Preview: Sporting KC host LA Galaxy in midweek match

Sporting Kansas City vs. LA Galaxy
2026 MLS Regular Season | Game 12
Wednesday, May 13 | 7:30 p.m. CT (7:40 kickoff)
Sporting Park | Kansas City, Kansas

Sporting Kansas City returns home to host the LA Galaxy on Wednesday evening at Sporting Park. Sporting KC will hope to get a positive result against the only team they have defeated this season. SKC defeated the Galaxy 2-1 in March. Former Galaxy star Dejan Joveljic scored on his former team. New Sporting KC midfielder Lasse Berg Johnsen scored the game-winner in the 74th minute.

Sporting KC has not won a match since that day. Coach Raphael Wicky’s side is winless in the last seven games, a lone draw coming at home versus the Seattle Sounders. Sporting KC is struggling on both sides of the ball; they have been outscored 15-1 in their last four MLS games and have a league-leading -24 goal differential on the season.

Familiar faces

Sporting Kansas City forward Dejan Joveljic will again face his former team. Joveljic played for the Galaxy from 2021-2024 and was a big part of LA winning the 2024 MLS Cup. Cap issues forced the Galaxy to make cost-cutting moves, giving SKC the opportunity to swoop in and acquire the talented attacker before the 2025 season.

The Galaxy have a pair of former SKC players on the roster and one on the coaching staff. Erik Thommy will likely return home to Kansas City for the first time after having played for SKC the previous four years. As part of Sporting KC’s cleaning house rebuild, Thommy left to join LA and has a goal in six appearances.

Defender Chris Rindov was in SKC’s roster in for two years before joining Ventura County, the Galaxy’s second team. Rindov has mostly played for both squads’ second teams but has made six appearances for LA.

Galaxy goalkeeper coach Kevin Hartman was a standout keeper for LA from 1997 through 2006 before joining the Wizards for three seasons. He became the LA’s goalkeeping coach in 2021.

Recent history

SKC notched the 2-1 win in LA early in the 2026 season despite the stats heavily favoring the Galaxy, but that was far from the most unexpected result between the two sides. In May of 2025, Sporting KC won the match at home over LA despite not registering a shot. LA dominated possession, outshot SKC 11-0, but also were the victims of an own goal in the 13th minute. Maya Yoshida reditcted the ball into his own net.

Health

Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney is missing a pair of Designated Players. Young star Riqui Puig has been out for an extended period of time. Former St. Louis City striker Joao Klauss will be out with a foot injury. He led the Galaxy in scoring.

Officials:

Referee: Ricardo Montero Araya

Assistant ref: Nick Uranga

Assistant ref: Walt Heatherly

4th official: Drew Klemp

VAR: Guido Gonzales Jr.