Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic each scored early to lift the LA Galaxy to their record sixth MLS Cup title and first since 2014 in a 2-1 victory over the visiting New York Red Bulls in Saturday’s final in Carson, Calif.
Paintsil’s fourth goal of the playoffs and Joveljic’s sixth helped the Galaxy prevail despite missing attacking midfield star Riqui Puig, who suffered a torn ACL helping LA to a Western Conference final victory over Seattle last Saturday.
Puig’s healthy central midfield colleagues Gaston Brugman and Mark Delgado each provided an assist in the victory, one that made Greg Vanney the seventh manager to win multiple MLS Cups and only the fourth to do it with multiple teams.
John McCarthy made four saves for LA.
Defender Sean Nealis scored the Red Bulls’ lone goal later in the first half in what was only the club’s second appearance in the final, having lost 3-1 to Columbus in 2008.
Full report to come.
