MAX NELSON
HALLOWEEN TREATS FROM KLASS, LOZANO, TAYLOR, ROBERTO GIVE GALAXY CONFIDENCE IN FINAL HOME GAME.
In a Halloween thriller that saw 5 goals scored, the LA Galaxy showed its quality going into an important Decision Day game away at Real Salt Lake next Saturday.
With the win, LA improved to 11-11-11 and currently sits in 7th place in the Western Conference at the time of writing. Austin fell to 8-10-16.
Now LA needs only a tie next week at RSL to secure a playoff spot. The Galaxy home victory was its seventh of its season, matching 2025’s total in a season where LA missed the playoffs.
Harbor Miller has played the fifth most minutes for LA, with 1,896 minutes spanning 31 competitions. The fullback assisted João Klauss to start the scoring of LA’s 4-1 thrashing in front of 17,238 at Dignity Health Sports Park.
HARBOR
MILLER.
“I think it’s been nice down the stretch, everyone is pretty much fully healthy now,” Miller said. “We have so many stars in the attack whether it’s Chucky, Marco, Klauss, Robert, Joe, Sergi, these guys are the best in the business at what they do…”
“It’s been finding my time and how I can contribute as well and add my own flavor. I’ve been trying to find out ‘how can I be Harbor Miller with these guys still around me?’”
Miller said doing the dirty work in the back while also being able to bring the ball forward can help make the attack’s job much easier.
Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said that the team has been better post World Cup thanks to the quality on the field with everyone back healthy.
“The first half of the season was a real grind,” Vanney said. “Then the summer there was a lot of transition I would say. And so, a little bit of we missed a few results, maybe as we were transitioning in and out with some opportunity in the middle… as we’ve gotten healthier and filled in some spaces, I think the team is dangerous not just from the beginning of the game, but also down the stretch.”
Vanney cited Robert Taylor, who scored against Austin, as a person who was brought in to be the team's third winger and has 7 goal contributions.
Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano made his return from a leg injury he suffered while training with the Mexico men’s national team and scored a header goal to notch his first at home with LA.
Lozano said via translator that this game helped set the Galaxy up for success if they make the playoffs.
“If we get to the playoffs, it’s going to be a different story,” Lozano said. “Take it game by game and day by day.”
This was the first game game where all three Designated Players — Joseph Paintsil, Hirving “Chucky” Lozano and João Klauss — started the game together.
Klauss scored his tenth goal in the 10th minute to give the Galaxy a 1-0 lead on a near-sided shot past Austin homegrown goalkeeper Daniel Las. The goal was assisted by Miller, who came up from his native right back position to deliver the easy go-ahead-goal for the Brazilian DP.
Miller was left off of the '22 under 22' MLS Rankings and said he would be working hard to win for the Galaxy whether he did or did not make the roster.
“My time will come, I’m not worried about it,” Miller said. “I’m gonna put my head down and keep working. Hopefully I’ll be on that roster next year,”
Klauss’ 10 goals are the most for an LA Galaxy striker since Dejan Jovelić’s 15 goals in the 2024 MLS regular season.
Reus continued to be the wizard in the midfield on Halloween, crossing one to find Lozano who headed it past the bottom left of Las' goal. The header was Chucky’s first goal at home and first since Aug. 29 against San Diego FC and his second goal of the season.
Lozano was subbed off to start the second half in his first game since suffering a hamstring injury while practicing with the Mexico men’s national team. Taylor, who was signed in July as a depth piece, scored his third goal of the season minutes after coming on with a top bin strike to extend the Galaxy’s lead to 3-0.
Ervin Torres snapped one from outside of the box that Marcinkowski could not extend to save that narrowed the Galaxy’s lead to 3-1.
Austin came into LA off a 2-1 loss at home against Real Salt Lake that eliminated them from playoff contention.
The Galaxy have had a tendency to not hold onto leads nor be able to finish opponents off when they have been in front. Torres’ goal was not the last goal of the match, LA answered back.
Roberto winded back the clock to score his first goal in a Galaxy shirt in the 65th minute, shooting a right footed shot to the top left corner. Las had no shot at saving a shot with that much force. The goal marked Reus’ third assist of the night and his 12th of the season.
LA generated 2.36 xG, which is the most the Galaxy have generated since May 16 in a 2-0 win over the Seattle Sounders (2.24).
Halloween Stat: The Galaxy were seeing duplicates on Halloween. Klauss scored his 10th goal in the 10th minute, Taylor scored his 3rd goal in the 48th minute, 3 minutes after entering the game and the Galaxy are 11-11-11.
Another holiday for MLS fans, Decision Day, looms as October ends and the Galaxy now control its fate in terms of making the 2026 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
