SEATTLE -- From agony to ecstasy.
The LA Galaxy rebounded from a midweek loss and shocked the Seattle Sounders 2-0 away through a Gabriel Pec goal and assist to earn their first win at Lumen Field in almost 10 years on Saturday, May 16, 2026.
Since that 1-0 victory in 2016, the Galaxy have found playing in Seattle punishing, compiling a 0-4-6 record. The Sounders have had the Galaxy's number in general recently, beating them three times in 2025 by a combined 8-2 scoreline.
But on Saturday night, the Galaxy rose to the occasion to surprise and stifle a surging Seattle side that hadn't lost in nine matches in league play and in 22 matches at home. The Sounders' recent play has them third in the Western Conference table and is showing Supporters' Shield-caliber form.
Which makes the victory that much sweeter for LA Galaxy Head Coach Greg Vanney.
"I think it was, I think it was a really, really well-done defensive job by the guys. I think the way that [Seattle] has been playing, and the team that they have, I think it's one of the best teams in the league, and I think playing here in Seattle is never easy," Vanney shared after the win.
"They [Seattle] had the fortune of playing three games at home this week. We played three on the road, so when you look at the circumstances, too, I mean, what a huge, huge effort by the group on the defensive side, the commitment by everybody…. I think it was one of our best defensive efforts in a long time."
The importance of the shutout win against a good opponent cannot be overstated, with the Galaxy tasting the other end of the spectrum just days ago by losing to last-placed SKC .
In that loss, Pec scored a late consolation goal, and on Saturday, he and Marco Reus would connect on the opener to settle Galaxy nerves early against Seattle.
The former German international played an outrageous inch-perfect line-splitting pass into Pec's stride, for the winger to collect without breaking rhythm. Pec would make no mistake, and coolly dispatched his strike into the bottom right corner for the 1-0 score on 23 minutes.
With Seattle pushing for the equalizer late, Pec would take advantage of being left one-on-one in transition to skin Seattle Defender Jackson Ragen , leaving him alone bearing down on goal on the right flank. The goalscorer would then turn provider by setting up Matheus Nascimento , who was alone in front of net and had only to pass the ball into the net for the Galaxy's second goal and the final nail in Seattle's coffin deep into stoppage time.
The Brazilian winger is in scintillating form after a slow start to the MLS campaign, and has four goals in the last three games.
But Pec's goal came early on Matchday 14, and the Sounders immediately put the Galaxy defense under pressure. Galaxy Goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski was tested often and made several match-saving stops in the first half to preserve the lead. He would finish with five saves and the shutout.
The Galaxy keeper praised his team's ability to bounce back after a tough loss in their last match.
"There was a lot of frustration after Wednesday night. I don't think that we put together a performance that we can kind of hang our hat on and be proud of. I think there was a lot of things, a lot of details that were just missing. Top to bottom, there wasn't a lot that we could take from it positive," Marcinkowski admitted.
"I think the biggest point tonight is just the resilience and the rebound. I think it shows the character that this team has and how tight-knit this locker room is, that we don't let one result dictate the next one. I think we have to start building on these results versus, trying to always rebound after a rough result and try to string a few together."
The rebound effect allowed Marcinkowski and his defense to withstand everything the Sounders threw at them, leaving them ahead late in the match. The effort was not lost on Vanney.
"I think the guys came out and they were possessed, they were committed. They knew that they were going to have to defend hard today and defend well. Everybody put in a huge shift physically. It's been a tough three games on the road, lots of travel. I think guys just knuckled down, and everybody did a ton of work out there."
LA's victory puts the Angelenos in a playoff spot, moving them to 9th place. With one more match before the World Cup break, Vanney hopes his team finishes strong.
Marcinkowski is sure his team will rise to the occasion again.
Goal scorers Gabriel Pec and Matheus Nascimento celebrate together during the LA Galaxy's 2-0 away win over the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026.
Photo Credit: LA Galaxy
Goal scorers Gabriel Pec and Matheus Nascimento celebrate together during the LA Galaxy's 2-0 away win over the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field on Saturday, May 16, 2026.
"I think we have the confidence in this locker room that, no matter who we're playing or where we're playing, that we're going to go out there and fight for three points. I think that our mentality is a starting point for us. The intensity, making sure that we're in every single game, and we're competing with each other and for each other, and just doing all the little details is the most important."
The Galaxy will face the visiting Houston Dynamo on Saturday, May 23.
