Minnesota United Secures Three Points in Victory over LA Galaxy
MLS Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United Secures Three Points in Victory over LA Galaxy

Published on April 4, 2026 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


CARSON, CA - Minnesota United earned a hard fought 2-1 victory over LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park, capitalizing on key attacking moments from Anthony Markanich and Kelvin Yeboah while relying on a strong defensive performance led by goalkeeper Drake Callender. After trading goals with the Galaxy at the start of the second half, the Loons regained control and held firm to secure all three points on the road. Minnesota now turns its attention to a late-night matchup on Saturday, April 11 against San Diego FC at 9:30 p.m. CT.

8' - LA Galaxy created their first dangerous opportunity through Gabriel Pec after Marco Reus broke through the attacking third and played a short pass to João Klauss. Klauss played Pec, sitting on top of the 18-yard box, where he made an attempt, but the effort went over the crossbar.

26' - Minnesota United earned a free kick on the left flank, and Joaquín Pereyra delivered a ball into the area that found Jefferson Diaz inside the six-yard box, but goalkeeper James Marcinkowski made the save before the play was ruled a foul against MNUFC.

36' - Goalkeeper Drake Callender made a crucial save after Mauricio Cuevas attempted a long-range shot from near the top of the penalty area.

38' - From the right side, Kyle Duncan sent a long through ball to Tomás Chancalay, who broke into the penalty area and fired a right-footed shot, forcing a save from Marcinkowski.

51' (1-0) - Minnesota United struck first in Carson when Pereyra played a long through ball to Anthony Markanich as he broke into the attacking third. He controlled it before calmly finishing over the line.

57' (1-1) - LA Galaxy evened the score as Pec played Klauss, who then found Reus as they made their way into the 18-yard box. Reus had an initial attempt that was blocked by Callender, but the rebound found the back of the net through Reus.

67' (2-1) - Kelvin Yeboah doubled the lead as he played Chancalay on the left side of the penalty area. Yeboah continued his run, and Chancalay found him inside the six-yard box, where Yeboah tapped it over the line.

79' - Pec made his way into the penalty area and connected with Klauss. Klauss took a shot, but the attempt sailed over the crossbar.

80' - Pec created danger again as he ran into the left side of the 18-yard box, but Callender intervened on the pass. Several Galaxy players swarmed the loose ball, but Duncan blocked the attempt, allowing Callender to collect the ball.

90'+1' - Callender was forced to dive right to make a save after Edwin Cerrillo fired a power shot from outside the 18-yard line.

90'+7' - Callender continued to come up with crucial saves to protect the lead, denying Pec's effort from just outside the 18-yard box.

GOAL SUMMARY

1-0 MIN - Anthony Markanich (Joaquín Pereyra, Tomás Chancalay) - 51'

1-1 LA - Marco Reus - 57'

2-1 MIN - Kelvin Yeboah (Tomás Chancalay) - 67'

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

MIN - Anthony Markanich (caution) - 44'

MIN - Morris Duggan (caution) - 64'

LA - Elijah Wynder (caution) - 70'

MIN - Kyle Duncan (caution) - 90'+8'

LA - Emiro Garcés (caution) - 90'+8'

ATTENDANCE: 22,447

BELL BANK MAN OF THE MATCH: Tomás Chancalay

LINEUPS:

Minnesota United XI: GK Drake Callender; D Anthony Markanich (Kieran Chandler 81'), Nicolás Romero (Devin Padelford 60'), Morris Duggan, Jefferson Diaz, Kyle Duncan; M Tomás Chancalay (Bongokuhle Hlongwane 81'), Owen Gene (Carlos Harvey 81'), Nectarios Triantis, Joaquín Pereyra ©; F Kelvin Yeboah (Mamadou Dieng 90'+6')

Substitutes Not Used: GK Alec Smir; D DJ Taylor; M Dominik Fitz; F Mauricio González,

LA Galaxy XI: GK James Marcinkowski; D Julián Aude (John Nelson 64'), Emiro Garcés, Justin Haak, Mauricio Cuevas (Miki Yamane, 76'); M Lucas Sanabria (Erik Thommy 64'), Marco Reus ©, Edwin Cerrillo (Maya Yoshida, 90'+3'), F Elijah Wynder (Harbor Miller 76'), João Klauss, Gabriel Pec

Substitutes Not Used: GK Novak Micovic; D Christopher Rindov; M Isaiah Parente; F Rubén Ramos Jr.

UP NEXT:

MINNESOTA UNITED FC @ SAN DIEGO FC

Snapdragon Stadium | San Diego, CA

04.11.2026 | MLS 2025 Regular Season | Match 7

9:30 p.m. CT (Apple TV/1500 ESPN)

MINNESOTA UNITED POST GAME QUOTE SHEET

HEAD COACH CAMERON KNOWLES

On Tomás Chancalay and Joaquín Pereyra creating chances tonight...

"I thought those guys did so much work to have the ability to create when we had the ball, but then you look at that group, and Kelvin [Yeboah] included, of what they had to do off the ball, you know, and that was fundamental in terms of us getting a result tonight."

Overall thoughts on the match after being nil-nil heading into halftime...

"I thought it was a really good game for us. We talked a lot about how this was a team we felt like we could match up well against, we felt like we could come in here and earn a result. When you look at that first half we did really well. We had a number of moments when we didn't reward ourselves with the final product. We had some good moments pressing in the front half. We had some good moments of possession, where maybe we were a little bit too eager getting the ball into the box when we don't really have the numbers in there instead of settling into possession. But, from what we wanted to see there were so many elements in that first half that were good and I felt like the guys rewarded themselves with the chances and scoring the goals in the second half."

On LA Galaxy's final chances that could have ended the game in a 2-2 draw...

"It was a huge moment [Kyle Duncan with a goal line clearance], and even when a team is throwing everything towards it at the end guys are getting bodies in the way of things, blocking shots, clearing things, a big header. It's always a nervy situation when you are defending set pieces toward the end of the game. To a man they all stepped up, there were so many big moments. I thought Drake [Callender] was excellent in being a calm presence in those moments. Really just a fantastic resolute performance by the entire group."

On Joaquín Pereyra wearing the captain's armband and his leadership during the game...

"I thought he [Joaquín Pereyra] was fantastic. He's shown tremendous leadership so far over the course of the season and in his time here. His performances have been good, his training has been good, he has a good rapport with the team. We have a number of guys, it wasn't a really straightforward decision in that sense - there's a number of guys that are leaders on the field that could have equally deserved that opportunity, but I felt like Joaquín has really stepped up this season and deserved to wear the armband. We talked before the game about - in the absence of some of the leadership we've lost on the field through injury or illness - that there is an opportunity for everyone else to step up. One guy wears the armband but we need a collective approach to the game. We need more leaders than just one on the field. That communication, that organization, I think you saw that across the whole team. To a man they were outstanding."

On how the team executed having a higher line...

"I will have to go back and look at it, but I thought there were some really good moments where we were able to build pressure. There were some turnovers in the first half and we needed to do better in those transition moments and generating chances, but in terms of putting them under pressure and turning the ball over we had some good moments. Really pleased and encouraged to see that. You could see the aggression out of Kyle [Duncan] and Anthony [Markanich] in getting those big jumps out of that wingback position that allows you to start to build pressure, which I thought they executed really well."

On Anthony Markanich's goal...

"Really good. Like Ant [Anthony Markanich] has said a number of moments where he is looking to run in behind. The timing of his movement. The presence of mind to just alter his run to touch so he is running across the line before he runs in behind and he does not run himself offside. And then a fantastic ball, of course, and real good composure to put that away for us."

On Owen Gene's first start and his partnership with Nectarios Triantis in tonight's match...

"For having about 45 minutes of training together, before leading up to the game was outstanding. Owen [Gene] has shown that quiet confidence that he has, he handles the ball really well. He has a really good range of passing, he has a really good understanding of the game. We were really confident that he would come in and do well. Nectarios [Triantis] coming back from International duty, it is not easy with the travel, and having played a game earlier in the week to come out and perform. But I thought the two of them did really well together and stayed close and connected which is what we wanted. They gave us a bit of platform to have some possession.

On the team's first road win of the season...

"Obviously the mood is great. The guys are pumped. That is not an easy place to come and play. Second time for us as a club that we've got a win here. I think the other side of it is that it is a balanced response in that we prepared for this. The guys worked really hard for this. They came in having done the work, where I think they had a right to expect that they could compete and have a result. They went out and did that. I think you have to give the entire group so much credit for that."

On Kieran Chandler's performance...

"He's shown some really good moments since he's been here with the club, and he's done really well with the second team. He's had some brief stints with the first team as well. But as we look ahead to the schedule congestion we have coming up, it's going to be important for guys like that to come in and step up. And you look at that game and you look at that matchup on that side of what you have to come into, that's really difficult. You see the quality that he has, he's good, he can get out and close down the ball. Obviously things that he needs to continue to develop, but he has calmness and composure on the ball as well. Good sort of technical proficiency, tenacious in the way that he attacks the game. So he's got a lot of really great qualities and will continue to get better."

On Tomas' performance, how he's settled into the team's offense and been impactful...

"I'm really pleased for him. He's worked so hard. He trains so hard. You see how much he puts into the game physically and emotionally. He's so invested in the team and the team doing well. And so for him to have that contribution is huge. He's been, he's been working so hard towards that, we get to see it every day. We get to see it in training, we see it in the games. We've talked a lot about how we can get Kelvin [Yeboah], Joaquín [Pereyra], and Tomás [Chancalay] all sort of closer together and help each other find these, these scoring moments. To see that play out after a bit of a dry spell is really, really good."

On Morris Duggan stepping up in the backline...

"He has been very good. He has been very good all season. He comes in a step ahead of where he finished last season and continues to grow and do well. You take a look at that entire group, he's done well, but I think that whole group [defense] in the back has done extremely well. Jefferson [Diaz] has done well. Nico [Nicolás Romero] has done incredibly well. It was a really difficult matchup on that side. The minutes he played are just enormous in getting that result. And Morris continued to show his ability as a player, but also as a leader in the group, getting the group organized, leading them, pushing them through those moments and taking a ton of responsibility for a guy that is relatively early in his professional career."

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