Galaxy end a busy start to the season at Portland

Having already traveled to Panama and Jamaica, the Galaxy take on the Timbers to wrap up nine games in 32 days in hopes of snapping a two-game MLS skid.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 9:10pm

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The Galaxy have a busy start to the 2026 MLS season, playing 9 games in just 32 days, including matches in Panama and Jamaica. They are looking to snap a two-game losing streak when they take on the Portland Timbers on Sunday. The team is dealing with several injury issues, including to key players like Riqui Puig and Joseph Paintsil. Several Galaxy players will also be leaving after the match to join U.S. youth national team camps.

Why it matters

The Galaxy's hectic early-season schedule, which has included travel to Central America, has taken a toll on the team and contributed to their recent struggles. With several key players out injured, the match against the Timbers is an important one as the Galaxy try to get back on track before the upcoming international break.

The details

The Galaxy have lost their last two MLS matches and are 1-1-2 on the season so far. In CONCACAF Champions Cup play, they have advanced to the quarterfinals against Mexican club Deportivo Toluca. Coach Greg Vanney said the team has been "our own undoing" with red cards and mistakes leading to dropped points. The team is looking forward to the upcoming international break to get healthy and work on improving their execution.

  • The Galaxy have played 9 games in just 32 days to start the 2026 season.
  • Sunday's match against the Timbers will be the Galaxy's final game before the international break.

The players

Riqui Puig

The Galaxy's star midfielder, who has re-injured his knee and is out.

Joseph Paintsil

The Galaxy forward who is out for Sunday's game with a thigh injury.

Chris Rindov

The Galaxy defender who has yet to make his season debut due to a leg injury.

Jakob Glesnes

The Galaxy defender who has been out with a calf injury that could keep him sidelined for 4-6 weeks.

Greg Vanney

The Galaxy's head coach.

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What they’re saying

“We have to get healthy. We have got to get settled in here a little bit. We look forward to the international break, because we'll get a couple of weeks of training that we can work on some things, (because) we're just going from game and recovery to game.”

— Greg Vanney, Head Coach

“I think in MLS, we've done our own undoing. We were at home, and in the first match, we were up 1-0, very in control of the game and took a red card on a penalty, which made it 1-1. We end up in a draw. We win the second 3-0, and we looked like we had a complete performance. The third, we take another yellow card, take another red card, and we end up losing a game that we are very much in at 1-1 and playing well.”

— Greg Vanney, Head Coach

What’s next

The Galaxy return from the international break on April 4 to host Minnesota United FC. They will also play the two legs of their CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal against Deportivo Toluca on April 8 and April 15.

The takeaway

The Galaxy's hectic early-season schedule has taken a toll, contributing to their recent struggles. With several key players out injured, the match against the Timbers is an important one as the team tries to get healthy and improve their execution before the upcoming international break.