Galaxy defender Harbor Miller (26) kicks the ball against Sporting Kansas City during the first half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. LA Galaxy won 4-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy midfielder Elijah Wynder (22) moves the ball against Sporting Kansas City during the first half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. LA Galaxy won 4-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy goalkeeper Novak Micovic (1) makes a save against Sporting Kansas City during the first half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. LA Galaxy won 4-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy midfielder Edwin Cerrillo, front, moves the ball against Sporting Kansas City during the first half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. LA Galaxy won 4-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy defender John Nelson, right, kicks the ball chased by Sporting Kansas City defender Zorhan Bassong during the second half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. LA Galaxy won 4-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec (11) moves the ball up the field against Sporting Kansas City during the second half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. LA Galaxy won 4-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy defender Maruicio Cuevas (19) kicks the ball against Sporting Kansas City during the second half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. LA Galaxy won 4-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy forward Joseph Paintsil (28) reacts after missing a goal attempt against Sporting Kansas City during the second half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. LA Galaxy won 4-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy defender John Nelson signals to teammates against Sporting Kansas City during the second half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. LA Galaxy won 4-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy defender Chris Rindov (63) takes a shot against Sporting Kansas City during the second half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. LA Galaxy won 4-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy defender Maruicio Cuevas deflects the ball against Sporting Kansas City during the second half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. LA Galaxy won 4-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy midfielder Diego Fagundez (7) brings the ball up the field against Sporting Kansas City during the second half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. LA Galaxy won 4-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec, front, kicks the ball against Sporting Kansas City during the second half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. LA Galaxy won 4-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy midfielder Diego Fagundez (7) high fives teammate midfielder Riqui Puig after Fagundez scores a goal against Sporting Kansas City during the second half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. LA Galaxy won 4-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy defender Julián Aude (3) movs the ball against Sporting Kansas City during the second half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. LA Galaxy won 4-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy forward Joseph Paintsil (28) moves the ball against Sporting Kansas City during the second half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. LA Galaxy won 4-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy midfielder Diego Fagundez (7) celebrates after scoring a goal against Sporting Kansas City during the second half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy forward Miguel Berry takes a goal shot against Sporting Kansas City during the second half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy goalkeeper Novak Micovic (1) kicks the ball back into play against Sporting Kansas City during the second half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy forward Ruben Ramos, front, takes a goal shot against Sporting Kansas City during the second half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy goalkeeper Novak Micovic (1) catches the ball against Sporting Kansas City during the first half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy forward Joseph Paintsil, front, recovers the ball against Sporting Kansas City during the first half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy defender Harbor Miller, left, controls the ball against Sporting Kansas City forward Khiry Shelton during the first half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy midfielder Elijah Wynder (22) heads the ball against Sporting Kansas City during the first half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec, front, vies for the ball with Sporting Kansas City defender Logan Ndenbe during the first half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy forward Joseph Paintsil (28) scores a goal past Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper John Pulskamp during the first half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Galaxy forward Joseph Paintsil (28) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Sporting Kansas City during the first half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
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Galaxy defender Harbor Miller (26) kicks the ball against Sporting Kansas City during the first half of an MLS match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. LA Galaxy won 4-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
CARSON — Dan Calichman was a member of the inaugural Galaxy team in 1996. Nearly 30 years later, he led the club to a win from the sideline.
With Galaxy coach Greg Vanney serving a one-game suspension due to yellow card accumulation, Calichman, who has been on staff with Vanney since 2014 at Toronto FC, served as the coach Saturday in the Galaxy’s 4-1 win over Sporting Kansas City at Dignity Health Sports Park in front of 17,903.
“Moved out to Toronto (with Vanney) and then Greg kept the same staff when he had the opportunity to move to the Galaxy,” Calichman said Thursday. “I had lived out here, I had coached at a university out in L.A., I was living in Pasadena prior to moving out to Toronto. So the chance to come home, Greg and I played for the Galaxy back in the early days, right. So to come back and coach our former team was a huge opportunity.”
He added Saturday that there was some emotion.
“Yeah, it was a lot of emotion, I’m glad we won and didn’t have to face Greg in the locker room with a loss,” he said. “I certainly didn’t want to do that. Yeah, it was a lot of fun being there and stepping up and coaching the team.”
Vanney watched the game from one of the radio booths in the two-story press box.
“It’s hard to sit up there and not feel like you’re an influence, but the view’s better,” he said. “Seeing the game from up there is better than seeing the game from field level, but the disconnection is difficult, so we don’t want to do that too many more times.”
Saturday’s opportunity was a rousing success thanks to a free-flowing Galaxy (5-17-9, 24 points) attack, led by Joseph Paintsil’s first-half hat trick. Paintsil scored in the fourth, 25th and 43rd minutes.
“I felt really good in the game, just to run behind them and they also gave me a lot of space,” Paintsil. “I also used my space to do whatever I needed to do.”
The Galaxy led 3-1 at halftime, and Diego Fagundez made it 4-1 in the 60th minute.
Fagundez finished the night with a goal and an assist, moving him a step closer to the heralded 80-goal and 80-assist club. The current group consists of just three members: Landon Donovan, Jaime Moreno, and Diego Valeri. Fagundez currently has 78 goals and 79 assists.
Forward Dejan Joveljić returned to Carson for the first time since joining Sporting Kansas City.
Joveljić, who joined the Galaxy in August of 2021, scored 21 goals last season, including the game-winner in the MLS Cup Final. He was one of the key pieces that the Galaxy had to move during the offseason due to salary cap constraints. He was sent to Sporting Kansas City in the offseason for $4 million and signed a new three-year Designated Player contract.
Before the game, Joveljić received his championship ring from General Manager Will Kuntz, President Tom Braun and Chief Revenue Officer Uriel Martinez. In the 28th minute, like he had done so many times as a member of the Galaxy, Joveljić scored from outside the box. In a muted celebration, he calmly put up the heart symbol with his hands toward the crowd and blew a kiss toward the Galaxy supporters in the L.A. Riot Squad.
The Galaxy ended the game with a man advantage after SKC’s Shapi Suleymanov was issued a straight red for a violent tacklefoul on the Galaxy’s Emiro Garces in the 83rd minute.
The Galaxy have four games remaining this season, three in Major League Soccer and Wednesday’s Campeones Cup against Toluca.
