The Galaxy was moments away from starting an important three-game stretch with a loss Saturday.
However, thanks to Miguel Berry’s late goal, they salvaged a point in a 2-2 draw against Real Salt Lake on Saturday.
As the Galaxy returns to the road for Wednesday’s meeting with Minnesota United FC, the one thing that’s been evident about this season is the club’s resiliency.
“Games can have different feelings at the start, to the finish,” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. “There’s a lot of ebbs and flows in this one (Saturday). You know, early on I felt, we are really playing well. The ball is really moving nice. We are creating things. We are organized underneath our possessions. We are recovering balls back and I feel like, can we really sustain this for the larger part of the game? If we can, then we’ve turned over a major stone in our development.
“We were unable to get that thing that rewards you.”
The Galaxy (5-2-5, 20 points) has shown the ability to get into dangerous scoring positions, but as was the case Saturday, when the players don’t convert, the game momentum swings and they’re trailing 2-0 at halftime.
“At the beginning, I thought we have a real chance to not just score one, but to score multiple. We’ve really found our ways through them and to dangerous spots,” Vanney said. “Then as the game progresses and you start to get disjointed and now you find yourself down two, it becomes a different challenge. Now it’s to battle yourself back into the game and to remain unbeaten (at home) and to just (get) one goal at a time to get yourself back into things. I’m pleased we took a point and not to be too greedy, but the game early on, as I said before, if we execute there’s more in this game for us.”
In his return after a one-game suspension, Riqui Puig had two assists and Joseph Paintsil created six chances, but failed to score. Then as he was subbed off, he walked straight to the locker room.
“I think this group has shown that they believe they can score,” Vanney said. “They believe that they can get back into a game. It’s just a matter about how we go about doing that and that to me it’s really kind of the discussion tonight. When we try to force ourselves back into a game, we become more vulnerable. When we play in the moment and play the game, we are good enough to create those chances and to bring ourselves into the game.”
The Galaxy is third in MLS is xG (Expected goals to be scored, 1.70). The Galaxy have scored 12 goals on the road, nine in the second half and four between the 76th and 90th minutes.
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Minnesota United (6-2-2) is tied with the Galaxy with 20 points and has won three consecutive games. Their past three matches have been high scoring, with Minnesota winning twice (3-2 in 2022 and 5-2 in October). The Galaxy won 4-3 in September.
The Galaxy will depart Thursday afternoon for North Carolina to begin preparation for Saturday’s match against Charlotte FC.
GALAXY at MINNESOTA UNITED FC
When: 5:30 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Allianz Field; St. Paul, Minn.
How to watch: Apple TV (MLS Season Pass)
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