Galaxy settle for draw in Panama to open Concacaf Champions Cup

The LA Galaxy opened their 2026 competitive schedule with a 1-1 draw against Sporting San Miguelito on Thursday night at Estadio Universidad Latina in the first leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup first-round series.

Coach Greg Vanney started two forwards, Christian Ramirez and Nascimento and gave competitive debuts to center back Jakob Glesnes and midfielder Justin Haak, both offseason acquisitions. 

The Galaxy dominated possession and out-shot Sporting San Miguelito handedly in the first half yet, trailed at the break after San Miguelito captain Rodrigo Tello was unmarked and scored on a header at the back post in the 37th minute. 

Joseph Paintsil scored in the 64th minute to cancel out Tello's first-half goal, giving the Galaxy an away goal heading into next Wednesday's second leg at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Paintsil created the Galaxy's best chance of the first half in the 15th minute, dribbling past four defenders before forcing a save from goalkeeper Jose Calderon. Gabriel Pec and Matheus Nascimento had follow-up attempts stopped as well.

"The tempo was too slow for us in possession, and it just allowed them to put numbers behind the ball, consistently clog up things," Vanney said.

Vanney used five substitutions in the second half, introducing striker João Klauss, midfielder Marco Reus and Lucas Sanabria for Ramirez, Nascimento and Haak. Emiro Garces later replaced Glesnes, who earned "The Superior Player of the Match" recognition.

Lucas Sanabria received a yellow card for a tactical foul later in the half, and Harbor Miller entered for Paintsil in the final minutes.

Vanney said his team pushed for a winner until fatigue set in.

"Towards the end of the game, I felt like some of the guys who had been playing the longer stretch of the game were starting to get a little bit tired, heavy travel, whatever you want to call it," Vanney said. "We were starting to make some poor decisions, losing some balls, then having to defend some counter attacks."

Vanney praised Sporting San Miguelito, particularly 38-year-old Panamanian international Armando Cooper, whom he coached at Toronto FC.

"They're a good team. They battled hard," Vanney said. "They have some very good individual players out there that in the duels were fantastic. We knew that was going to be the situation. They certainly made the night very difficult."

Vanney offered assessments of his debutants. Glesnes and Maya Yoshida started together at center back despite limited preseason minutes as a pair.

"[Glesnes] and Maya hadn't played together a ton during preseason," Vanney said. "Getting him used to on-ball types of things for us is going to be important, because that's not really what he came from."

Haak played in central midfield, a role Vanney said the team envisions for him. 

The Galaxy return to Los Angeles and face Haak’s former club, NYCFC, Sunday at Dignity Health Sports Park. 

"Our goal was to try to leave here with an advantage," Vanney said. "We did with the away goal, at least for now."

The second leg against San Miguelito kicks off Feb. 25 from Dignity Health Sports Park at 8:30 p.m. with the aggregate winner advancing to face Mount Pleasant FA of Jamaica in the Round of 16.