MLS Cup final 2024: LA Galaxy vs NY Red Bulls confirmed on December 7 | Football news
Teams from New York and Los Angeles will face off for the biggest prize in North American soccer.
The New York Red Bulls booked their place in their first MLS Cup final after a 1-0 win at Orlando City sent them through to a December 7 decider against the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Both teams won their respective championship games on Saturday, with the Galaxy getting home-field advantage as the top seed.
An 85th-minute goal from Serbian striker Dejan Joveljic earned the Galaxy a 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders.
Andres Reyes’ header in the 47th minute gave the Red Bulls the win and sent the New Jersey club to the finals.
The Red Bulls qualified for the playoffs with a seventh-place finish in the regular season, which earned them an automatic spot in the playoffs.
Sandro Schwarz’s side then pulled off the upset by beating defending champions Columbus Crew in the first round of a best-of-three before knocking out local rivals New York City last week.
Orlando had the early pressure and Red Bulls goalkeeper Carlos Coronel had to do his best to keep out Facundo Torres’ effort after the attack.
But the Red Bulls wrapped themselves up when their Swede Emil Forsberg floated a free kick into the box and Belgium’s Dante Vanzeir hit the ball wide.
Two minutes later, New York grabbed the decisive goal when John Tolkin’s free kick was well deflected into the back post, where Reyes came in to tap in.
Orlando grew desperate in their attack – Duncan McGuire roamed behind the Red Bulls but Luis Muriel’s shot went wide from a promising spot and wide of the target.
The last chance of the game fell to Ivan Angulo, but he also failed to find the goal as the Red Bulls, who founded MLS in 1996, held firm.
“I am proud of the whole team. It’s amazing to create this atmosphere and this fighting spirit. It’s been amazing for the last few weeks and now we have one week to go and it still hasn’t happened,” said German Schwarz, former coach of Mainz and Hertha Berlin.
Los Angeles we come here. 🌴🏆@LAGalaxy handle the @NewYorkRedBulls for the title in @dignityhealthsp December 7. pic.twitter.com/0DcXPoaSzq
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) December 1, 2024
The Galaxy, who are five-time MLS champions, will have a chance to extend that mark when they participate in their first MLS Cup final in 10 years.
Jovejlic had two attempts saved by Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei, but kept his composure to settle the big contest.
Alex Roldan gave the ball to Seattle and LA’s Spanish midfielder Riqui Puig played a curling ball to Joveljic, who finished the game coolly.
The Galaxy were the second seed in the Western Conference after not making the playoffs last year. It defeated Colorado in two games in the first round and defeated Minnesota 6-2 last Sunday.
The Galaxy and Red Bulls did not face each other in the regular season.
