Yoshida and Thommy Score as LA Galaxy Beat Austin FC 2-1 for Vanney's 150th MLS Win

AUSTIN, Texas — Austin FC had more of the ball, more of the territory and, by the final whistle, more reasons to be frustrated. The LA Galaxy scored from a set piece and on a counter, survived a late Myrto Uzuni rocket and left Q2 Stadium on Saturday afternoon with a 2-1 win in front of a crowd of 20,738.

Maya Yoshida headed in the opener in the 34th minute and Erik Thommy doubled the lead in the 78th with his first goal for the club. Uzuni pulled one back in the 85th, but Austin could not find an equalizer. The result lifted the Galaxy to 2-3-2 and eight points, while Austin slipped to 1-3-3 with six points. It was also the 150th MLS win of Greg Vanney's coaching career.

Yoshida Rises at the Back Post

Austin started brightly. Christian Ramirez forced an early save from Galaxy goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski with a low shot, according to Austin FC's match report, and the home side settled into long spells of possession. The unofficial stats from the Galaxy's report credited Austin with 60 percent of the ball.

The Galaxy needed only one moment. In the 34th minute, Marco Reus lofted a corner to the back post and Yoshida rose above the Austin defense to head it in. The goal came in the veteran defender's 701st professional appearance and was his first of 2026, according to the Galaxy. For Reus, it extended a hot run: the club said he has six goal contributions in his last six matches.

Austin also had to reshuffle just before the half hour, when Ilie Sánchez came off in the 30th minute for Besard Sabovic. The match got chippy as the half went on, with Mauricio Cuevas and Edwin Cerrillo both booked before the break.

Thommy's First

Austin head coach Nico Estévez went to his bench on the hour, bringing on Mikkel Desler and Jayden Nelson in the 61st minute, and later Dani Pereira and CJ Fodrey. The pressure built, but the Galaxy's second goal came against the run of play.

In the 78th minute, substitute Emiro Garcés released Thommy near midfield. Thommy drove into the left side of the box and finished into the bottom-right corner for a 2-0 lead. It was his first goal in a Galaxy shirt.

Uzuni Makes It Interesting

Austin did not go quietly. In the 85th minute, after a corner was cleared, Uzuni hit a half-volley from outside the box into the top-left corner to make it 2-1, with Guilherme Biro and Facundo Torres credited with assists. The closing minutes turned frantic, and Marcinkowski picked up a yellow card in the 89th minute. Thommy was also cautioned in stoppage time, but the Galaxy held.

The final numbers were remarkably even for a match Austin controlled for long stretches. According to the Galaxy's unofficial stats, Austin outshot LA 13-12, with seven shots on goal apiece and five saves for each goalkeeper, Brad Stuver for Austin and Marcinkowski for the Galaxy. Austin won the corner count 6-5.

Vanney Joins Select Company

The win made Vanney the eighth manager in MLS history to reach 150 career wins, according to the Galaxy, putting him alongside names like Bruce Arena, Sigi Schmid and Dominic Kinnear. Vanney, who was himself cautioned in the 64th minute, said the day was hard on his players coming off a short turnaround after a CONCACAF Champions League trip to Toluca.

"It's been a little while for our group to get a win on the road, and guys suffered physically today," Vanney said in the club's postgame notes, pointing to the early kickoff and the humid conditions. On the milestone, he kept the focus on the locker room: "I'm happy to be coaching this group of players."

Marcinkowski called it "a huge win for the club," and Thommy said the three points mattered beyond the table. "It was an important goal for me. I am really, really happy," he said, adding that he could tell the result would "boost our confidence."

What's Next

Both teams turn quickly to cup competition. Austin travels to Louisville City FC for the Round of 32 of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday, April 14. The Galaxy return home to host Deportivo Toluca in the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday, April 15, at Dignity Health Sports Park.

For Austin, the takeaway is familiar and uncomfortable: 60 percent possession and a late goal are not enough when the other team converts its two best looks. Uzuni's strike gave the crowd something to roar about. The rest of the afternoon belonged to the visitors.

Photo Credit: Osvaldo Castro/Undrafted