CARSON — The Galaxy raised the championship banner, brought out the sixth MLS Cup for a walk through the supporters section and officially kicked off 2025 and the long journey to try to repeat.
As MLS has a way of proving, no two seasons are alike and the Galaxy learned that Sunday.
After going unbeaten at Dignity Health Sports Park last season, the Galaxy, in front of a sellout crowd of 25,224, dropped their home and season opener to expansion team and new in-state rival San Diego FC 2-0.
The loss was the first at home since the final game of the 2023 season (Oct. 21).
In the 52nd minute, a bad pass from new starting goalkeeper Novak Micovic, combined with a bad first touch by defender Emiro Garces led to a loose ball that fed directly toward San Diego’s Anders Dreyer, who scored the franchise’s first goal.
Micovic came up two big saves afterward that kept the deficit at 1-0, allowing the Galaxy’s attack to finally show signs of life.
Unfortunately, that didn’t happen until late, with the additions of Miguel Berry, Ruben Ramos and Elijah Wynder as the Galaxy picked up their pace on attack.
However, as the Galaxy pressed, chasing the one-goal deficit, San Diego found the second goal late in stoppage time on a counter attack, ending with Dreyer’s second goal of the night.
San Diego FC’s arrival gives California a fourth team, joining the Galaxy, LAFC and the San Jose Earthquakes, which could lead to several new rivalries springing up across the state. Something that commissioner Don Garber touched on before the game.
“Rivalries are what makes MLS so exciting,” Garber said. “One of the reasons why we wanted a team in San Diego …Look at the El Trafico (rivalry between the Galaxy and LAFC), we used to joke about the competition being named after the characteristic that people aren’t crazy about it, but now its one of the most anticipated events that we have in MLS, played in the Rose Bowl, having 70-80,000 people attending those games.
“So, it’s going to be really interesting to see what happens between those four clubs. The good part about it is, the fans and the teams create those very natural and authentic rivalries. It’s not a league marketing program.”