MLS Cup: Galaxy, Red Bulls square off for league supremacy
12/06/2024 10:00 AM
MLS Cup is here.
A postseason full of upsets has provided a classic LA vs NY championship clash as the New York Red Bulls will travel to Los Angeles on Saturday, December 7th to meet fellow MLS original club LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park to crown the 2024 MLS champion.
LA Galaxy has the opportunity to extend their league record five MLS Cup titles to six exactly ten years to the day after their last MLS Cup in their record tenth appearance while RBNY hope to lift their first MLS Cup in just their second appearance (2008).
The beauty of the MLS Cup Playoffs is precisely that dichotomy that extends beyond history into the 2024 season specifically; anybody can win MLS Cup.
LA Galaxy was pipped at the top of the Western Conference on Decision Day by rivals LAFC in a hard-fought battle at the top of the conference but RBNY had a much different path. New York finished in the bottom half of the MLS points table (16th) before mounting a shock playoff run to become the lowest seed in MLS Cup Playoffs history (7th) to reach MLS Cup from either conference.
In addition to the season success in LA, the Galaxy will be seen as favorites due to their unbeaten record at their home Dignity Health Sports Park this season — coincidentally the stadium in which both teams made their last MLS Cup appearance — with their only "home" loss to LAFC at an essentially neutral Rose Bowl Stadium.
However, Galaxy will also be without their most influential player as creative midfielder Riqui Puig suffered a torn ACL in the second half of Galaxy's Western Conference Final win over Seattle Sounders. Incredibly, Puig played through the injury to provide the game-winning assist in that match but will be unavailable in the biggest match of the year after leading his team to this point.
Nonetheless, both sides still boast eye-catching attacking talent in a game that is sure to deliver excitement.
Players to Watch
New York Red Bulls
Following in the footsteps of the legendary Thierry Henry, Emil Forsberg is the latest European star to make the trip across the pond to become the Red Bulls main man. At 33-years-old, Forsberg will drive the team from attacking midfield behind the striking pair of Dante Vanzier and newly-named 2024 MLS Comeback Player of the Year Lewis Morgan.
Not to be forgotten, Paris Olympian John Tolkin will hope to make an impact by crossing the ball from his left-back position just as he did with the game-winning assist in the Eastern Conference Final.
LA Galaxy
On the flip side, despite being without their MLS Best XI playmaker, Galaxy still carries an impressive array of dangerous attackers. The other two members of the "Killa P's", Joseph Paintsil and 2024 MLS Newcomer of the Year Gabriel Pec, will flank striker Dejan Joveljić in LA's devastating front three. Together the trio has netted an astounding 52 goals this season including 11 of the 16 goals scored in these playoffs as the Galaxy chase another record of potentially the most goals ever scored in a playoff campaign (currently 17 by Toronto FC in 2016).
Galaxy also has a European star of their own in former Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marco Reus who was pulled at halftime of the WCF due to groin tightness but after missing training on Wednesday is expected to return to the pitch on Thursday and be available on Saturday.
Between the sticks, New York might have a slight advantage as their goalkeeper Carlos Coronel has kept three clean sheets in four playoff games after struggling late in the year but Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy has been here before as he is headed to his third consecutive MLS Cup (previously with LAFC). This will be his first time entering the championship match as the starter, but should the title be decided on penalties, McCarthy's 2022 MLS Cup MVP performance in which he did not allow a single Philadelphia Union penalty to hit the net will give Galaxy fans confidence he can do it again.
Tactical Profiles
As collectives, the tactical philosophies of each side suit the other well.
Head coach Greg Vanney, who is hoping to lift MLS Cup as the Galaxy coach after losing three times as a Galaxy player, implements a 4-2-3-1 possession-based team that always wants to take the game to his opponent. As a result, Galaxy scored the most goals in the West this season (69) but also conceded the joint-most of any top ten MLS team (50).
In the playoffs, Galaxy has shored up defensively, conceding just three goals in their four games but still remains vulnerable in transition to the classic Red Bulls style of play when the ball is turned over in the attacking phase.
New York maintains that Red Bulls DNA in a 3-4-1-2 under first-year head coach Sandro Schwarz with an intense man-to-man press and the lowest possession statistics in the league. If Galaxy can break that press quickly, they should be able to find space behind RBNY but as the season has progressed Schwarz has taken fewer risks in their press, leading to better results.
As shown in the ECF, set pieces are also a route to success for RBNY against a Galaxy team that struggled to defend dead-ball situations early in the season.
The balance New York chooses to implement between pressing and dropping off should be expected to determine the game flow but as has been described, regardless of the phase of play, either team could find a breakthrough at any moment due to the contrasting styles of play.
Galaxy will remain the favorites at home on Saturday despite the absence of Puig but Red Bulls are no stranger to upsets after knocking off Columbus Crew, rivals New York City FC, and Orlando City SC by shutting each opponent out away from home on their path to MLS Cup.
A long and grueling MLS season has all led up to this. Will Galaxy extend their MLS Cup record to six or will Red Bulls lift their first? See you on Saturday at DHSP to find out.
