Major League Soccer Gameweek 1
Los Angeles Galaxy 1 - 1 FT New York City FC
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Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
2' Joao Klauss
36' Carlos Garcés
Tayvon Gray 42'
HT
Kai Trewin 56'
59' Julián Aude
64' Carlos Garcés
64' Carlos Garcés
N. Mercau 66'
67' ↓ M. Reus ↑M. Yoshida
67' ↓ J. Aude ↑J. Nelson
↓ A. O'Neill ↑K. Parks 74'
↓ T. Gray ↑D. Baiera 80'
Keaton Parks 86'
↓ H. Wolf ↑Talles Magno 88'
88' ↓ Joao Klauss ↑Matheus Nascimento
↓ K. Trewin ↑J. Shore 88'
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Los Angeles Galaxy
Goalkeepers
Novak Mićović 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Miki Yamane
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jakob Glesnes
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Carlos Garcés 
FRIENDLY FIRE
Red Card
Mistake
Red Card
Mistake
2
Fouls
5.6
Rating
Julián Aude 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
4
Tackles
67%
Duel Win %
Midfielders
Justin Haak
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Lucas Sanabria
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Gabriel Pec
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Marco Reus 
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
3
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Joseph Paintsil
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
5
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Forwards
João Klauss 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
BENCH
JT Marcinkowski 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
John Nelson
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
23
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mauricio Cuevas
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Harbor Miller
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Maya Yoshida
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
23
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Tucker Lepley
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ruben Ramos Jr.
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Matheus Nascimento
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
10
Total Mins
Started
Entry
New York City FC
Goalkeepers
Matthew Freese
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Tayvon Gray
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
78%
Duel Win %
Thiago Martins 
MAGNET
96
Activity
96
Activity
95
Passes
1
Duels
Raul Gustavo
MAGNET
86
Activity
86
Activity
80
Passes
6
Duels
Kevin O'Toole 
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Midfielders
Aiden O'Neill
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
74
Total Mins
74
Entry
Kai Trewin
MAGNET
75
Activity
75
Activity
66
Passes
9
Duels
Axel Ojeda
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Maximiliano Moralez
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
3
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Hannes Wolf
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Forwards
Nicolás Fernández Mercau
MAGNET
57
Activity
57
Activity
37
Passes
20
Duels
BENCH
Tomás Romero
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Andrew Baiera
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
10
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Strahinja Tanasijević
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Nico Cavallo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Keaton Parks
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
16
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jonathan Shore
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
10
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Maximo Carrizo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Talles Magno
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
10
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Seymour Garfield-Reid
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/27/2025 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 0 - 2 | New York City FC | Friendlies Clubs | Dignity Health Sports Park |
| 06/20/2024 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 2 - 0 | New York City FC | Major League Soccer | Dignity Health Sports Park |
| 02/14/2024 | New York City FC | 2 - 2 | Los Angeles Galaxy | Friendlies Clubs | TBC |
| 02/05/2023 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 1 - 2 | New York City FC | Friendlies Clubs | Dignity Health Sports Park |
| 02/27/2022 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 1 - 0 | New York City FC | Major League Soccer | Dignity Health Sports Park |
| 05/11/2019 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 0 - 2 | New York City FC | Major League Soccer | StubHub Center |
| 03/11/2018 | New York City FC | 2 - 1 | Los Angeles Galaxy | Major League Soccer | Yankee Stadium |
| 08/13/2017 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 0 - 2 | New York City FC | Major League Soccer | StubHub Center |
01/27/2025
06/20/2024
02/14/2024
02/05/2023
02/27/2022
05/11/2019
03/11/2018
08/13/2017
Los Angeles Galaxy Win
New York City FC Win
Draw
League Standings
| Pos | Team | P | Pts | GF | GA | GD | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose Earthquakes | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | +3 | WSan Jose Earthquakes 3 - 0 Sporting Kansas City (22-02-2026) |
| 2 | Seattle Sounders | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | +2 | WSeattle Sounders 2 - 0 Colorado Rapids (23-02-2026) |
| 3 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | +1 | WVancouver Whitecaps 1 - 0 Real Salt Lake (22-02-2026) |
| 4 | Minnesota United FC | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | DAustin 2 - 2 Minnesota United FC (22-02-2026) |
| 5 | Austin | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | DAustin 2 - 2 Minnesota United FC (22-02-2026) |
| 6 | Real Salt Lake | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | LVancouver Whitecaps 1 - 0 Real Salt Lake (22-02-2026) |
| 7 | Colorado Rapids | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -2 | LSeattle Sounders 2 - 0 Colorado Rapids (23-02-2026) |
| 8 | Sporting Kansas City | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -3 | LSan Jose Earthquakes 3 - 0 Sporting Kansas City (22-02-2026) |
P: 1 GD: +3
P: 1 GD: -3
League Standings
P: 25 GD: +33
P: 26 GD: +4
P: 26 GD: +9
P: 26 GD: +7
P: 26 GD: +8
P: 27 GD: +14
P: 26 GD: +1
P: 27 GD: -8
P: 26 GD: -1
P: 25 GD: 0
P: 26 GD: -12
P: 25 GD: -5
P: 24 GD: -5
P: 26 GD: -7
P: 25 GD: -34
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Los Angeles Galaxy
New York City FC
Los Angeles Galaxy
New York City FC
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
VAR Drama and Red Card Chaos Force a Stalemate
Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 64/100. An explosive early strike gave way to second-half VAR controversy as ten-man Los Angeles held off a relentless New York barrage.
The Early Strike
The Dignity Health Sports Park crowd barely had time to settle into their seats before Los Angeles Galaxy blew the game wide open. In just the second minute, Joao Klauss found the back of the net with a clinical finish, setting an immediate tone of high Intensity. Despite sitting lower in the regular season standings, the tenth-place hosts looked determined to pull off a statement victory against high-flying New York City FC. The Eastern Conference visitors, shell-shocked by the sudden early breakthrough, struggled to translate their massive 64 percent possession into meaningful first-half chances. The Galaxy sat deep in a disciplined shape, absorbing the pressure and frustrating their opponents while clinging fiercely to their fragile one-goal advantage as the halftime whistle blew.
The Turning Point
The entire complexion of this matchup changed in a chaotic four-minute spell midway through the second half. The Balance of power violently shifted when the referee paused the action, relying on a 62nd-minute VAR review to confirm a crucial penalty call. Before the spot-kick could even be taken, the drama escalated. Carlos Garcés was shown a straight red card for a costly foul, instantly reducing the Galaxy to ten men. Stepping up to the spot amid deafening jeers from the home crowd, N. Mercau buried the penalty with pure confidence in the 66th minute. That breathless sequence completely erased the home side's early momentum, neutralized their tactical setup, and immediately handed the keys of the game back to the visiting squad.
Holding the Line
Armed with a numerical advantage and a precious tying goal secured, New York City FC pushed relentlessly for a late winner, racking up an impressive 620 total passes. Yet, the Stakes were simply too high for Los Angeles to fold under the pressure. The ten-man hosts dug in defensively with everything they had, incredibly limiting the visitors to just a single shot on target all night—the penalty kick itself. Although the Galaxy missed out on capturing a vital three points to climb the table, surviving the final twenty-five minutes down a man felt like a moral victory. For NYCFC, escaping with a draw keeps them cemented near the top of the standings, though they will surely rue their inability to capitalize on total field control.
Key Questions
How did the red card for Carlos Garcés impact the match?
His 64th-minute dismissal reduced the Galaxy to ten men, directly leading to the penalty equalizer and forcing Los Angeles into a deep defensive block to survive.
What made Nicolás Fernández the Man of the Match?
Fernández drove the New York attack, successfully converting the crucial 66th-minute penalty and delivering two key passes to earn an impressive 8.5 rating.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Archive note: this preview was written after the match was played.
A Coast-to-Coast Clash Testing Early Title Credentials
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 31/100. New York City FC's blistering start makes them a team to watch, but this early-season fixture lacks the top-tier glamour to be a mandatory watch for neutrals.
The Setup
Early days often tell lies, but New York City FC are doing their best to mount a genuine title challenge. Heading into this February 23, 2026 clash at Dignity Health Sports Park, the visitors sit pretty in second place. Their Form rating is peaking thanks to a ruthless attack that has already plundered 13 goals in five games. On the other side, Los Angeles Galaxy are stumbling out of the blocks. The hosts are languishing in tenth, searching for rhythm in a campaign that already feels disjointed. While Gabriel Pec aims to ignite the home side, the away contingent brings the dynamic threat of Talles Magno. However, a modest Stars rating indicates a lack of blockbuster appeal across the pitch. Because it is only Gameweek 5 of the Regular season, the overall Stakes remain incredibly low.
Key Battle
With no distinct marquee individual matchups jumping off the page, this game will be decided by the home midfield's ability to withstand an aggressive away attacking unit. If Los Angeles cannot disrupt the passing lanes in the centre of the park, the visitors will run riot in transition.
Our Prediction
Our take points to an away victory. A surprisingly tight Balance rating suggests the Galaxy will keep things competitive for the first hour, but the visitors' superior attacking cohesion will ultimately break the deadlock late in the second half.