Starting XI: GK Novak Mićovic, D John Nelson, D Maya Yoshida(c). D Chris Rindov, D Mauricio Cuevas, M Harbor Miller, M Edwin Cerillo, M Elijah Wynder, M Diego Fagundez, F Gabriel Pec, F Joseph Paintsil
Substitutes: GK JT Marcinkowski, D Miki Yamane, D Julian Aude, D Zanka, D Eriq Zavaleta, D Emiro Garcés, M Ruben Ramos Jr., F Tucker Lepley, F Miguel Berry
Lineup Notes:
- Serbian goalkeeper Novak Mićović, 23, makes his 23rd start across all competitions during the 2025 campaign in today’s match against Kansas City. Mićović, who holds a 1.63 goals-against average this season, recorded his third shutout of the season in LA’s 4-0 win over Santos Laguna to advance to the Quarterfinal round of Leagues Cup 2025 on Aug. 7. In his match against the Seattle Sounders, Mićović made seven saves.
- John Nelson, 27, tallied his third assist for the season in 30 appearances (21 starts) across all competitions. He again starts at left back in the match against Cincinnati. The Medina, Ohio, native has now logged one goal and six assists in 60 matches played (39 starts) across all competitions in two seasons with the LA Galaxy. In the match played against Colorado at Dignity Health Sports Park, Nelson recorded his first career MLS goal (Regular Season or Playoffs) and an assist in LA’s 5-0 win over the Colorado Rapids in the Round One Best-of-3 Series opener of the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs on Oct. 26, 2024.
- Team Captainand defender* Maya Yoshida*, 36,has tallied six goals and five assists in 85 appearances (82 starts) across all competitions for the LA Galaxy in three seasons for the club (2023 – Present) since signing as a free agent on Aug. 3. His goal against the Sounders in the Club’s last regular season match on Sept. 13 helped to mark the first instance that two Japanese born players on the same team scored in the same MLS match (Yamane scored the second goal to bring the game to a draw.) Yoshida made over 450 professional appearances in the top leagues of England, Germany, Italy, Japan and Netherlands since making his professional debut in 2007 with J1 League side Nagoya Grampus. The Nagasaki, Japan, native made 29 appearances (28 starts) for FC Schalke 04 during the 2022/23 Bundesliga campaign. Yoshida recorded nine goals and four assists in 194 appearances (172 starts) across all competitions for Southampton. Yoshida tallied six goals and four assists for Southampton in 154 career appearances (135 starts) in the Premier League (2012-20). Yoshida has tallied 12 goals and two assists in 126 career appearances (120 starts) for the Japanese National Team. Yoshida has played in three FIFA World Cups (2014, 2018, 2022) and captained Japan to the Round of 16 of the 2022 edition of the FIFA World Cup.
- Chris Rindov, 23, makes his fifth LA Galaxy start in tonight’s match, strengthening his position as a steady defender on the back line. His first start with the first team and his MLS career first start was Saturday Aug. 23 in the 3-0 MLS Regular Season win against the Colorado Rapids, when he logged 90 minutes. He also entered the LA Galaxy's Leagues Cup Third-Place match as a substitute in the 46th minute and played for the remainder of the match. Rindov had the only shot on goal in 90 minutes of play against the Houston Dynamo, before Sanabria headed one in for the draw. Rindov recorded one goal in 21 appearances (21 starts) across all competitions for VCFC during the 2025 campaign.
- Mauricio Cuevas, 22, has tallied three goals and four assists in 46 career appearances (10 starts) across all competitions for the LA Galaxy (2023 – Present). Cuevas finished with a left-footed shot from the right side of the box into the bottom left corner off Paintsil’s assist in extra time during last weekend's match against FC Cincinnati. Cuevas tallied one goal and one assist in 18 appearances (1 start) during the 2024 MLS Regular Season. In 22 appearances (2 starts) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign, Cuevas has notched one goal and two assists. The Los Angeles, Calif., native played two seasons for LA Galaxy II (2019-20) in the USL Championship, recording four goals and five assists in 21 matches played (21 starts) across all competitions.
- Eighteen-year-old LA Galaxy Academy product Harbor Miller, who has recorded one assist and one goal in eight matches played (tonight marks his eighth start) across all competitions for the Galaxy during the 2025 campaign, starts on the left in tonight's match against Kansas City. Harbor Miller recorded his first career MLS goal in the 3-0 victory against the Colorado Rapids on Aug. 23, becoming the second-youngest player in team history to score a goal (Regular Season or Playoffs). Miller is a U.S. Youth International (U-15, U-17, U-18, U-19), and has recorded eight goal contributions (4 goals, 4 assists) in 15 appearances (15 starts) on loan with Ventura County FC during the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Regular Season. With his assist against Herediano on March 12, Miller (17 years, 264 days) became the youngest player to record a goal contribution in Concacaf Champions Cup action for an MLS team since Alphonso Davies (16 years, 120 days) accomplished the feat for Vancouver in 2017.
- Edwin Cerrillo, 24, who has tallied one assist in 35 matches played (35 starts) across all competitions during the 2025 campaign, starts again as the holding midfielder against Kansas City. Cerrillo has registered one goal and five assists in 85 career matches played (74 starts) across all competitions with the LA Galaxy (2023 - Present). Cerrillo has tallied one goal and six assists in 159 career MLS regular season matches played (123 starts).
- Midfielder Elijah Wynder, 22, makes his eighth career start (17th appearance) across all competitions this season for the Galaxy in today’s match against Sporting Kansas City. Wynder earned his first career MLS goal in 90 minutes of action in the win against Colorado on August 23 and notched his first career MLS assist against Vancouver on March 2. During the 2024 USL Championship Regular Season, Wynder recorded six goals and two assists in 33 matches played (32 starts), en route to being named the 2024 USL Championship Young Player of the Year, earning USL Championship All-League Second Team honors and helping Louisville City capture the club’s first-ever USL Championship Players’ Shield.
- Midfielder Diego Fagundez notched his 78th assist in the match on September 20 against FC Cincinnati, pushing him forward in his quest to join the 80/80 club for MLS. Diego Fagundez enters this match against Kansas City with 77 goals and 78 assists in 420 career regular season MLS matches. He is the eighth player in MLS history to record at least 75 goals and 75 assists in league play: (Landon Donovan; 145 G, 136 A), (Jaime Moreno; 133 G, 102 A), (Dwayne De Rosario; 104 G, 77 A), (Diego Valeri; 86 G, 91 A), (Preki; 79 G, 112 A), (Steve Ralston; 76 G, 135 A), (Luciano Acosta; 77 G, 98 A). In the 2025 Regular Season, Fagundez has made 25 starts of 28 games played and has notched four goals and two assists. Fagundez became the youngest player (30 years, 89 days) in MLS history to make 300 career regular season starts, surpassing Andrew Farrell's previous record (30 years, 182 days).
- 2024 MLS Newcomer of the Year Gabriel Pec, 24, who has recorded eight goals and seven assists in 35 matches played (33 starts) across all competitions for LA during the 2025 campaign, starts on the right wing against Sporting Kansas City. Pec has totaled 53 career goal contributions (29 goals, 24 assists) in 76 appearances (71 starts) across all competitions in two seasons with the LA Galaxy (2024 - Present).
- Joseph Paintsil, 27, notched one goal and one assist in the last match played on Sept. 20 against FC Cincinnati. It was his 15th career assist across all competitions with LA. He has been directly involved in 10 goal contributions (7 goals, 3 assists) in his last 11 matches at Dignity Health Sports Park. He has recorded 40 goal contributions (25 goals, 15 assists) in 65 career matches played (62 starts) across all competitions for the Galaxy (2024 - Present). Paintsil was acquired by the LA Galaxy from Belgian Pro League side K.R.C. Genk as a Designated Player and was signed to a four-year contract through the end of the 2027 MLS season. During the 2022-23 Belgian Pro League season, Paintsil notched 28 goal contributions (14 goals, 14 assists) in 30 league appearances (28 starts), helping Genk qualify for the 2023-24 Europa Conference League. At the international level, Paintsil has notched two assists in 15 appearances (9 starts) for Ghana.
