The Galaxy’s 2025 slide hit a historic low Saturday in New Jersey.
One game after not allowing a shot and losing on an own goal, the Galaxy suffered their most lopsided defeat in their 30-year franchise history, falling 7-0 to the New York Red Bulls and extending their record winless streak to start a season to 12 games.
The road trip continues Wednesday against the Philadelphia Union.
“Have a short memory,” Galaxy forward Christian Ramirez said Saturday about getting past the blowout loss. “It is the lowest point. For some of us, all of us, I would say, it’s the lowest point in our careers … it should hurt and we should be ashamed and embarrassed.
“There’s only one way out of this. We have to somehow get through. We have to turn this momentum in our favor somehow and wrap up the week with LAFC.”
Ramirez began his postgame media availability Saturday with an apology to the Galaxy supporters that made the trip to New Jersey.
The Galaxy (0-9-3, 3 points) were limited in all areas Saturday with the absences of Gabriel Pec (hip) and Joseph Paintsil (thigh). Both are out again for the trip to Philadelphia. Against the Red Bulls, Vanney started in a 5-3-2 formation with Ramirez and Miguel Berry up top.
“I think a little bit of maybe uncomfortable in the setup in terms of managing the different things, we weren’t connected as much as we needed to be to take away the middle,” Vanney said. “We started giving up things and we started getting disconnected at times and things start coming through our lines. And defensively, we start getting a little stretched out because I feel like we’re chasing it just a touch again from pretty early in the game.”
Complicating the Galaxy’s chances against Philadelphia (7-3-2, 23 points) will be the absence of central midfielder Edwin Cerrillo (yellow card accumulation). Lucas Sanabria, who entered as a sub at halftime in New Jersey, is his likely replacement.
“I think Lucas shows, in individual duels and competitiveness, he can battle and he can scrap and he has a lot of upside,” Vanney said. “I think there’s times where I think he’s a little all over the field because his nature is just to get out and kind of play and duel and do those things, which I think he can do and he did fine. And he managed some pressure and he got caught in possession a couple times. But I thought he got out and he tried to cover ground and duel and do the things that he does.
“He has the raw sort of power and he has the ability to do things in the confrontational situations. You see him get into challenges and oppose people hard. I like that aspect of him. I think this team needs something like that desperately.”
GALAXY at PHILADELPHIA UNION
When: 4:30 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Subaru Park, Philadelphia
How to watch: Apple TV (MLS Season Pass)
