What’s Going Wrong with LA Galaxy: A Tale of Soft Goals and Lost Momentum

Yamane defending the ball from Orlando City attackers

The LA Galaxy, reigning MLS champions, are struggling to find their footing in the 2025 regular season, and their recent loss to Orlando City encapsulates the issues plaguing the team. Despite a strong showing for much of the match, LA Galaxy fell apart in the final stretch, dropping a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1. Head Coach Greg Vanney and players Joseph Paintsil and Christian Ramirez offered candid insights in the postgame quotes, shedding light on a team battling self-inflicted wounds, questionable officiating, and an attack still finding its rhythm.

A Game of Two Halves—and a Controversial Call

For the first 60 minutes against Orlando, the Galaxy appeared in control. Vanney praised his team’s ability to dictate play, break lines, and adapt to Orlando’s press. Christian Ramirez’s fourth goal in four games—a well-worked team effort involving Miki Yamane and Gabriel Pec—gave LA a deserved lead. Ramirez himself noted how the team neutralized Orlando’s attack, limiting their chances despite stretches of possession. “I don’t think they were very dangerous,” he said, reflecting on a defensive structure that held firm—until it didn’t.

Refs walking off the field after ending LA Galaxy vs Orlando City game

The turning point, as Vanney sees it, was a “soft penalty kick call” that leveled the score at 1-1. The decision baffled the coach, who pointed to inconsistent officiating: similar incidents involving Galaxy players were waved off as dives, yet this marginal contact was deemed a foul. “He decides he wants to change the game, and that’s tough,” Vanney lamented. Once the call was made, the high threshold for VAR reversal ensured it stood—a frustration echoed by Vanney’s disbelief that the referee didn’t review it. “It was really like a tap on the heel,” he said, arguing the play posed no real threat.

The penalty shifted the momentum, but the Galaxy’s response—or lack thereof—proved costly. Vanney admitted the team became “erratic” after conceding, abandoning the composure that had defined their earlier dominance. The game turned “transitional” and “vertical,” exposing defensive gaps that Orlando exploited for a second goal. “That just can’t happen,” Vanney said, calling it the difference in the result. For a championship-caliber squad, these lapses are “unacceptable,” especially given how many points they’ve lost to “somewhat ridiculous” goals this season.

Goalkeeper John McCarthy watching from outside 18 box as LA Galaxy is attacking Orlando City

Defensive Frailty and Goalkeeping Questions

The second goal underscored a recurring problem: defensive miscues. Vanney didn’t mince words about the team’s tendency to gift opponents soft goals, a trend that’s haunted them all year. “There’s no reason why we’re giving up these types of goals,” he said, noting that even as the attack evolves, the backline must tighten up. Ramirez echoed this sentiment, calling it “the story of our season so far”—a team that can’t clear the hurdle of late-game collapses.

Uncertainty in goal isn’t helping. When asked about competition between goalkeepers, Vanney left the door open: “It certainly could be if they both want to keep leaving the door open for one another.” John McCarthy, last year’s starter, “needs to bounce back,” but Vanney’s hope that “somebody needs to take ownership” suggests a lack of confidence in the position—a potential crack in the foundation of a team aiming to defend its title.

Ramirez header is blocked by Orlando City goalkeeper to deny him a chance to equalize for LA Galaxy

An Attack in Transition

Offensively, the Galaxy are a work in progress. Ramirez’s scoring streak—four goals in four games—offers a bright spot, with the forward adapting to a higher starting position that’s yielding results. “I’m starting to get comfortable and understand my teammates,” he said, crediting his chemistry with Yamane and Pec for his latest strike. Yet, the team’s reliance on his form highlights a broader issue: a lack of consistent contributions from elsewhere.

“I’m starting to get comfortable and understand my teammates,” Ramirez

Joseph Paintsil’s return from injury could change that. Making his 2025 debut off the bench, the winger brings speed and dynamism, though he’s still finding his rhythm after missing preseason. “It’s almost like he’s in a preseason,” Vanney noted, emphasizing a cautious build-up to avoid re-injury. Paintsil nearly broke through against Orlando, and Ramirez praised his threat, suggesting that with time, he’ll open up the attack. Still, the winger’s “public preseason” means the Galaxy must be patient—a luxury they can ill afford amid a busy schedule and mounting pressure.

Paintsil defending the ball a few minutes after getting subbed on

Other pieces, like Gabriel Pec and Diego Fagundez, show promise but haven’t fully clicked. Vanney remains confident Pec will soon contribute goals and assists, while Fagundez’s positioning has been a positive. Tucker Lepley, subbed off for Paintsil, had a “good night,” per Vanney, but the team’s final actions remain inconsistent. “It becomes the decisions that we’re making in the final actions,” Vanney said, pinpointing a need for sharper execution.

Emotional Toll and a Path Forward

The loss left the locker room frustrated, not just with the result but with the manner of defeat. “It’s the way we’re giving up goals as much as anything,” Vanney said, noting that while the Galaxy haven’t been “played off the field” in any game, results aren’t reflecting their play. Paintsil, ever optimistic, insisted “hope is not gone” and urged the team to “play like champions,” especially at home, where fan turnout is dipping. Ramirez, meanwhile, spoke of sticking together to “turn it around,” buoyed by the return of key players.

Paintsil stalling the play as he looks for a passing opportunity

Tuesday’s knockout match against Tigres offers a chance to reset. “There’s a desperation that comes with it,” Ramirez said, recalling how intensity lifted them in past must-win scenarios. Vanney’s call for a “chip on our shoulder” could ignite a response, but only if the Galaxy address their Achilles’ heel: late-game resilience.

The Bottom Line

The LA Galaxy aren’t broken—they’re bending under the weight of their own mistakes. A soft penalty call may have sparked the collapse against Orlando, but the team’s inability to regroup, coupled with defensive lapses and an attack still gelling, turned a winnable game into a loss. With Paintsil’s return and Ramirez’s form, there’s potential to climb back to the top. But until they stop shooting themselves in the foot, the champions risk a season defined not by their talent, but by their fragility.