Starting XI: GK Novak Mićović; D Julián Aude, D Emiro Garcés, D Jakob Glesnes, D Miki Yamane; M Justin Haak, M Lucas Sanabria, M Marco Reus; F Joseph Paintsil, F Gabriel Pec, F João Klauss
Substitutes: GK JT Marcinkowski, D Maya Yoshida, D John Nelson, D Mauricio Cuevas, D Harbor Miller, M Tucker Lepley, F Ruben Ramos Jr., F Matheus Nascimento
Lineup Notes:
- #1 Novak Mićović, 24, has posted four shutouts in 35 appearances across all competitions (35 starts) for the LA Galaxy since making his debut against Club León on July 26, 2023. In 2025, the Serbian goalkeeper completed his jump to the first team squad, earning 27 starts in all competitions after averaging four starts in first two seasons with the club. Notably, Mićović saved four of eight penalty kicks faced in shootouts throughout the 2023 campaign while playing in MLS NEXT Pro with LA Galaxy II. Additionally, Mićović was teammates with former New England Revolution and current Chelsea FC goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic at Serbian club FK Čukarički.
- #2 Miki Yamane, 32, has appeared in 80 matches in all competitions for LA since joining the side in 2024. The mainstay on the back line has tallied a goal and 11 assists in 6,277 minutes. Prior to joining the Galaxy, Yamane recorded 14 goals and 27 assists across 196 J1 League appearances with Shonan Bellmare (2016-19) and Kawasaki Frontale (2020-23). Notably, Yamane was named to the J1 League Best XI in three consecutive seasons (2020, 2021, 2022), and helped Kawasaki Frontale earn two J1 League titles (2021, 2020), two Emperor’s Cup titles (2020, 2023) and one Japanese Super Cup (2021). Yamane has recorded two goals and four assists across 16 appearances (12 starts) for Japan since making his debut for his country in 2021.
- #3 Julián Aude, 22, has tallied three goals and three assists in 92 games played (58 starts) across all competitions since his arrival at the club in 2023. The Argentine youth international defender finished the 2025 campaign with 1,888 minutes, his highest single-season minutes total with LA to date. Aude, who occupies an MLS U22 Initiative roster spot, is under contract through the end of the 2027 MLS season.
- #4 Maya Yoshida, 37, recorded a team-high 98.5% passing accuracy on Thursday night, successfully completing 129 of his 131 passes. Yoshida now holds the best single-match passing accuracy in Concacaf Champions Cup since 2017 among players with 100+ attempts. He has tallied six goals and three assists in 89 appearances (86 starts) across all competitions for the LA Galaxy since joining the club as a free agent on August 3, 2023, and has captained the side 79 times. In 2025, Yoshida logged both the fourth-most minutes (2,893) and starts (33) on the squad across 36 total matches. The Japanese international made over 450 professional appearances in the top leagues of England, Germany, Italy, Japan and Netherlands since making his professional debut in 2007. Yoshida has tallied 12 goals and three assists in 126 career appearances (120 starts) for the Japanese National Team. Yoshida has played in three FIFA World Cups (2014, 2018, 2022) and captained Japan to the Round of 16 of the 2022 edition of the FIFA World Cup. Notably, Yoshida was the only player on the Galaxy roster to appear in every MLS match (regular season and playoffs) during the 2024 season.
- #5 Jakob Glesnes, 31, joins LA having spent six seasons with the Philadelphia Union, where he became a two-time MLS Best XI member (2022, 2025), a three-time MLS All-Star (2022, 2023, 2025), and was named the 2022 MLS Defender of the Year. In the 2025 season, the center back totaled three goal contributions (1 goal, 2 assists) and 30 clearances in 31 matches played (30 starts) across MLS competition. The Norwegian recorded the second-most minutes (2,626) for the club in the 2025 season and led the Union defense to a best-in-league fewest goals conceded (35) and 14 clean sheets. Glesnes has played 181 games with 178 starts in his MLS career, recording nine goals and 10 assists. Before joining the Union, Glesnes played in Norway’s top division, the Eliteserien, representing Strømsgodset Toppfotball.
- #6 Edwin Cerrillo, 25, enters the 2026 season on the back of a year in which he led the LA Galaxy in both games started (43) and minutes played (3,602) across all competitions. The Waco, Texas native played and started in every match that he was available during the campaign, missing just two matches to yellow card accumulation. In total, Cerrillo has registered one goal and five assists in 95 career matches played (84 starts) across all competitions with the LA Galaxy since his arrival in August 2023. Cerrillo has tallied one goal and six assists in 160 career MLS regular season matches played (124 starts).
- #8 Lucas Sanabria, 22, tallied two goals and an assist in 26 appearances during his first season with LA in 2025. At the international level, Sanabria was called in by the Uruguayan National Team for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifying for matches against Peru on Oct. 11 and Ecuador on Oct. 15. Prior to joining the Galaxy, Sanabria recorded five goals and four assists in 46 matches played (41 starts) across all competitions for Club Nacional in Uruguay. The Florida, Uruguay, native tallied one goal in 11 appearances (all starts) for Nacional during the 2023-24 Copa Libertadores, helping his club reach the Round of 16. He later scored two goals in four matches to help Nacional reach the 2024 Copa AUF Uruguay Final. Sanabria was also a part of the Nacional side that won the 2024 edition of the Torneo Intermedio, logging one goal and two assists in seven appearances (all starts) throughout the competition.
- #9 Matheus Nascimento, 21, had his loan extended this offseason after initially joining LA as a U22 Initiative Player on loan from Brazilian Série A side Botafogo ahead of the 2025 campaign. Last season, Nascimento notched four goals and three assists across 22 appearances (13 starts) in MLS Regular Season play. The Brazilian youth international forwarded also added three goals and two assists in 2025 Leagues Cup competition. Notably, Nascimento is the youngest player (16 years old) in the Brazilian club’s history to debut for Botafogo. The Niterói, Brazil native notched 12 goals and 7 assists in 98 appearances (55 starts) across all competitions in six seasons played with Botafogo (2020-25). At the international level, Nascimento has made multiple appearances for Brazil at the U-16, U-17, U-18, U-20 and U-23 age groups. The forward was part of the Brazilian National Team side that won the 2023 Pan American Games gold medal after defeating Chile in penalties on Nov. 4, 2023.
- #11 Gabriel Pec, 25, enters the new campaign on the heels of a strong preseason in which he scored three goals in two games at the Coachella Valley Invitational earlier this month. He finished the 2025 MLS Regular Season with a team-high nine assists (tied with Marco Reus) and a team-high 15 total goal contributions (six goals), tied with Joseph Paintsil. In two full seasons with the LA Galaxy, the 2024 MLS Newcomer of the Year has recorded 32 goals and 24 assists across 81 appearances in all competitions. Prior to his arrival in LA, Pec notched 26 goals and 14 assists in 178 appearances in all competitions with Vasco da Gama (2019-23). The Petrópolis, Brazil native was initially acquired ahead of the 2024 season from Brazilian Série A side Vasco da Gama as a Young Designated Player and signed a five-year contract through the end of the 2028 campaign.
- #12 JT Marcinkowski, 28, joined the LA Galaxy ahead of the 2025 campaign and recorded one clean sheet in three spot starts for the club in league play. Marcinkowski has earned 98 MLS appearances in his career. The Alamo, California native signed a Homegrown contract with the San Jose Earthquakes in 2017 after developing in the club’s academy. The 2021 MLS Regular Season saw Marcinkowski post a career-high five shutouts and 129 saves in 33 matches played (all starts) for the Earthquakes. In total, Marcinkowski logged 19 shutouts and 330 saves in 96 appearances (95 starts) in five seasons with San Jose.
- #14 John Nelson had his contract extended following a strong 2025 campaign that saw him named LA Galaxy’s Defender of the Year. The 27-year-old appeared in a career-high 31 matches with 24 starts and added a career-best three assists. Defensively, Nelson recorded 36 aerial duels won and 22 clearances while playing a key role in two of the Galaxy’s four shutout wins across all competitions. A steady presence on the back line since joining the LA Galaxy ahead of the 2024 season, Nelson recorded his first career MLS goal (Regular Season or Playoffs) and an assist in LA’s 5-0 win over the Colorado Rapids at Dignity Health Sports Park in the Round One Best-of-3 Series opener of the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs on Oct. 26, 2024. In his two seasons with LA, Nelson has made more than 70 appearances, contributing one goal and three assists. Drafted 10th overall by FC Dallas in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft after a standout collegiate career at the University of North Carolina, the Medina, Ohio native spent two seasons with Dallas before joining FC Cincinnati ahead of the 2022 campaign.
- #15 Justin Haak, 24, joins the LA Galaxy after seven seasons with New York City FC for which he appeared in 111 matches (75 starts) in all competitions. In 2025, Haak appeared in all 34 matches (all starts) for NYCFC and came just 50 minutes shy of an Iron Man season in MLS play. In addition, the Brooklyn, New York native recorded one goal and four assists while also scoring his first career playoff goal in the club's loss to Miami. Haak’s professional career began with NYCFC in 2019 when he signed a Homegrown contract following four years of development within the club’s academy system.
- #18 Marco Reus has appeared in 39 matches (30 starts) across all competitions for the Galaxy since his arrival in LA and has recorded nine goals and 13 assists overall. He had an assist in four matches played (two starts) during the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. Reus, 36, signed with the Galaxy on August 15, 2024, following a decorated, 12-year career at Borussia Dortmund, where he totaled 301 goal contributions (170 goals, 131 assists) in 429 appearances across all competitions. Notably, Reus was twice named the German Footballer of the Year (2012, 2019), was recognized as a three-time Bundesliga Player of the Year (2011-12, 2013-14, 2018-19), was named to the UEFA Team of the Year (2013) and helped Dortmund win the German Cup (2016-17, 2020-21), the DFB-Pokal (2016-17, 2020-21) and the DFL-Supercup (2013, 2019) two times each. At the international level, Reus has tallied 15 goals and 14 assists in 48 career appearances (34 starts) for the German National Team (2011-21).
- #19 Mauricio Cuevas, 22, has notched three goals and eight assists in 61 career appearances (19 starts) across all competitions for the LA Galaxy since 2023. In 2025, the Los Angeles native scored two times and added six assists in 1,155 minutes across 31 appearances in all competitions. The year prior, Cuevas tallied one goal and one assist in 18 appearances during the 2024 MLS Regular Season. In addition, he added an assist in three appearances in the Leagues Cup, and a postseason appearance during the club's storybook sixth MLS Cup run. Cuevas played two seasons for LA Galaxy II (2019-20) in the USL Championship, recording four goals and five assists in 21 matches played (21 starts) across all competitions.
- #21 Tucker Lepley, 24, recorded two assists and appeared in 16 matches (6 starts) in league play for the LA Galaxy in 2025. He made his MLS and Galaxy debut in a 4-2 win over Sporting KC on June 15, 2024. Lepley tallied one goal and two assists in 19 appearances (19 starts) for Ventura County FC during the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Regular Season. Lepley was selected by the Galaxy in the third round (No. 62 overall) of the 2024 MLS SuperDraft after recording 11 goals and 10 assists in 45 games played (41 starts) across a three-year career at UCLA (2021-23).
- #24 Ruben Ramos Jr., 19, is an LA Galaxy Academy product who has earned 10 appearances (2 starts) in all competitions for the Galaxy since his debut for the club as a second-half substitute against Sporting KC on June 15, 2024. During the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Regular Season, Ramos Jr. tallied four goals and one assist in 13 appearances (12 starts) for Ventura County FC. Ramos Jr. was called up by the U.S. U-19 National Team for friendlies against Spain and Ukraine in June 2025. Notably, Ramos Jr. tallied two goals in five appearances (5 starts) for the U.S. U-20 Men’s Youth National Team at the Concacaf U-20 Championship, helping his side qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile. In 22 appearances (22 starts) for Ventura County FC during the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Regular Season, the La Puente, California native recorded 12 goal contributions (eight goals, four assists). Ramos Jr. scored a hat -trick in the LA Galaxy Academy U-17’s 4-1 win over Charlotte FC in the final of the 2024 U-17 MLS NEXT Cup at GEODIS Park on June 23, leading LA to a tournament championship for a second consecutive season and was named the MLS NEXT Cup Top Scorer after scoring a tournament-high eight goals.
- #25 Emiro Garcés saw his first career MLS and Galaxy goal come in a 2-2 draw against Minnesota United FC on March 22, 2025. Two weeks later, the 24-year-old Columbian scored again, this time in the Concacaf Champions Cup Quarterfinal second leg against Tigres on April 8. In total, Garcés has recorded the two aforementioned goals and three assists in 48 appearances (34 starts) across all competitions over the past two seasons. The defender previously made 67 appearances (57 starts) across all competitions for Deportivo Pereira (2021-24), helping the club win its first-ever league title during the 2022 Liga BetPlay Dimayor I campaign. At the international level, Garcés was previously called up by the Colombian National Team for a domestic training camp back in October 2022.
- #26 Harbor Miller, 18, tallied one goal and two assists in 10 appearances (nine starts) across all competitions during the 2025 campaign, his first season with the LA Galaxy. Miller recorded nine goal contributions (five goals, four assists) in 16 appearances (all starts) on loan with Ventura County FC during the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Regular Season. Notably, the Fullerton, California native is the seventh-youngest player in team history (17 years, 8 months, 11 days) to make their LA Galaxy and MLS debut. Miller tallied one goal and two assists in 22 matches played (18 starts) across all competitions for Ventura County FC during the 2024 campaign. Miller was named the MLS NEXT Cup MVP presented by adidas after the LA Galaxy Academy U-17s defeated Real Colorado 4-2 in the final of the 2023 U-17 MLS NEXT Cup on June 25, 2023. Miller was named to the second-annual MLS NEXT All-Star Game presented by Allstate during the 2023 campaign. Miller signed a three-year contract as a Homegrown Player with the Galaxy beginning in 2025 through the end of the 2027 MLS season with a club option for 2028.
- #28 Joseph Paintsil, 28, found the score sheet in the club’s match three nights ago in Panama, a crucial second-half equalizer to give LA an away goal advantage heading into leg two. Paintsil finished the 2025 campaign with 15 goals and six assists across 34 matches played (31 starts) in all competitions for the LA Galaxy. Last season, Paintsil became just the third Galaxy player all-time to score a first-half hat trick in an MLS match in the team’s 4-1 win over Sporting Kansas City on September 27. The performance earned Paintsil the MLS Player of the Matchday for Matchdays 36 and 37. He has recorded 47 goal contributions (30 goals, 17 assists) in 71 career matches played (67 starts) across all competitions for LA. Paintsil was acquired by the Galaxy from Belgian Pro League side K.R.C. Genk as a Designated Player and was signed to a four-year contract through the end of the 2027 MLS season. During the 2022-23 Belgian Pro League season, Paintsil notched 28 goal contributions (14 goals, 14 assists) in 30 league appearances (28 starts), helping Genk qualify for the 2023-24 Europa Conference League. At the international level, Paintsil has notched two assists in 15 appearances (9 starts) for Ghana. The team qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by defeating Central African Republic and Comoros in October 2025.
- #99 João Klauss recorded his first assist as a member of the Galaxy in a critical moment for the side down in Panama, a score that dug LA out from behind and gave the club an advantage in the CCC series with San Miguelito. Now, Klauss is set to make his debut in Los Angeles. Klauss arrives in LA following three seasons with St. Louis CITY SC, where he recorded 27 goals in 85 appearances for the 2023 expansion side. The 28-year-old Brazilian forward has extensive international experience, having competed in the German Bundesliga with Hoffenheim, the Austrian Bundesliga with LASK and the Belgian Pro League with Standard Liège. Throughout his time in Europe and in MLS, he has appeared in both the UEFA Europa League and the Concacaf Champions Cup, adding valuable global competition experience to his resume. In his MLS debut season with St. Louis in 2023, Klauss tallied 10 goals and two assists across 19 league matches. He repeated the feat in 2025, once again reaching double-digit goals with a 10-goal, two-assist campaign. On June 14, 2025, Klauss recorded a hat trick against the Galaxy, with the match ending in a 3-3 draw at Energizer Park. Klauss began his career in Brazil with Grêmio’s U-20 side. He joined St. Louis CITY SC in July 2022 as the club’s first-ever Designated Player.