CARSON, CA – St. Louis CITY SC defeated LA Galaxy 3-1 on Wednesday night, extending their unbeaten streak to seven matches across all competitions. Lukas MacNaughton put CITY SC in the lead in the 42nd minute, heading home his first goal for St. Louis, off a corner from Marcel Hartel. Hartel doubled the lead in first half stoppage time, with a long-distance strike, his third goal from outside the box this season. St. Louis added a third through Simon Becher who calmly slotted home a breakaway pass from Hartel. LA Galaxy found a late strike through Troy Elgersma to close out the match. With the win, St. Louis remains unbeaten against the Galaxy in seven straight matches and has now earned back-to-back win at Dignity Health Sports Park.
St. Louis returns to MLS action at home against Colorado Rapids on Saturday, July 25, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. CT.
Postgame Notes
- Lukas MacNaughton scored his first goal of the season and first with CITY SC
- The goal was MacNaughton’s third of his MLS career
- Marcel Hartel earned his fifth goal of the season and eighth across all-competitions. In his last five matches for CITY SC, Hartel has seven goal contributions (four goals, three assists).
- Hartel recorded his third and fourth assists of the season and 16th in his MLS career
- With the goal tonight, Hartel is tied for third in the league with three goals from outside the box
- Simon Becher scored his second goal of the season and is now up to seven goal contributions
- Tomas Totland picked up his first assist of the season
- With two assists tonight, Chris Durkin has tallied five goal contributions this season (two goals, three assists)
- Daniel Edelman earned his 100th career MLS start
- St. Louis CITY SC has scored three goals in their last three matches for the first time since the inaugural season in 2023
July 22, 2026 – Dignity Health Sports Park (Carson, CA)
Goal-Scoring Plays
STL: Lukas MacNaughton (Marcel Hartel), 42nd minute – Lukas MacNaughton scored with a header from the center of the box to the bottom left corner.
STL: Marcel Hartel (Tomas Totland, Chris Durkin), 45th minute + 1 – Marcel Hartel scored with a right footed shot from the left half-space outside the box to the middle-left zone.
STL: Simon Becher, 68th minute – Simon Becher scored from the central position outside the box.
LA: Troy Elgersma, 86th minute – Troy Elgersma scored with left footed shot from the center of the box to the bottom right corner.
Scoring Summary
STL: Lukas MacNaughton (Marcel Hartel), 42’
STL: Marcel Hartel (Tomas Totland, Chris Durkin), 45’+1
STL: Simon Becher, 68’
LA: Troy Elgersma, 86’
Misconduct Summary
LA: Emiro Garces (caution), 45’+2
LA: Marco Reus (caution), 45’+2
LA: Emiro Garces (caution/ejection), 49’
STL: Lukas MacNaughton (caution), 56’
Lineups
LA: GK JT Marcinkowski; D John Nelson (Julian Aude, 64’), D Jakob Glesnes, D Emiro Garces, D Miki Yamane; M Lucas Sanabria (Isaiah Parente, 64’), M Justin Haak, M Elijah Wynder (Maya Yoshida, 74’); F Jospeh Paintsil (Troy Elgersma 74’), F Marco Reus © (Robert Taylor, 59’), F Harbor Miller
Substitutes not used: GK Novak Micovic, D Chris Rindov
TOTAL SHOTS: 11; SHOTS ON GOAL: 3; FOULS: 11; OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 8
STL: GK Roman Bürki ©; D Lukas MacNaughton (Jaziel Orozco, 62’), D Timo Baumgartl, D Dante Polvara; M Tomas Totland, M Mykhi Joyner (Rafael Santos, 63’), M Daniel Edelman (Miguel Perez 86’), M Chris Durkin; F Eduard Löwen (Sangbin Jeong, 62’), F Marcel Hartel, F Simon Becher (Palmer Ault 86’)
Substitutes not used: GK Ben Lundt, D Fallou Fall, D Kyle Hiebert, M Tomáš Ostrák
TOTAL SHOTS: 16; SHOTS ON GOAL: 11; FOULS: 17; OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 2
Referee: Malik Badawi
Assistant Referees: Ian McKay, Felisha Mariscal, Brandon Stevis
VAR: Lukasz Szpala
AVAR: Tom Supple
Venue: Dignity Health Sports Park
Weather: Sunny, 76 degrees
Postgame Recording: Recording
Postgame Video: Footage (Passcode: %#*6p%yy)
Head Coach Yoann Damet
This has got to feel really good, the run you guys are on — you have to be happy, along with the results, the way the team is playing.
Listen, I’m going to be honest, I’m happy about the result. I’m not so happy about the way we played tonight. I think there a lot of things we could have done better to control the game, like even more playing of man.
I think if we want to keep building something, we have to look at those games and expect better from ourselves in terms of the team performance.
Very happy with the result. Again, we are showing a lot of progress, like playing away and being able to earn that on the road.
But at the same time, we all know and we all are aware as a staff and as a group with the players, that there is a ton of things we could have done better tonight.
Looks like they had a few chances in the first half where you kind of got lucky on where they missed on good goal-scoring chances.
Listen, you create your own luck. It’s all about momentum and moments. Whether we’re lucky or not, we took advantage of those moments. I thought the first half, like, again, we were not connected enough. Like we gave them like a little bit of momentum before halftime. We were able to score twice, which changed that momentum.
But yeah, I think this was chances on both sides. We were able to capitalize on it like early in the game, and that gives you like a different read and a different look at the rest of the game after.
Last three games, you’ve got four goals in the last ten minutes of the first half. Do you read anything into that?
Not too much. Just know that performances are built. So you cannot come out and expect to win games in the first five minutes or the first 15. We think about that since the start of the year.
We have to build our performance. So it starts with a strong staff, and of course, like you have to finish strong as well. I’m very happy to be able to capitalize on that like late in the first half, and to start the second half with the lead, I think that change the whole picture for us.
It seemed like when the Galaxy were gaining momentum around the 30th minute seemed like they were really targeting around that left side of the formation or around the left side of their formation. What were you seeing in the adjustment that you had to make to then take that momentum back and go out and score those two goals before the half?
It’s more than one or two adjustment. I thought we were like a little bit disconnected with the ball. I thought we didn’t really apply ourselves like in terms of how we want to play and how we want to control spaces. They made it difficult for us, to be honest. Like it’s just also the reality. You’ve got to give credit where it’s due.
But I felt like we were disconnected. I thought defensively, like there was some good things. But at the same time we have to be more ruthless in some of those moments. I thought that, like, individually we could have done a couple of things better.
And then also on the second goals, and then you allow them to combine around you and then you allow them to start picking passes in a dangerous area. That’s a team of qualities. They can combine, and they can hurt you inside the box and around the box. I thought that that was one of the thing we needed to could a better job at.
At the start of the year, both you and Marcel talked about how important his role would be in this attack as you go through the season. He now has two goals and two assists through the first two matches. How important has his role been and him picking up where he left off?
Listen, Cello, I’ve only said what I thought since is the start. I think having players that care so much about the team and are putting in hard work every single day in training and in games is something that you want to have as a coach, as a staff.
I’m very happy with the way it’s been with the group, for the group, but also with us as a staff, I think understanding and implementing the ideas and being able to also be dangerous and be clinical in those moments is like a key to that strong start, as well, you know what I mean. Where we were after those first two games, it’s also because we are able to take those moments.
So very happy for him, but at the same time, he’s putting in the work like every single day, and that’s why he gets the reward.
Mykhi gets a start on a wingback. Looked like a pretty tough assignment for him, but how do you feel like he adjusted over the course of the match, and what were you looking out for out of him today?
Yeah, he’s growing. It’s a lot of work, and he need to learn to be a pro and he needs to learn to manage his own performances like within the collective. I think the task we give him is not an easy one but at the same time, he’s someone that loves a good challenge.
So it was good to be able to see him out there tonight. Like I thought he did quite well with what we asked him to do. Of course, like with more experience, with more of those games, he will grow even more. And I think like it’s undeniable. He’s got a lot of qualities that we will see more and more, I’m hoping.
Was there some potential for flexibility based on what you saw from L.A. on the sides of the wingbacks of where Paintsil went and maybe where you guys went in response to that?
Not so much. I just thought we needed like some fresh legs. I felt like we were starting to get hurt a little bit more like on that side like in the second half. So I thought we needed some fresh legs.
That’s the thing, as well, when you take the lead like that, you can focus in, how can I bring some fresh legs that are going to have to contribute to getting a result on the road. I thought it was a good moment to do it. And yeah, that’s the reason why we made the adjustment, not so much of them switching side. Much more because of after 60 minutes playing on the road.
Again it’s never easy to travel on the West Coast, and we need to be mindful about that, and we’ve also got a game like in three days. So all those things came into consideration.
Was there any consideration that in pregame and in starting Mykhi on the right side, knowing what they have been doing with Paintsil lately?
No, I’d say there was like some other consideration of why we wanted to start Mykhi on the right side that I won’t share.
But, again, I think it’s good to have different looks with the way we were tonight with a little bit more of a diamond in the middle. We needed a little bit more width and someone able to defend in those position.
I think Mykhi in preseason has understood that this was going to be a position where we were going to look at him like in the second part of the season. So I think it was a good time for him to get that challenge and to help the team get a result.
Simon gets the goal tonight. What do you see from him in recent weeks since the restart?
Listen, like many of the guys, not to say all of them. I think they all came back with a mindset of trying to get better, trying to work out every single day.
So like with Simon, we had some interesting conversation in the preseason in terms of like his positioning and then in terms of where he could be more impactful, as well, and try to help him out with some of that. I think, again, like all of our guys, like the advices and what we’ve asked from them.
Now, I ask him for reflection, more thinking going into his positioning. So I’ve been quite pleased with what I’ve seen in the past two games. And now there are some areas where I expect more, like all the players.
So very happy with the goal tonight. I think he could have had one or two more but it should be a good confidence boost for him in the coming games.
You got Roman back and he got the nice save on Reus and he got the rebound. It’s got to be a good feeling, as much as you like Ben, to get Roman back on the net?
Listen, we’ve got a competitive group. Last week and the way he finished first part of the season, it’s Roman. We’ve got a strong group. I’m very, very pleased with the competition in the group in every position, including the goalkeepers.
Of course, it’s good to see Roman back out like for the second part of the season. He’s worked really hard to put himself back out there after his earlier injury. It’s good, as well, to get some rhythm into his legs in terms of like what we ask from him like on the ball and off the ball.
Now, again, Ben did really well when he had to step in last week and in the previous games in the first part season. I’m very happy where we are at as a group and everybody is contributing to our performances and getting results.
One quick one. Last week Kansas City didn’t play the ball out-of-bounds, or I guess you guys played the ball out-of-bounds when somebody was down and Kansas City didn’t give it back to you. Tonight, you guys kept playing when Reus was down and got the goal. Has soccer changed? It used to be for years, you used to kick the ball out-of-bounds and get it back.
Again, I don’t think we need to create a controversy where there is none. Like the referees have mentioned that they were going to be the one stopping the play when there is a player going down.
There is that gray area where some of the players are kicking the ball out. We could have done it tonight. Ultimately, it’s the choice of the players not to do it in that moment. It’s not too much up to us or a scenario that we planned before.
We get the goal, and of course it’s a mixed feeling in terms of the way they blocked but that’s where the referees have to make the decision and take responsibility in those plays.
Last week we had a play that and the opposition had a player down but just before they had attacked like in our box. So they had a chance to score just before and then we run a counter and the referee decides to stop the play. There’s just a need for more consistency coming from the referee on how to handle those scenarios and removing the decision from the players because every game is different and every situation is different.
Forward Simon Becher
On his goal tonight:
It always feels good. I think Cello [Marcel Hartel] and I have made a really good connection lately. Finding each other a lot in good areas. We have been playing with each other for a while, so I think that its starting to blossom a bit. We won the ball, played it forward, and Cello with a really good line breaking pass, really nice to finish and get the third one. And I think from there we can even push more. Try to get the fourth and fifth. From my side, happy to get back on the score sheet.
On the run the team is on:
I think this group has been working really had to set high standards, and now that we are in a playoff spot, I think continuing to grow and continuing to improve, continuing to climb, not being satisfied where we are.
On how important the late first half goals have been for the team:
They have been huge. I think we have shown a bit of maturity in the beginning of the games. Being in big moments, being tight in the back, and that gives the attacking group a little bit of breathing room going to the goal. Huge credit to our back line and the midfield. The way they have defended as the game goes on, it gives us a lot of opportunities to get out to leads and just continue to play our football. So its huge to go up before he half and its something we want to continue to do.
Defender Lukas MacNaughton
On how he feels the team is doing:
I think it’s good. The momentum that we have from before the break, it has carried on. When you win and you get a few wins under you belt in a row, it feels great.
On his goal tonight:
I scored a big one. It’s something we practice on the training ground, and something that we have gotten close to I think a couple times this year and this one connected. We’ve been working on it and it finally connected. I’m happy to contribute and it always feels good to do so.
On Marcel Hartel’s recent play:
I think he has been playing with confidence and you guys can see it. The statistics show it. He is somebody that when he gets on the ball, things are going to happen. When the guys that contribute are happy and confident and everything’s flowing, then you know it shows. We just want to keep him producing, keep him happy, keep him confident. So it’ll keep coming.
