Galaxy Breaks the Curse: First Win After 16-Game Nightmare

After 16 long matches without a league win, the LA Galaxy finally delivered. On May 31, 2025, at Dignity Health Sports Park, the defending MLS Cup champions claimed their first victory of the season, defeating Real Salt Lake 2-0 in front of a home crowd that had been waiting months to celebrate again.

The win snapped the longest winless start to a season in MLS history (0-12-4) and lifted the Galaxy to a 1-12-4 record. But more than just numbers, this one meant hope.

South American Spark

Uruguayan midfielder Lucas Sanabria, just 22 years old and freshly arrived from Club Nacional, opened his MLS scoring account in the 17th minute, finishing a sharp setup from Brazilian forward Matheus Nascimento. The 21-year-old Botafogo loanee showed poise and vision in the assist, hinting at a promising connection between the two.

Ghanaian winger Joseph Paintsil doubled the lead early in the second half with a composed strike in the 55th minute—his first of the season.

While RSL outshot the Galaxy 19-10, the hosts were far more clinical. LA put five shots on target to Salt Lake’s four and, for the first time this year, walked off with a clean sheet.

Vanney’s Relief and Reality Check

Head coach Greg Vanney praised his squad’s grit:

“I’m proud of these guys because they’ve stuck with it… Today they battled, and it was commitment for 90 minutes.”

It’s only their second win across all competitions this year—the first coming against CS Herediano in the CONCACAF Champions Cup—but it may be the emotional reset this struggling side needed.

Still missing injured star Riqui Puig (torn ACL), LA leaned on youth, hustle, and cohesion to pull this one off.

What’s Next?

The Galaxy enter the international break with a dose of optimism and a rare clean sheet. Their next challenge comes June 14 on the road against St. Louis CITY SC, a team they’ll need to take points from if they hope to claw back into playoff conversation.

For now, though, LA can finally exhale. The streak is over.