SJ Earthquakes secured their place in the round of 16, while LA Galaxy still have to wait.
With a 1-1 draw between SJ Earthquakes and LA Galaxy at Stanford Stadium, SJ Earthquakes secured second place with 33 points and qualified for the Round of 16; LA Galaxy finished 10th with 21 points and their qualification is still uncertain as the group stage is not yet complete.
- 0'The match has started.
SJ Earthquakes host LA Galaxy.
- 12'SJ Earthquakes dominated the early game.
At the 12th minute, SJ Earthquakes were controlling the game with 62-38 possession and 4-1 shots on goal. LA Galaxy had to retreat deep to defend as the home team continued to have the upper hand in set pieces, with 2-0 corners.
- 13'Paintsil puts LA Galaxy ahead.
In the 13th minute, Joseph Paintsil scored after an assist from Marco Reus, giving LA Galaxy the lead. If they maintain this score, SJ Earthquakes will secure their place in the Round of 16, while LA Galaxy will still have to wait for the group stage to conclude.
- 20'Ian Harkes came on in the 20th minute.
In the 20th minute, Ian Harkes came on as a substitute for Jonathan González. The substitution came as SJ Earthquakes were trailing LA Galaxy 0-1.
- 24'SJ Earthquakes pressed hard despite being behind.
At the 24th minute, SJ Earthquakes controlled the game with 57-43 possession and 6-2 shots on goal, but LA Galaxy were the ones leading. LA Galaxy proactively dropped deep, accepting pressure and waiting for opportunities to counterattack.
- 36'SJ Earthquakes pressed hard despite being behind.
At the 36th minute, SJ Earthquakes were controlling the game with 61-39 possession and a superior shot-off record of 6-2. LA Galaxy were under pressure with only 0-1 corner kicks, but still maintained their lead.
- 43'Lucas Sanabria received a yellow card.
In the 43rd minute, Lucas Sanabria received a yellow card while SJ Earthquakes were trailing LA Galaxy 0-1. The card added to the tension in the final minutes of the first half.
- 45+3'Julián Aude received a yellow card at the end of the half.
In the 45th minute and 3rd second, Julián Aude received a yellow card after a foul. This was LA Galaxy's second yellow card in the first half.
- 45'End of the first half
At the end of the first half, the score was 0-1.
- 46'The second half has begun.
The second half has begun.
- 48'SJ Earthquakes dominated despite still trailing.
At the 48th minute, SJ Earthquakes were controlling the game with 60-40 possession and a 9-2 lead in shots. LA Galaxy were temporarily leading 0-1 but were under pressure, as their opponents also had a 4-1 advantage in corners.
- 60'John Nelson came on as a substitute for Julián Aude.
In the 60th minute, John Nelson came on as a substitute for Julián Aude. The substitution came as SJ Earthquakes and LA Galaxy were still evenly matched.
- 60'Elijah Wynder came on in the 60th minute.
In the 60th minute, Elijah Wynder was brought on to replace Robert Taylor. The substitution came as SJ Earthquakes and LA Galaxy were tied 1-1.
- 60'SJ Earthquakes dominate the game, LA Galaxy takes the brunt of the pressure.
By the 60th minute, SJ Earthquakes controlled the game with 63-37 possession and a superior shooting record of 14-3. LA Galaxy were leading but were under considerable pressure, as evidenced by their 0-3 saves.
- 62'Reid Roberts brings SJ Earthquakes back.
In the 62nd minute, Reid Roberts scored to equalize the score at 1-1 for SJ Earthquakes against LA Galaxy. If they maintain this score, SJ Earthquakes will temporarily be in second place and have virtually secured their place in the Round of 16.
- 72'SJ Earthquakes dominated the game.
72nd minuteSJ Earthquakes are completely in control with possession of the ball.61 - 39and superior in finishing.16 - 4LA Galaxy had to sit deep and defend, while their three saves highlighted the pressure they were facing.
- 73'Darius Johnson came on in the 73rd minute.
In the 73rd minute, Darius Johnson was brought on to replace Jack Skahan. SJ Earthquakes and LA Galaxy were tied 1-1, so this substitution could provide a much-needed boost in the final minutes.
- 73'Paul Marie came on in the 73rd minute.
In the 73rd minute, Paul Marie came on as a substitute for Nick Fernandez. If the score remains 1-1, SJ Earthquakes will temporarily be in second place and have already secured a spot in the round of 16.
- 79'Beau Leroux received a yellow card in the 79th minute.
In the 79th minute, Beau Leroux received a yellow card while the match was tied 1-1.
- 81'Ian Harkes received a yellow card in the 81st minute.
In the 81st minute, Ian Harkes received a yellow card. The match was becoming tense as players from both teams were successively cautioned.
- 82'SJ Earthquakes made a substitution in the 82nd minute.
In the 82nd minute, Isaiah Parente came on as a substitute for Lucas Sanabria while SJ Earthquakes were tied 1-1 with LA Galaxy.
- 84'SJ Earthquakes pressed hard in the final minutes of the game.
In the 84th minute, SJ Earthquakes were controlling the game with 59-41 possession and a superior shot-to-shoot advantage of 17-9. LA Galaxy were forced to defend deep, as evidenced by their goalkeeper making 3 saves compared to only 1 for their opponents.
- 90'Jamar Ricketts received a yellow card in the 90th minute.
In the 90th minute, Jamar Ricketts received a yellow card in the final minutes of the match. If the score remains 1-1, SJ Earthquakes will have secured their place in the Round of 16, while LA Galaxy will still have to wait.
- 90+5'Timo Werner missed a penalty in the 90+5th minute.
In the 90+5th minute, Timo Werner's penalty kick was saved, missing a valuable opportunity at the end of the match. If the score remains 1-1, SJ Earthquakes will temporarily secure a place in the Round of 16, while LA Galaxy will still have to wait.
- 90+7'Joseph Paintsil received a yellow card in injury time.
In the 90+7th minute, Joseph Paintsil received a yellow card after a foul. The match remained tied 1-1 in the final minutes.
- 96'SJ Earthquakes still hold the upper hand.
Entering the 96th minute, SJ Earthquakes were still controlling the game with possession.58-42and superior in finishing.18-9LA Galaxy are having to defend more in this back-and-forth game, even though the score remains 1-1 and the number of corner kicks is equal.6-6.
- KTFinal score: SJ Earthquakes 1-1 LA Galaxy
The match ended with a 1-1 draw.
Updated at 11:38 AM on July 26, 2026
SJ Earthquakes will face LA Galaxy at Stanford Stadium at 9:30 AM on July 26, 2026, in the MLS. While the standings favor SJ Earthquakes, the two teams' recent form is quite similar, making the match difficult to predict from a one-sided perspective.
The gap in the rankings
SJ Earthquakes are currently ranked 2nd with 32 points, while LA Galaxy are ranked 10th with 20 points. The 12-point difference creates a clear distinction in positions before the game, and also puts SJ Earthquakes in a position of being considered the favorites based on overall performance.
However, the standings don't fully reflect the current state of the two teams. Looking at their most recent games, both SJ Earthquakes and LA Galaxy have one win, one draw, and three losses. This suggests SJ Earthquakes are in a better position, but the team hasn't shown remarkable consistency recently.
Both teams have the same worrying aspect in terms of form.
SJ Earthquakes have gone through their last five games with one win, one draw, and three losses. This run of results shows that the team is still capable of securing points, but has not yet maintained a consistent enough rhythm to control every game.
LA Galaxy also has a similar record in their last five matches: one win, one draw, and three losses. Therefore, despite being lower in the standings, LA Galaxy still enters the match with reason to hope if they can take advantage of SJ Earthquakes' inconsistent moments.
The matchup favors LA Galaxy.
In their last five encounters, SJ Earthquakes won one game, drew one, and LA Galaxy won three. This trend gives LA Galaxy a certain psychological advantage and also shows that SJ Earthquakes need to address their head-to-head record rather than relying solely on their current league position.
It's worth noting that historical data doesn't necessarily equate to absolute dominance in the upcoming match. LA Galaxy's recent form isn't much better than SJ Earthquakes', while the gap in the standings significantly favors the second-placed team. These two factors create a tug-of-war between overall advantage and head-to-head trends.
The outcome of the match may be decided by stability.
The available data does not provide tactical diagrams, expected lineups, or lists of absent players, therefore there is insufficient basis to determine the specific deployment of either side. Given that both teams have suffered three defeats in their last five matches, the ability to maintain focus and minimize mistakes will be crucial.
SJ Earthquakes have the advantage in terms of position and points, but need to translate that advantage into a proactive approach. Conversely, LA Galaxy can rely on their recent head-to-head record to build confidence, although they also need to improve their consistency if they want to maintain pressure throughout the game.
Pre-match analysis
SJ Earthquakes are considered the favorites due to their second-place finish and 32 points, while LA Galaxy have the advantage from their head-to-head record with three wins in their last five meetings. However, the recent performances of both teams are similar, so the balance isn't completely tilted in one direction.
The match at Stanford Stadium will most likely be decided by the team that capitalizes better on crucial moments and maintains consistency throughout the 90 minutes. Current data favors SJ Earthquakes in terms of overall performance, but LA Galaxy remains a formidable opponent capable of posing a significant challenge.
*This article was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI).
