LA Galaxy Host Orlando City Seeking First Win

CARSON, Calif. — The LA Galaxy faced off against Orlando City SC on March 29, 2025, in a highly anticipated Major League Soccer (MLS) matchup at Dignity Health Sports Park. Both teams entered the contest with different trajectories, with the Galaxy still searching for their first win of the season after five matches, while Orlando was riding high from a convincing 4-1 victory over D.C. United.

The last time these two teams met was in late April 2023, when Orlando City hosted the Galaxy, resulting in a 2-0 shutout in favor of Orlando. Since that match, both squads have undergone significant changes, making this encounter particularly intriguing.

LA Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney acknowledged the evolution of both teams, stating, "They're a good team. In possession, they're the team that probably most expresses similar characteristics to us in the way they move, in their positional play. They have variations, they have different players who occupy different positions, but their positions are pretty consistent. They look comfortable on the ball, and some guys who can hurt you on the attack."

The Galaxy's roster has seen a significant overhaul since their last meeting with Orlando. Notably, Jonathan Bond is no longer the starting goalkeeper; John McCarthy, the 2022 MLS Cup Finals MVP, has taken over. McCarthy's presence has been felt, as he has already made a mark with 21 shutouts and 328 saves in his MLS career.

Joining McCarthy in the projected starting lineup were defenders Miki Yamane, Zanka, Maya Yoshida, and Julián Aude, alongside midfielders Isaiah Parente, Edwin Cerrillo, Tucker Lepley, Diego Fagundez, Gabriel Pec, and forward Christian Ramirez. Ramirez has been in fine form, scoring in three consecutive matches leading up to this game.

Orlando City SC, managed by Oscar Pareja, also features a revamped lineup. The Lions welcomed back goalkeeper Pedro Gallese and aimed to capitalize on their recent scoring prowess. With Luis Muriel leading the attack, supported by Iván Angulo and Marco Pašalić, Orlando's offensive firepower has been a focal point of their success this season. Muriel and his teammates have combined for nine of the team's 13 goals, leading the league in scoring.

As the match kicked off at 7:30 p.m. PT (10:30 p.m. ET), the stakes were high for the Galaxy, who were desperate for a win to avoid falling further behind in the Western Conference standings, where they currently sit near the bottom with a record of 0-2-3. In contrast, Orlando, positioned ninth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 2-1-2, aimed to build on their recent momentum.

Despite their struggles, the Galaxy have been strong in possession, ranking fourth in the league, but have failed to convert that control into goals, netting only four thus far this season. This was a stark contrast to their impressive offensive output last year when they led the Western Conference with 69 goals.

Vanney emphasized the need for his team to improve their defensive communication and to contain Orlando's attacking players. "I think they're a good team that you have to do a really good job of containing and being able to identify who's going into what positions and not get pulled apart," he said. "It's going to require a lot of communication on our side to talk through some of the movements that they do, try to keep them out of positions where they can hurt us as much as we can because they're willing to run through."

In terms of injuries, the Galaxy were without defenders John Nelson and Mauricio Cuevas, who remained sidelined due to hamstring and muscular injuries, respectively. Additionally, Riqui Puig, Marco Reus, and Joseph Paintsil were ruled out, while Lucas Sanabria was a fitness doubt for the match.

Orlando City also faced injury challenges, with manager Pareja missing Nicolas Rodriguez, Wilder Cartagena, Yutaro Tsukada, and Flavian Loyola. However, the return of Gallese provided a boost to their defensive setup.

As the match progressed, both teams battled fiercely, with Orlando looking to assert their dominance early on. The Galaxy, however, were determined to break their winless streak and put pressure on Orlando's backline.

Fans tuning in could catch the action on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV, with the match being streamed live. The anticipation was palpable as the teams fought for crucial points early in the season.

With the game still ongoing, predictions had suggested a close contest, with many analysts favoring the Galaxy to edge out Orlando by a score of 2-1. However, the unpredictable nature of soccer meant that anything could happen as both teams vied for supremacy.

As the final whistle approached, it was clear that the Galaxy were eager to turn their season around, while Orlando aimed to continue their winning ways. The outcome of this match could set the tone for the rest of the season for both clubs, making every minute on the pitch count.