The LA Galaxy are on the precipice of a return to glory, as the most successful club in Major League Soccer looks for its first title in a decade, set to face the New York Red Bulls in the 2024 title match on Saturday.
The Galaxy have five MLS Cup titles, most of any club in the league, but have not won one since 2014 as they've taken a step back in recent years. Thanks to a fresh new slate of attacking stars, they are back on the doorstep of a league-high sixth trophy.
However, the Red Bulls will provide a stiff challenge, as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference emerged as title contenders while higher-ranked sides crumbled to ashes around them. A win for the underdogs would give the side its first-ever league title.
At their home ground thanks to their higher seeding, the Galaxy will be without superstar Riqui Puig who agonizingly tore his ACL in the Western Conference final, sensationally playing the final 30 minutes on the injury and even assisting the winner in the final minutes.
The Galaxy still have stellar new signings in Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Pec to flank either side of striker Dejan Joveljic, who will be a menace for Red Bulls goalkeeper Carlos Colonel to handle.
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2024 MLS Cup final prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: LA Galaxy (-120 on BetMGM)
- Score prediction: LA Galaxy 3-1 NY Red Bulls
While the LA Galaxy will sorely miss Riqui Puig, they should still manage to overcome his absence in what can only be considered a dream matchup for the Western Conference regular season runners-up.
New York had a great run, but a trip across the country to California coupled with a meeting against a strong unfamiliar opponent should prove to be too much for the underdogs here.
The Red Bulls have been out-shot in every single playoff match thus far, including somehow surviving a 25-goal onslaught against NYCFC in the conference semifinal to emerge with a clean sheet. That's just not a sustainable run, and the Galaxy will be the first team to punish the Red Bulls for their defensive frailties.
| BetMGM (USA) | |
| LA Galaxy win (90 mins) | -120 |
| Draw (90 mins) | +275 |
| NY Red Bulls win (90 mins) | +290 |
| Both teams to score | Y: -165 N: +115 |
| Over / Under 2.5 goals | O: -160 U: +115 |
| LA Galaxy to win the Cup | -250 |
| NY Red Bulls to win the Cup | +165 |
2024 MLS Cup final match facts
- Date: Saturday, December 7, 2024
- Kickoff Time: 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT
- Location: Dignity Health Sports Park (Carson, CA)
- Referee: Guido Gonzalez
- Last meeting: LA Galaxy 3-2 NY Red Bulls (Apr. 25, 2021 | MLS)
LA Galaxy vs. New York Red Bulls best bet
- Pick: LA Galaxy over 2.5 goals
- Odds: +225 (BetMGM)
As mentioned above, the New York Red Bulls have conceded an excessive amount of shots all postseason. While the LA Galaxy will be without Riqui Puig, they should manage to create enough chances to test Carlos Colonel from start to finish.
Colonel, to his credit, has been fantastic, with 10 saves in the last two playoff games and 23 across all five. Yet he will have an exceptional amount of work to do again here against the most efficient attacking line in MLS — the Galaxy led the league in shots on target this season (195) despite being fifth in total shots (489, 34 fewer than league leaders LAFC).
LA Galaxy vs. New York Red Bulls prop bet
- Pick: Dejan Joveljic to score a goal
- Odds: +150 (BetMGM)
- Pick: Gabriel Pec to score a goal
- Odds: +155 (BetMGM)
Sometimes, the obvious selections are the most valuable ones. The two top goal scorers for the LA Galaxy in 2024, Dejan Joveljic and Gabriel Pec, will now have even more responsibility in the absence of an injured Riqui Puig.
Joveljic continues to get on the end of quality chances, bagging the game's only goal late in the Western Conference final and seeing another big chance saved well by Stefan Frei. Pec, meanwhile, is on an insatiable tear, scoring in seven of his last nine MLS games — he will probably assume some of Puig's creative duties, but one or both of these players will still likely end up on the scoresheet.
