It was a lovely day for soccer in the Midway today, and even better weather for a rematch. While your Loons put in an impressive shift without several of their regular starters, they were ultimately held to a 2-2 draw in today’s match against the LA Galaxy. Coach Ramsay’s well-defined style was met with some effective improvisation from Galaxy Head Coach Greg Vanney, making for what was an ultimately entertaining game.
You know the drill by now, right? Today’s 5-3-2 had a slight twist, with five changes to the starting lineup, but it operated exactly as we’ve come to expect. Alec Smir stepped between the posts for the first time in 2025, while Jefferson Díaz and Nicolás Romero slotted in for the absent international duo of Carlos Harvey and Michael Boxall. The striker partnership of Sang Bin Jeong and Kelvin Yeboah led the Loons with intensity, rounding out the changes from last week’s match in Kansas City.
On the other side of the pitch, the visiting Galaxy lined up in a 4-3-3 that more closely operated like a 4-1-2-3, with Edwin Cerrillo left to cover the entire midfield essentially on his own. The likes of Elijah Wynder and Tucker Lepley operated far farther up the pitch, drifting wide and setting the visitors up to take full advantage of the wide spaces that the Loons like to leave open. Right-back Miki Yamane’s ability to get forward allowed Gabriel Pec to get on the ball and cut into dangerous areas, while leaving a wide option to cycle the ball back around when needed. Once again, the opposition altered their game plan to try and break down the Loons’ hot defensive start, and once again, the Black and Blue stood tall.
From the first whistle, it was apparent that the Galaxy would gladly keep possession of the ball. Their side-to-side movement showed promise early on, opening up holes in the Loons’ backline and presenting threatening chances. Once the hosts recovered from a slightly sloppy start, though, they began to find joy in the attacking third. Their narrow shape invited quick, incisive passing in crucial areas, and with the Galaxy leaving five players on the back shoulder of the Loons’ backline, there was plenty of space to counter quickly.
In the 18th minute, the pressure paid off, as Kelvin Yeboah once again showcased his striker’s instinct when he calmly put away a rebounded shot to take the lead. Though it felt slightly against the run of play, the goal fell perfectly in line with the way this team is built to score goals.
The lead only lasted eight minutes, as Minnesota legend Christian Ramirez headed home the equalizer in the 26th minute. Some loose marking and a bit of confusion in the back gave the poacher Loons fans know so well just enough space to score, and while the stadium was a bit deflated by the goal, Ramirez showed respect to his former club with a respectful non-celebration. Classy move, Superman; we forgive you.
The remainder of the first half saw the Loons earn some sustained possession of the ball, during which they looked a tad disjointed, albeit fairly effective in shifting their opponents around. Both teams seemed comfortable with the pace of the game, though the visitors may have felt they were in control.
The second half saw minor changes shift the tides a bit, with Bongokuhle Hlongwane stepping forward when pressing triggers presented opportunities for the Loons to move forward with pace. For the Galaxy, the slight shift of Gabriel Pec to a wider starting position eventually nullified his impact on the match, while Yamane inverted his forward runs to help Cerrillo deal with the Loons’ transition game. It was a bit of a standstill until the first planned subs at the hour mark, when Samuel Shashoua and Joseph Rosales came on to provide the jolt that the game was looking for.
With fresh legs and momentum on their side, the Loons started throwing numbers forward in the final quarter of an hour. Greg Vanney responded by subbing on a third center back, Emiro Garces, signaling a shift to a more defensive style to close out the match. Such changes are usually intended to shut the game down, but Rosales had other ideas.
In the 86th minute, the wingback found his way into the box, created space for a shot, and saw it deflect off of Maya Yoshida’s arm. VAR awarded a penalty, which was coolly tucked into the right corner by Yeboah for his fourth goal of the season. That’s 2-1, Loons with just minutes to go.
With the end nearly in sight, the Galaxy earned a free-kick in their attacking third. The initial service wasn’t properly dealt with by MNUFC, leading to a wide open Garces taking his opportunity and firing home the equalizer. Despite seven minutes of added time, the Loons couldn’t find the winner on such short notice, settling for their second draw in as many weeks.
With five key players missing and depth pieces playing not only significant minutes, but significant roles in today’s effort, Coach Ramsay will be happy with this performance, if not the result. The early exit of Hassani Dotson will be worth watching in the coming days; hopefully, the midfielder was only suffering from discomfort.
The Boys in Black and Blue will be back at Allianz Field again next week, with a primetime showdown against RSL waiting. Come on back at 7:30 next Saturday to cheer on your Loons as they look to extend their unbeaten streak to five games.
