day better and better and hopefully after a few more games I'm going to be back.”
On scoring six goals last year and having seven goals scored thus far:“I mean, my confidence is always high. But it's even better when we create a lot of chances when we play good and when I score. So this season is different story. We are creating more and I'm scoring more. It's (as) simple as that.”
On goal scored tonight scoring six goals last year and having seven goals scored thus far:“I mean, a lot of people are going to say that the goals I'm scoring are easy, so first of all, it's not easy to be in that position. Secondly, it's not easy to score. Even though it looks so easy. So it bounced weird, but I managed to hit the ball well and to score that. But the second ball maybe was even easier and I said already, I should have gone left side -- I had open position from the goalkeeper was not good but he got lucky.”
On playing his 100th game at Minnesota United FC’s Allianz Field:“Of course can I add that I'm so happy because I played my 100th game here and the fun fact is that I play(ed) my first game here and now it's the 100th and yeah, I'm going to go for 200.”
