The LA Galaxy are back in the Western Conference playoff places, and they largely have Gabriel Pec to thank for it.
The Brazilian winger shone brightly for the third straight week, this time adding a goal and an assist in a 2-0 win over a defensively sound Seattle Sounders FC team on Saturday.
“[Pec] is benefiting from some of our transition attacks when he has space to attack, and we can get him into good positions,” Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said.
“He's a handful. He got a goal and then he had his assist and his movements into space, if you will."
Tough tests passed
Lumen Field is typically considered one of the most difficult venues to take all three points. The Sounders, who boast one of MLS's best defenses, are flying high and are firmly entrenched in the race atop the West.
But the visiting Galaxy handed Seattle just their second defeat of the season.
“I don't know if I could say I envisioned our points to go the way they did this week,” Vanney said. “But I think going on the road and winning two out of three is very, very solid, and comes off of good results prior to that.”
Just over 20 minutes into the game, it was LA’s stars who stepped up. Marco Reus – who’s playing his best soccer since arriving in MLS two years ago – found Pec with an inch-perfect through ball. The 25-year-old had a fairly simple job from there by his standards, converting easily from a one-on-one position.
For the Galaxy’s second goal, Pec turned from finisher into provider. Picking up the ball in midfield, he progressed to Seattle’s endline before unselfishly laying it off for fellow Brazilian Matheus Nascimento to score. The two goal contributions bring Pec to a total of 5g/4a on the season so far.
Specifically, Vanney singled out Pec’s performance against Sounders right back Nouhou – a longtime nemesis of the Brazilian's.
“We all know that [Pec] has had a hard time against Nouhou over the years,” Vanney said. “I felt like tonight he got the best of them. I thought it was the best performance he has had against him.”
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On the rise
The Galaxy have won three of their last five games, bringing them to ninth in the West.
For a team that missed the playoffs as the reigning MLS Cup presented by Audi champion in 2025, this improvement is a welcome sight.
Crucially, the Galaxy also handed Seattle their first shutout loss of the season. Just three days after they put three goals past the then-first-place San Jose Earthquakes, the Sounders struggled in the final third.
“I think it was a really, really well done defensive job by the guys,” Vanney said. “I think this is the way they've been playing, [Seattle] is one of the best teams in the league. And I think playing here in Seattle is never easy. They had the fortune of playing three games at home this week.
"We played three on the road, so when you look at the circumstances, what a huge effort by the group on the defensive side.”
