Marco Reus: LA Galaxy need to hate losing | OneFootball

By MLSsoccer staff

LA Galaxy midfielder Marco Reus scored his first goal of the 2025 campaign on Sunday night, pulling the reigning MLS Cup presented by Audi champions to within one of the Portland Timbers with a classy finish.

But LA's momentum dissipated shortly after when Portland forward Jonathan Rodríguez sent home a penalty kick, ultimately sealing the visitors' 4-2 win at Dignity Health Sports Park.

With another defeat, LA have started the year 10 games winless (0W-7L-3D) and are bottom of the overall league table with a -12 goal differential.

What needs to change? The former Borussia Dortmund and German national team star has some thoughts.

"We have to hate losing," Reus, who appeared as a second-half substitute, told reporters post-game.

"In the moment, we don't hate losing … We have to be frustrated before the game, not after the game."

Reus also believes the Galaxy's struggles are often self-inflicted and the byproduct of little moments.

"We have the quality on this team, but we have to show it constantly and not 20 minutes like this and then five minutes this and then we concede a goal and then our heads are down," Reus said. "No, it has to be – the standard has to be higher."

He added: "It's not like when we lose, we lose because the other team was much much better, no. It's because we did mistakes. It's part of football, yes, but unnecessary mistakes. So if we can stop this, then we start winning. But we have to stop this."

When Reus joined LA last summer as a free agent, he was tasked with turbo-charging one of the league's top attacks. Now, the 35-year-old is confronting a vastly different situation – one with DP No. 10 Riqui Puig recovering from a torn ACL.

"Most of the time, it's details," Reus said. "It starts here in your head. The most important thing is to be ready for 90, 95 minutes."

Still searching for their first league win of the year, LA will turn the page to next weekend's Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire showdown at Sporting Kansas City (7 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV+).

"The season is not done at all," head coach Greg Vanney said. "If we can just get on the right side of a little bit of momentum, then you can get yourself right back in this thing pretty quickly. I think there's still a ton to play for."

HIGHLIGHTS: LA Galaxy vs. Portland Timbers | April 27, 2025