LA Galaxy Fall 2-1 at Home in Cruz Azul Friendly

Los Angeles, Calif. — Two first-half goals by visiting Liga MX side Cruz Azul were enough to beat the LA Galaxy 2-1 at home in front of a pro-Cruz Azul crowd in an international friendly on Sunday, October 4, 2026.

LA Galaxy Head Coach Greg Vanney acknowledged that his team was punished by their own mistakes, but stressed that the exercise against the Mexican team had achieved its goal. 

“For me it was a good night. A night to take inventory of the group and get guys ready to move forward,” Vanney said in a post match interview following the friendly loss. He added that all of his players came through the match without injury as well.

It will be a welcome sight to Vanney, who used the tune up to get his team ready for the final six matches of the season.

The Galaxy started just like they did last week in MLS play against Colorado, conceding twice early. But unlike in that match, there was no come-from-behind win for LA after falling short with a late second-half rally that saw DP Joseph Paintsil score on his return from injury.

Vanney stated that he wasn’t overly concerned about conceding early in the exhibition, with the Galaxy ending the game strongly.

Goals by Luka Romero and Agustín Palavecino set Cruz Azul on the way to the win, with Galaxy giveaways in the midfield being responsible for both. Novak Mićović will certainly want to forget the second strike, as Palavecino’s long shot caught the Galaxy goalkeeper sleeping from about 35 yards out.

Photo Credit: Miguel Mota – The Sporting Tribune

LA Galaxy Striker Kyōgo Furuhashi takes a shot in the Galaxy’s 2-1 friendly home loss to Cruz Azul on Sunday, October 4, 2026, at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Troy Elgersma was a bright spot for the Galaxy, with the young attacker finding pockets of space and repeatedly wriggling out of trouble. 

“Troy. I mean, he’s boundless energy,” Vanney said of the former-Ventura County product.

“He had a really nice tool set. So now, it’s working with him to continue to build on moments.”

Elgersma built on a nice performance by creating the Galaxy’s only goal. 

After he was able to get free on the right wing, the youngster found Paintsil in stride. The returning winger still had plenty to do, but collected the ball well and slalomed through three Cruz Azul defenders to poke the goal home on 84 minutes.

“It’s good to get him going today [Paintsil], it’s good for his confidence, so I thought that’s the positive,” Vanney said of his returning DP player.

Aside from Painstil, LA was wasteful. They had several chances to punish Cruz Azul, whether in transition or after winning the ball back in a favorable spot, but the Galaxy could not find the final pass and, consequently, the net. 

They’ll need to be more clinical as they resume MLS play next week against a surging St. Louis City side.

A win would mean three victories in a row for Vanney’s team. Better yet, it would leave their playoff destiny largely in their own hands.