LA Galaxy Starting XI: GK Novak Mićović; D Mauricio Cuevas, D Emiro Garcés, D Zanka, D Julián Aude; M Edwin Cerrillo, M Lucas Sanabria, M Marco Reus ©, F Diego Fagundez, F Joseph Paintsil, F Matheus Nascimento
Substitutes: GK John McCarthy; D John Nelson, D Miki Yamane, D Eriq Zavaleta, M Tucker Lepley, M Isaiah Parente, M Elijah Wynder, F Miguel Berry, F Christian Ramirez
Lineup Notes:
- Serbian goalkeeper Novak Mićović, 23, makes his 14th start of the 2025 MLS Regular Season in tonight's match against Houston. Mićović, who holds a 1.54 goals-against average this season, recorded one save and notched his second shutout of the 2025 campaign in LA's 3-0 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC on July 4. Mićović made four starts across all competitions during the 2024 campaign, posting one shutout and a 1.25 goals-against average.
- LA Galaxy Academy product Mauricio Cuevas, 22, makes his third start for LA during the 2025 MLS Regular Season in tonight's match against Houston. Notably, Cuevas tallied the game-tying assist in LA’s 3-3 draw against LAFC on July 19. In three seasons with the LA Galaxy (2023-Present), the Los Angeles, Calif., native has logged two goals and four assists in 45 matches played (9 starts) across all competitions.
- Colombian defender Emiro Garcés, 23, who has tallied two goals and one assist in 24 appearances (19 starts) across all competitions for the Galaxy during the 2025 campaign, starts in defense in tonight's match against the Dynamo. Garcés has recorded two goals and three assists in 39 career appearances (30 starts) across all competitions for the LA Galaxy (2024-Present).
- Danish defender Zanka, 35, makes his 14th career league appearance (13th start) for the LA Galaxy in tonight’s match against Houston. Zanka tallied the game-tying assist in LA's 1-1 draw against the Timbers at Providence Park on March 16. In 37 career appearances (22 starts) for the Denmark Men’s National Team, Zanka recorded two goals, one of which came in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match against.
- Julián Aude, who has tallied one goal in 26 appearances (12 starts) across all competitions during the 2025 campaign, makes his sixth consecutive start for the Galaxy in tonight’s match against Houston Dynamo FC. Aude, 22, has recorded three goals and three assists in 79 matches played (51 starts) across all competitions in three seasons played with LA (2023-Present).
- Edwin Cerrillo, who has tallied one assist in 22 matches played (22 starts) during the 2025 MLS Regular Season, starts in midfield against Houston. Cerrillo, 24, has registered one goal and five assists in 78 career matches played (67 starts) across all competitions with the LA Galaxy (2023 - Present). Cerrillo has tallied one goal and eight assists in 153 career MLS regular season matches played (117 starts).
- Uruguayan midfielder Lucas Sanabria, 21, makes his 19th appearance (12th start) of the 2025 MLS Regular Season in the match against Houston. Sanabria recorded five goals and four assists in 46 matches played (41 starts) across all competitions (Campeonato Uruguayo Clausura & Apertura, Copa AUF Uruguay, Copa Libertadores, Torneo Intermedio) for Club Nacional de Football (2024). At the international level, Sanabria was called up to the Uruguayan National Team for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifying for matches against Peru on Oct. 11 and Ecuador on Oct. 15, 2024.
- Diego Fagundez, who recorded the game-winning goal in the 2-1 win against D.C. United on July 12, starts in midfield in tonight's match against Houston Dynamo FC. Fagundez has tallied 77 goals and 76 assists in 415 career MLS regular-season games played (307 starts), and is the eighth player in MLS history to record at least 75 career goals and 75 assists in regular season play. Fagundez has recorded four goals in 23 matches played (20 starts) during the 2025 MLS Regular Season. Fagundez notched the game-tying goal in LA’s 1-1 draw against Houston on April 12.
- Marco Reus, who tallied an assist against LAFC on July 19, captains the Galaxy in midfield in tonight’s match against Houston. Reus has registered 17 goal contributions (6 goals, 11 assists) in 24 career regular season matches played (19 starts) for LA (2024-Present). Additionally, Reus has recorded 13 goal contributions (5 goals, 8 assists; 1.06 goals & assists per 90 min. played) in his last 14 matches played for the Galaxy dating back to April 27. The Dortmund, Germany, native has logged five goals and eight assists in 18 matches played (15 starts) during the 2025 MLS Regular Season.
- Ghanaian international forward Joseph Paintsil, who has recorded 32 goal contributions (20 goals, 12 assists) in 56 career matches played (53 starts) across all competitions for LA, starts on the right wing against Houston. Paintsil has tallied five goals and one assist in 19 matches played (17 starts) across all competitions for LA during the 2025 campaign.
- Brazilian youth international forward Matheus Nascimento, who tallied a goal against LAFC on July 19, starts up top in tonight’s match against Houston Dynamo FC. The Niterói, Brazil native has notched three goals and three assists in 17 appearances (9 starts) for the Galaxy during the 2025 MLS Regular Season. Nascimento joined LA as a U22 Initiative Player on loan from Brazilian Série A side Botafogo on Feb. 19, 2025. Notably, Nascimento is the youngest player (16 years old) in club history to make their debut for Botafogo. Nascimento notched 12 goals and 7 assists in 98 appearances (55 starts) across all competitions in six seasons played with Botafogo (2020-25). At the international level, Nascimento has made multiple appearances for Brazil at the U-16, U-17, U-18, U-20 and U-23 age groups. The forward was part of the Brazilian National Team side that won the 2023 Pan American Games gold medal after defeating Chile in penalties on Nov. 4, 2023.
