Marco Reus scored the second brace of his MLS career to lead his LA Galaxy to a home win against Real Salt Lake almost single-handedly. Now a very special duel awaits.
A brilliant performance from Marco Reus on matchday 10 of the MLS: The former international first scored with a dream free-kick from 18 meters into the corner (9th) in the 2:1 victory against Real Salt Lake and secured the win late in the game with a penalty (85th) after substitute Elijah Wynder was brought down in the penalty area. An own goal from JT Marcinkowski (45.+4) had given the visitors an interim equalizer at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson.
Since his move to the USA in August 2024, Reus had only scored twice in one game once before. This season, it was goals number three and four in his tenth appearance for the long-serving Borussia Dortmund midfielder. He had not previously scored from the penalty spot for the Galaxy.
“That was an important win for us because we had problems at home at the start of the season,” said the 36-year-old on the second home win in the fifth home game. “We could have scored more goals in the first half because we were aggressive and created a lot of chances. In the end, it was a mental victory.“
He was ”very proud of the team“, explained Reus and played down his remarkable free-kick goal, saying it was ”nothing special“, ”just concentration and training”.
Coach Greg Vanney nevertheless had special praise for him. “The other guys are our fighters, they work hard, but Marco is the creative one who looks at the game from a different angle,” he said, adding: “He has his experience, his knowledge and his feel for space and knows where to run. He gives us something that nobody else on the pitch has. And we need that.”
Reus vs. Müller on the night from Saturday to Sunday
With twelve points from ten games, Los Angeles are now in tenth place in the Western Conference, which is also home to Thomas Müller’s Vancouver Whitecaps (second/24 points), and are back in a tie for a pre-playoff spot. Salt Lake is sixth with 16 points. Reus and Müller will then meet for the first time in an MLS match on Saturday night (May 3, 4.30 a.m., German time).
