Tasked with replacing Puig, Galaxy’s midfield trio won MLS Cup

CARSON, Calif. — As the LA Galaxy players waited to hoist their sixth MLS Cup trophy, midfielders Gastón Brugman, Edwin Cerrillo and Mark Delgado met on the field and engaged in a group hug. Such was their exhaustion — physical and mental — that it was about all the energy they could muster.

The celebration was well-earned. The Galaxy have bigger stars certainly. The trio weren’t even among the goal scorers Saturday. That honor fell to Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic, though Brugman and Delgado did deliver assists. But the three, comprising a makeshift midfield, played perhaps the biggest role in the Galaxy’s triumph. Brugman was named the game’s MVP, and all three delivered on both sides of the ball in what was a tight, tense 2-1 victory.

The win marked the end of a 10-year drought between titles for L.A., and while it was the second MLS Cup for manager Greg Vanney, it was his first with the Galaxy after being on the losing end three times as a player with Los Angeles.

Vanney said that heading into the week, the thought was the Galaxy was back as an organization. But it needed to win to confirm their return to league heavyweight status.

“At the Galaxy, it’s about winning championships,” he said.

He added: “These guys did it and they cemented their legacy [at] a club with incredible history and legacy and I’m proud of them. [This] will bond them together as a group for forever.”

This was a match akin to 4×400 meter relay race. Different players picked up the baton at different moments to carry the Galaxy forward. The attack was on point from the start, scoring twice inside the first 13 minutes. The first was from a 15-pass sequence in the ninth minute that was finished by Brugman and Paintsil, and a second quick strike four minutes later where Delgado sent Joveljic on a mazy run, ending with a deceptively slow shot that flummoxed Red Bull keeper Carlos Coronel. Joveljic then took a bow in homage to Galaxy legend Robbie Keane as well as injured star Riqui Puig.

The domination continued through the 25th minute, at which point New York began to climb back into the game. Three minutes later, New York pulled a goal back through Sean Nealis from a goal-mouth scramble. At that point, there was a sense that a long slog awaited the Galaxy.

That proved to be the case, and in the second half, it was up to the team’s defense to carry the load. There were moments when the Red Bulls looked like they might catch the Galaxy at the tape, but thanks to the midfield and some perfectly timed tackles from defender Emiro Garces — along with some missed chances by the Red Bulls — the Galaxy were able to get across the finish line.

That the midfield played such a significant role in the Galaxy’s success wasn’t a surprise, but its construction was. All week, Vanney was left to ponder how he would replace Puig, who was out after tearing an ACL in the Western Conference final against the Seattle Sounders. Puig had enjoyed an All-Star season with 17 goals and as many assists in 33 league and playoff appearances. But even beyond the numbers, Puig and been central to everything that the Galaxy had done in terms of its attack. He dropped deep to collect the ball. He spun out of tight spaces to relieve pressure in his own half. And of course, he often delivered the killer ball to release fellow attackers Gabriel Pec, Paintsil and Joveljic.

Vanney did seem to have options, granted, all of them imperfect. Marco Reus looked to be one possible choice to replace Puig from the start, given his experience, but he was struggling with a groin injury. If he couldn’t go, Diego Fagundez seemed to be the most likely replacement for Puig, given that he had replaced the Spaniard on those occasions during the season when he couldn’t play.

As it turned out, Vanney didn’t go with either, opting for Delgado and Brugman to flank Cerrillo in the Galaxy midfield. It seemed a head-scratcher at first given that the trio looked to be more defensive in nature, and would weigh down the lightning quick attacks that had become the Galaxy’s trademark. But Vanney had his reasons for his choice of players.

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Joseph Paintsil puts Galaxy ahead with tidy finish

Joseph Paintsil shows off Riqui Puig’s jersey after opening the scoring for the LA Galaxy vs. the New York Red Bulls in the MLS Cup.

“Obviously, it’s a tough decision because [Fagundez] has been incredible all year. Obviously, you have a guy like [Reus] who we weren’t quite sure, but we were hoping he was going to be ready,” Vanney said. “But for me it was coming down to the battles in the midfield, the competitive side, the ability to again just win the middle of the park against a team like that, especially early in the game when they usually like to have it really fast and pressing and disruptive.

“To me, they came out a little bit slower than I was expecting them to come out, but we came out fast. We were prepared for that game.”

To be clear, it wasn’t perfect. The Galaxy didn’t dominate possessions to the degree that it normally does. How could they? Puig’s skills are irreplaceable. But the three delivered on the plays that mattered, and in two of the cases, it provided some redemption for seasons that didn’t go according to plan.

Brugman began the campaign still coming back from knee surgery the previous season. By the time he recovered, Cerrillo had cemented his spot in the starting lineup at the base of the Galaxy’s midfield triangle. While he appeared in 22 regular-season games, he amassed just under 1,200 minutes. But Brugman got word Tuesday that he was likely to get considerable playing time, and he was ready.

“Once I knew that [I was playing], everything in the year came to mind. I was excited to play for everything that we have done,” Brugman said through a translator. “In regards to the assist, I dreamed it yesterday and I dreamed of something that I could give to the team and then I was able to do it. That was great to see, see the team with the hunger, and it was exciting and we were deserved winners for the game [and] how we played it.”

He more than repaid Vanney’s faith.

“He’s been fighting all year … he’s a warrior,” Vanney said. “He’s been a top guy in our club and one of the leaders in our locker room, so I’m really happy for him.”

For Delgado, the stakes were even higher. This is a player who grew up going to Galaxy games with this family. Even though he had won a title back in 2017 with Toronto FC, winning an MLS Cup would mean even more. Yet the midseason arrival of Reus saw Delgado’s playing time diminish, even as he continued to train well. But on this day, he delivered on both sides of the ball, creating a team-high four chances, including his assist to Joveljic.

As the game reached the finish, a whistle from the referee was mistaken for the final whistle, resulting in players and photographers swarming the field, only to be waived off and returned to the sideline. When the actual final whistle blew, Delgado was overcome with emotion, the difficulty of the match combined with the realization of a lifelong dream catching up with him. Even afterward, standing in a corridor underneath Dignity Health Sports Park, it was difficult for him to keep his emotions in check.

“Just filled with joy,” Delgado said. “Honestly, it was like I accomplished a dream for myself as a kid, right? I was in these stands with my family, watching games, watching Cobi Jones and all these guys. And man, to be on the other side of it, to be on the field…I had emotions arising on the way here, but I held them in and to finally hear the final whistle blow and come out on top, man, I couldn’t hold back.

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Dejan Joveljic’s off-balance finish doubles Galaxy’s lead

Dejan Joveljic finds the back of the net while falling over to give the LA Galaxy a 2-0 lead over the New York Red Bulls in the MLS Cup.

“I mean, the first whistle thinking the game was over, I almost let everything go right there. But to see it out, see the final seconds out, and to get to that second whistle, the final whistle, right? And I just couldn’t hold back. Honestly. People thought I was in pain because I landed on my shoulder. Yes, I am in pain. I did land on my shoulder pretty bad, but it was more of just tears of joy. Honestly. I accomplished a childhood dream. Now I get the sixth star for this amazing club.”

Even Puig got to take part in the celebrations. He donned a Galaxy jersey, but instead of his usual No. 10, it had a No. 6 for the number of MLS Cups the team has won.

It’s a title that seemed far away at the beginning of the season. The Galaxy was coming off a campaign in which it finished next-to-last in the Western Conference. But a warp speed roster rebuild by Vanney and GM Will Kuntz not only got the Galaxy competitive again, it has them top of the MLS heap.

“I think this is kind of the stamp that we’re back,” Vanney grinned.