LA Galaxy vs. NYCFC LIVE Updates: Joao Klauss scores the opening goal! (1-0)

Referee Rivas briefly stopped the game to check on Gabriel Pec, who is visibly having a discomfort in his left knee after a duel.

Following a quickly taken corner, after cutting inside, Gabriel Pec tried his luck from distance, but Matt Freese was well positioned to make the save.

Justin Haak lost possession in midfield, and with LA Galaxy caught out of position, Hannes Wolf took a shot that sailed well wide.

Recovering the ball inside the box, Joao Klauss laid it off to the edge of the area for Antonio Sanabria, whose shot lacked power and drifted wide.

After a shaky opening few minutes, the side coached by Pascal Jansen has begun to settle into possession, controlling the ball as it searches for the equalizer.

After a throw-in, LA Galaxy worked the ball down the left flank, and following a pass from Marco Reus, Joao Klauss scored his first official goal for the club.

Referee Victor Rivas blows his whistle, and the game between LA Galaxy and NFCFC is underway.

LA Galaxy and NYCFC will clash at Dignity Health Sports Park, the Galaxy’s home venue in Carson, located on the campus of California State University Dominguez Hills, with a capacity of about 27,000 fans.

Despite boasting one of the league’s most passionate fan bases, LA Galaxy struggled for results at home last season. Across 16 MLS matches at Dignity Health Sports Park, the club recorded seven wins, two draws, and seven losses, a mark well short of establishing the kind of dominance it showed in previous years.

After coming through the academy and making 111 appearances for New York City FC’s first team, Justin Haak made the decision not to renew his contract last season and instead joined LA Galaxy on a free transfer, despite being one of the club’s regular starters.

Now a starter with the Galaxy, the 24-year-old is set to face his former teammates and the organization that developed him. Viewed as a difficult player to replace, head coach Pascal Jansen opted to build a five-man back line featuring Thiago Martins alongside Raul Gustavo and Kai Trewin for the Boys in Blue.

After a disastrous 2025 Major League Soccer campaign, LA Galaxy have made a major investment in signing Joao Klauss for the 2026 season for a fee of around $2.5 million.

The Brazilian striker was acquired from St. Louis City SC with the expectation of adding goals, after producing 12 goals and two assists in 35 appearances last season. Klauss will occupy the Designated Player slot left open by Riqui Puig, who has been placed on the Season-Ending Injury List.

With 7 changes compared to the game against Sporting San Miguelito, Greg Vanney confirmed the starting XI for the 2026 MLS debut (4-3-3): Novak Micovic; Miki Yamane, Jakob Glesnes, Carlos Garces, Julian Aude; Justin Haak, Marco Reus, Lucas Sanabria; Gabriel Pec, Joao Klauss, Joseph Paintsil.

Dutch coach Pascal Jansen has confirmed the eleven players that'll be starting the game against LA Galaxy (5-4-1): Matthew Freese; Tayvon Gray, Raul Gustavo, Thiago Martins, Kai Trewin, Kevin O'Toole; Nicolas Fernandez, Maxi Moralez, Aiden O'Neill, Hannes Wolf; Agustin Ojeda.

Since New York City FC’s inaugural season in Major League Soccer (2015), the clubs have met multiple times, with the Boys in Blue holding the edge over one of the league’s most prestigious franchises, LA Galaxy.

Across 10 MLS matchups, NYCFC has recorded six wins, while the Galaxy have claimed all three points just three times, with one draw. When it comes to games played at Dignity Health Sports Park, however, the record is more balanced, with three wins for each side and one draw, parity both teams will be eager to break tonight.

Welcome to our live blog covering the matchup between Los Angeles Galaxy and New York City FC on Matchday 1 of the 2026 Major League Soccer season. Stay with us so you don't miss a single detail of the game in our minute-by-minute coverage of the action!