CARSON, Calif. – Goals from Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic increased the LA Galaxy’s tally at the top of the MLS Cup titles to six with a 2-1 win over the New York Red Bulls.

The championship game took place at a sold-out Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday and things got off to a quick start for the home team. After a quick build-up of play in the ninth minute by a Galaxy team without injured star player Riqui Puig, midfielder Gastón Brugman played a through ball to Paintsil, who made it 1-0 after pushing the ball past Red Bulls keeper Carlos Coronel had sent.

The Galaxy then quickly doubled their lead after Mark Delgado won the ball back in the 13th minute, giving Joveljic a chance to grab a pass, race forward and fire a shot past Coronel to make it 2-0.

The Red Bulls were finally able to equalize the deficit with their first attempt of the game. After a chaotic scene in the penalty area following a corner, the Red Bulls were saved by a goal from defender Sean Nelis in the 28th minute.

Although the Galaxy allowed the goal, they held on more subdued in the second half.

Eager to maintain the score, the home team sat back and demanded pressure from the Red Bulls, who rarely tested goalkeeper John McCarthy. Although the Galaxy failed to capitalize on some of their own chances in the final stages, their two goals in the first half were enough to secure a 2-1 win until the final whistle.

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The Galaxy, who now hold a two-championship lead over four-time winners DC United, ended a title drought that stretched back to 2014. The Red Bulls, formerly known as the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, remain one of three original clubs along with New England Revolution and FC Dallas to have never won an MLS Cup title.

The Galaxy finished 17-0-3 that season at their oft-renamed suburban stadium, where the sellout crowd of 26,812 at the finale included several vigorously cheering groups of traveling Red Bulls fans hoping to see their New Jersey-based club’s breakthrough in the largest stadium in the MLS.

The Galaxy’s Greg Vanney became the fourth coach to win an MLS title with two clubs. The former Galaxy player also won everything with Toronto in 2017.

However, Vanney had already lost three MLS Cup finals with LA as a player between 1996 and 2001. Entering this season, the Galaxy had reached the postseason just once under Vanney since he took over in 2021.

“As a player, I fell on my face three times,” Vanney said. “When I finally come back to the club that is my home, I am just proud. And I am grateful for my family who puts up with me and my commitment to this project. I’m just really excited.”

One of the players who stepped in for Puig was Gaston Brugman, whose performance in the final earned him the MVP award.

“It’s a fantastic day,” Brugman said. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. And I’m really happy for the fans, for Riqui, for the club, for us. It’s a fantastic day.”

The club, known for employing global stars from David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Robbie Keane and Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, has rebuilt itself this season with lesser-known young talent from around the world.

The Galaxy signed Pec from Brazil and Ghanaian Paintsil from Belgium, and the duo, along with incumbent Serbian striker Joveljic, formed a potent attack that could outscore almost any MLS opponent.

But the Galaxy also relied heavily on Puig, their Catalan catalyst and one of MLS’ best players. Puig remained in the game last week after injuring his knee and even delivered the crucial pass to Joveljic that led to the game’s only goal.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.