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MLS Cup final score, result: LA Galaxy win MLS-best sixth Cup title with victory over Red Bulls in 2024 final

Kyle Bonn

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MLS Cup final score, result: LA Galaxy win MLS-best sixth Cup title with victory over Red Bulls in 2024 final image

After a decade of toiling in the dredges of the MLS trenches, the LA Galaxy are back on top of Major League Soccer.

Early goals from Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic secured a 2-1 victory for the Galaxy at home over the Red Bulls in the 2024 MLS Cup final.

Once hailed as the shining star of the U.S. top flight, the home of names like Donovan, Beckham, and Keane, the Galaxy had fallen on hard times, finishing as low as 13th in the Western Conference and 26th overall just last year.

Then, on came Paintsil and Gabriel Pec to join with Riqui Puig, and the Galaxy exploded to life, scoring goals in waves. With Puig tearing his ACL in the Western Conference final, it fell to the other two to generated enormous attacking pressure in the title match, creating two early goals which proved to be enough for an MLS-best sixth title.

It was the first 20 minutes which downed the Red Bulls, who still have never won an MLS Cup title. After looking completely lost for the opening stage of the match, the visitors eventually rose to the occasion at that point, looking right up for the challenge, but it was the slow start that cost them in the end.

The Sporting News followed the LA Galaxy vs. New York Red Bulls match live, providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happened.

LA Galaxy vs. New York Red Bulls final score

 ScoreGoal scorers
LA Galaxy2Paintsil (9'),
Joveljic (13')
NY Red Bulls1S. Nealis (28')

Location: Dignity Health Sports Park (Carson, CA)
Referee: Guido Gonzalez

Starting lineups:

LA Galaxy (4-3-3, right to left): 77. McCarthy (GK) — 2. Yamane, 25. Garces, 4. Yoshida, 14. Nelson — 20. Cerrillo, 5. Brugman (Reus, 75'), 8. Delgado — 11. Pec, 9. Joveljic (Fagundez, 79'), 28. Paintsil (Neal, 90').

NY Red Bulls (3-5-2, right to left): 31. Coronel (GK) — 12. D. Nealis (Burke, 84'), 3. Elie, 15. S. Nealis — 17. Harper, 75. Edelman (Carmona, 84'), 10. Forsberg, 5. Stroud (Donkor, 65'), 47. Tolkin — 13. Vanzeir (Manoel, 65'), 9. Morgan.

LA Galaxy vs. New York Red Bulls live updates, highlights from MLS Cup final

FULLTIME: LA Galaxy 2-1 New York Red Bulls

THE LA GALAXY HAVE WON THEIR SIXTH MLS CUP! They're back on top of the league!

In the end, the late hiccup doesn't matter, and the referee blows the final whistle shortly after play resumes. What a moment!

90+7 min: HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BEFORE?! The referee blows his whistle to indicate offside, but the Galaxy think it's the final whistle and storm the field! They have to clear the pitch to play another few seconds!

90+3 min: Chance, New York Red Bulls! Amidst a massive scramble, a massive block by Maya Yoshida somehow keeps the Red Bulls from scoring a huge goal! It's floated into the danger area just over the head of Emil Forsberg, and Burke gets on the end but Yoshida makes a huge play!

In the aftermath, Jalen Neal comes on to replace Joseph Paintsil, bringing on a defender for a striker in the hopes of locking down this lead. If they concede, that would be trouble in the event extra-time is required. It's an absolute Red Bulls onslaught!

89th min: There's a long stoppage of play as Carlos Garces, who's been brilliant in this match at the back for the Galaxy, is down receiving a lengthy spell of treatment as he takes a blow to the head in an aerial duel. The medics appear to be doing a battery of tests to Garces who is sitting on his rear near the top of his own penalty area.

The home fans at Dignity Health Sports Park is antsy for the final few minutes to play out so they can celebrate a title, but it's not quite won yet...

84th min: Two more changes for the Red Bulls, who still sit a goal short of equalizing. Wiki Carmona and Cory Burke enter for Daniel Edelman and Dylan Nealis, in a final punt for the last stretch of the game.

76th min: Chance, LA Galaxy! Marco Reus comes on to replace Gaston Brugman for the final 15 minutes, and immediately gets involved! Joseph Paintsil loops a switch inside the penalty area to Reus who arrives at the far post, but his finish is deflected straight into the arms of Carlos Coronel!

Dejan Joveljic, scorer of the goal that currently stands as the difference in this game, is withdrawn for Diego Fagundez who will hope to put the game to bed for the Galaxy. Fagundez goes out wide left and moves Joseph Paintsil to the central striker position.

74th min: Chance, LA Galaxy! GABRIEL PEC FIRES JUST WIDE! Oh my, he's CLEAN through on goal, but as Carlos Coronel closes the gap, the Brazilian forward slides the ball to the wrong side of the post! The flag goes up for offside, so it wouldn't have counted, but what a miss!

This game has become breathless, it's back and forth now, buckle your seat belts!

72nd min: Chance, LA Galaxy! Gabriel Pec has his point-blank effort saved! He redirects a cross from the right on net, but it's straight at the goalkeeper!

Then down the other end...Chance, New York Red Bulls! The visitors break immediately and Elias Manoel fires wide! Oh that was THE chance to bring the scoreline level!

71st min: The most obvious yellow card of all time is shown to Cameron Harper who takes down Dejan Joveljic in transition. The Galaxy forward is extremely displeased with the tackle, but the referee separates the two and produces the booking.

64th min: Chance, LA Galaxy! MIKI YAMANE STRIKES THE POST! He bursts forward down the right edge of the penalty area and smacks the woodwork almost head-on.

That brings the first two substitutions of the match for the Red Bulls, as Dante Vanezir and Peter Stroud are withdrawn, replaced by Ronald Donkor and Elias Manoel.

60th min: Chance, LA Galaxy! The exact same thing happens down the other end as Joseph Paintsil is through on goal but Noah Elie takes the ball off his feet at the last moment! Two great defensive moments in a matter of seconds, one on either end!

59th min: Chance, New York! Dante Vanezir looks clean through on goal but he's tackled by Carlos Garces! Goalkeeper John McCarthy is clearly worried about a penalty decision on the physical challenge from the Galaxy defender, as he gives the referee a finger wag, and the referee refrains from blowing his whistle!

49th min: The Red Bulls have the first chance of the second half as Dante Vanezir has a go from a tight angle down the left, but it's blocked. The opening 20 minutes where the Galaxy completely dominated are an afterthought, as these sides both seem right up for the task at hand!

2nd half kickoff: They're back under way for the final 45 minutes of the match! No changes for either side as they get the ball rolling once again in California.

HALFTIME: LA Galaxy 2-1 New York Red Bulls

A thrilling first 45 minutes, and it feels like this is anyone's game! The Galaxy scored two early goals and seemed set to run away with the match as they completely dominated the first 20 minutes, but Sean Nealis's set-piece goal gave the Red Bulls life and now they're right in it. The second half of this title match has serious potential to be truly memorable!

45+2 min: Chance, LA Galaxy! In the midst of three added minutes, Dejan Joveljic crops up at the top of the six-yard box and contorts his body to poke the ball on net, but it's too central and right at Carlos Coronel who makes an easy point-blank save.

41st min: Gabriel Pec has been an absolute lightning rod for the Galaxy on the right hand side, winning a dangerous free-kick on the right flank after being scythed by a sliding challenge from Peter Stroud. It's a thumping tackle that may have been worth a booking, but Guido Gonzalez keeps his cards in his pocket.

Gaston Brugman, who assisted the first goal, delivers a ball to the far post, and John Tolkin puts it over the end line for a corner despite there being no Galaxy player in the vicinity, but the ensuing chance is wasted.

37th min: Moments after Noah Elie's foul earns the game's first booking, Marco Delgado is the first Galaxy player booked as he bundles over Emil Forsberg in transition. Forsberg didn't have a single touch in the opening 16 minutes but has started to find himself more involved in the last few passages of play.

35th min: Noah Elie picks up the game's first yellow card after being cooked by Gabriel Pec on the touchline and giving the Galaxy forward a big thump.

31st min: The Red Bulls have truly woken up. Cameron Harper fires a shot from a tight angle to force a save by John McCarthy, and while the delivery from John Tolkin is poor, they win a second attempt at it from the other side taken by Emil Forsberg which is headed out for yet another set piece by Maya Yoshida.

That third corner attempt is only cleared for a moment before a shot from Noah Elie on the penalty spot is into the grasp of McCarthy. The Galaxy are used to this back-and-forth, but it's far from comfortable all of a sudden!

28th min: GOAL! NEW YORK! The very first attacking moment for the Red Bulls results in a goal, and it's game on! The first corner of the match for New York sees the ball not cleared for a good five or 10 seconds before it falls to Sean Nealis who crops up right on the penalty spot and pokes home a gorgeous volley past John McCarthy! It's a truly wonderful ball from the center-back who loops it over a defender and into the net!

The Red Bulls have been truly awful this match, but it takes just a single moment to strike, and that's what the Red Bulls have done here!

25th min: Chance, LA Galaxy! Two rapid-fire chances for the Galaxy, as Gabriel Pec undresses John Tolkin and rips a tight-angle shot that's saved by Carlos Coronel, before Marcos Delgado has his follow-up trickle agonizingly wide of the right post! Tolkin may be regretting his comments about Gabriel Pec before the match...

22nd min: The Galaxy haven't created any more clear cut chances since the second goal, but they have completely and totally dominated the match so far. The Red Bulls look utterly shook, and have none of their trademark physicality or grit that got them here.

13th min: GOAL! LA GALAXY! DEJAN JOVELIC HAS A SECOND AND DOES A ROBBIE KEANE BOW TO RIQUI PUIG IN THE SUITES! Jovelic runs a three-on-five breakaway, and instead of passing to a wide-open Joseph Paintsil on the left, he takes on two defenders himself and toe-pokes the ball into the net for a two-goal lead!!

12th min: Dejan Jovelic blasts one over the bar from about 15 yards out off-center to the right, but it's a fair indication of how this game has turned at the moment, with the Red Bulls looking like deer in the headlights. The Galaxy can smell blood in the water!

9th min: GOAL! LA GALAXY! Joseph Paintsil scores a slow-roller after being played through on a vertical ball straight up the gut! On the glorious ball from Gaston Brugman, Paintsil's low finish clips the goalkeeper on the way through, but has enough pace to trickle through over the line.

After some confusion on the Galaxy touchline, Paintsil eventually secures Riqui Puig's jersey to celebrate with as the hosts go in front early! 

6th min: Dylan Nealis gets away with a possible yellow card foul as he shoves Joseph Paintsil over the touchline to stop a quick attacking move. This early in the match referees have a higher bar to give bookings, but the Red Bulls defender can still consider himself lucky after cutting down a pacey attack with a foul.

4th min: This has been a physical battle early on, as the Red Bulls are playing their traditionally direct style attempting to go over the top of the Galaxy back line. Carlos Garces handles one long ball down the middle, as the Galaxy have struggled to play through the middle so far.

Kickoff: They're under way at Dignity Health Sports Park! Riqui Puig is in a suit and tie on the LA Galaxy touchline, having torn his ACL last weekend in the Western Conference final. Can the Galaxy win their MLS-best sixth title without him, or will the Red Bulls hoist their first-ever championship? We find out in at most 3 hours from now!

ALERT: There's a late change to the starting lineup just five minutes before kickoff, as New York center-back Andres Reyes has been scratched from the back line. He reportedly getting sick in the locker room before kickoff, and has been replaced by Noah Elie, who was a starter for much of the season.

LA Galaxy vs. New York Red Bulls: Pre-match commentary, analysis, more

15 mins to kickoff: USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino is in the house for the MLS Cup final, which kicks off shortly!

30 mins to kickoff: The LA Galaxy are going for their sixth-ever MLS Cup title, while the Red Bulls are seeking their first. In an interesting wrinkle, Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy is hoping to become the first-ever player to win MLS Cup with both El Trafico rivals LAFC and the Galaxy!

45 mins to kickoff: While Riqui Puig got most of the headlines at the LA Galaxy, it's been Gabriel Pec to rack up the most goal contributions at the club this season, with 19 goals and 15 assists this season, plus three and three in the playoffs. His goal tally put him tied for sixth in MLS this season, while his assist tally was third-best. It's a wonderful performance for the Brazilian in his first season with the club after arriving from Vasco da Gama in January.

1 hour to kickoff: Lineups are in. The LA Galaxy do NOT have Marco Reus available to start, as the former Borussia Dortmund star is only available off the bench. It was thought he would be good to go for the match, but instead it's a more defensive midfield for the hosts with Gaston Brugman coming in.

The Red Bulls' XI is exactly as expected, with Felipe Carballo remaining out of the squad with the injury that also kept him sidelined for the Eastern Conference final too.

1 hour 15 mins to kick: Red Bulls full-back John Tolkin has always been known as an edgy player, and he brought his A-game for the MLS Cup final. He told the press he has respect for the LA Galaxy but that despite that, his side still "want to kick the s**t out of them."

"We have that New Jersey, New York, grit and swag," Tolkin said in his pre-match presser. "We’re up in your face. Guys don’t like that. I’ve seen it. I’ve heard it from players." We'll see how much that affects the match, if at all.

1 hour 30 mins to kick: While the LA Galaxy lost Riqui Puig to a torn ACL, leaving him sidelined not only for tonight's match but for much of next season as well, the former Barcelona star has been supporting the side as much as he can ahead of the MLS title match.

Puig has been "with the team all week," says Pablo Maurer of The Athletic, "observing training, providing moral support when he can." Tom Bogert of GiveMeSport, meanwhile, notes Puig was "at training" on Friday, "walking around with a big smile most of the time I saw him."

Good to hear the 25-year-old is in such good spirits to help keep his teammates in the best mindset!

1 hour 45 mins to kick: New York Red Bulls staff and supporters have traveled in significant numbers to this match, and they're already in the stadium to show their support!

2 hours to kickoff: Welcome to live coverage of the 2024 MLS Cup final from The Sporting News.

This game has similar yet opposite meaning for the two sides. The New York Red Bulls won't just be happy to be here, but are searching for their first-ever MLS Cup title. For the LA Galaxy, it represents the culmination of a decade-long search for a return to prominence. The once-dominant club with the most MLS Cup titles of all has slogged for years looking for a way back to the top.

LA Galaxy vs. New York Red Bulls kickoff time

The 2024 MLS championship match match kicks off from Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday, December 7 at 1 p.m. local time in Carson, CA.

Here's how that time translates across the time zones in North America:

 DateKickoff time
Eastern TimeSat, Dec. 74 p.m.
Central TimeSat, Dec. 73 p.m.
Mountain TimeSat, Dec. 72 p.m.
Pacific TimeSat, Dec. 71 p.m.

MORE: Watch the 2024 MLS Cup final FREE on MLS Season Pass

LA Galaxy vs. New York Red Bulls lineups, team news, starting 11

The LA Galaxy suffered gut-wrenching news just before the title match when it was revealed that brilliant playmaker Riqui Puig had suffered a torn ACL in the Western Conference final. It came as a shock as he played the entire 90 minutes of the match, even assisting the game-winner in the 89th minute.

It seemed to mean Marco Reus would likely take on a larger playmaking role in this game and into next season. Reus was substituted at halftime of the Western Conference final with a groin injury, and while he said he's likely ok to play ahead of the match, started on the bench. Instead, Marco Delgado and Gaston Brugman come into the starting lineup.

Uruguayan defender Martin Caceres is the only other Galaxy player suffering with an injury, set to miss the game as he continues his recovery from a torn Achilles.

LA Galaxy starting lineup (4-3-3): McCarthy (GK) — Yamane, Garces, Yoshida, Nelson — Cerrillo, Brugman, Delgado — Pec, Joveljic, Paintsil.

LA Galaxy subs: Micovic (GK), Aude, Cuevas, Neal, Zavaleta, Fagundez, Parente, Reus, Berry.

The Red Bulls are nearly at full strength thanks to the long layoff before the semifinals. Kyle Duncan had knee surgery in early September and is almost certainly out, while former Wake Forest product Roald Mitchell is in the same boat.

Head coach Sandro Schwarz has rotated through center-backs this season, but Andre Reyes retains his spot along the back line rather than being replaced for Noah Elie. However, just before kickoff, Reyes took ill and was replaced minutes before the match began by Elie.

The other decision for Schwarz to make is in midfield, as he rotated Peter Stroud into the XI in place of an injured Felipe Carballo. The latter was listed as questionable for the Western Conference final with a foot injury, so his availability for this game is up in the air.

NY Red Bulls starting lineup (3-5-2): Coronel (GK) — D. Nealis, Elie, S. Nealis — Harper, Edelman, Forsberg, Stroud, Tolkin — Vanzeir, Morgan.

NY Red Bulls subs: Meara (GK), A. Reyes, Burke, Carmona, Donker, Gjengaar, Hall, Manoel, Ngoma.

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Kyle Bonn

Kyle Bonn Photo

Kyle Bonn, is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.