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    Galaxy finding their footing as 3-game trip begins in Atlanta
    • May 8, 2026

    It has taken some time, but the Galaxy’s turnaround is finally starting to take shape.

    The Galaxy have taken points in four of their last five MLS games (2-1-2) and even though the results haven’t shown great movement in the Western Conference, the feeling is that it’s a start.

    “When we dropped points against (Sporting) Kanas City and Minnesota at home, we knew we’d have a really difficult road stretch (coming up) and I think we came together as a group and just said, we need to get points,” defender John Nelson said. “I would say the trainings have been a little more intense, a little more better, more clarity, so I would say that’s a difference.”

    The Galaxy face another difficult road stretch, starting Saturday against Atlanta United FC. The team will then travel for a Wednesday game against Sporting Kansas City and then head back to the West Coast for a May 16 clash in Seattle.

    After the road trip, the Galaxy will return home May 23 for their final game before the World Cup break against the Houston Dynamo. Safe to say, it’s a big four-game stretch for Greg Vanney’s group.

    “I think there’s been a significant increase in just our intensity, defensive intensity, especially,” the Galaxy coach said. “Everybody’s engagement and work rate on the defending side has meant that we are recovering balls in better position.

    “I think the last two games, especially the last game, we recover a ball in a high press that becomes the goal. So again, I just think the overall engagement and intensity level has been better and that then puts us in better positions to either transition out of the defensive moments into attacking moments that then build speed for Joe (Joseph Paintsil) and for Gabe (Gabriel Pec) and for the guys up top. Also, the group is starting to get a little bit fresher because of not playing so many games and travelling all of the place. I think those two things both matter, but the mentality has been the big shift.”

    The Galaxy (3-4-4, 13 points) sit in 10th place in the Western Conference, but face an Atlanta United team (3-7-1, 10 points) currently in 12th place in the Eastern Conference and then Sporting Kansas City (1-7-2, 5 points), which is last in MLS.

    “We’ve found some things for our group that have led to two, what I would say, strong performances against two really good teams (Real Salt Lake, Vancouver),” Vanney said. “I think our group has to continue to lean in on sort of this identity and this competitive spirit and the intensity level that the group has come out with the last couple of games. It doesn’t matter if you’re home or away, it’s just been a strong mentality to work hard, to defend together, to be organized, to find our moments, to be able to play forward and things like that. I think it is a good mentality to take on the road.”

    Lepley loaned to Oakland Roots

    The Galaxy announced Thursday that midfielder Tucker Lepley was loaned to the Oakland Roots SC of the USL Championship through the remainder of the 2026 season. The Galaxy do have the right to recall Lepley at any time.

    Lepley, 24, was a third-round draft pick out of UCLA in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft. He made three appearances for the first team in his rookie season and 16 in 2025 (six starts, 548 minutes). This season, he had yet to make an appearance.

    Redlands native Troy Elgersma signed

    Troy Elgersma, originally from Redlands, was signed to a first-team contract through the end of the 2026 season, with club options for the 2027 sprint season and the 2027-28 and 2028-29 full seasons.

    Elgersma made his first-team debut last Saturday against the Vancouver Whitecaps. He joined Ventura County FC after a four-year career at American University.

    GALAXY at ATLANTA UNITED FC

    When: 4:30 p.m. PT Saturday

    Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

    How to watch: Apple TV

    ​ Orange County Register 

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