Gabriel Pec netted two second-half goals to propel the LA Galaxy to a 2-1 victory over host Atlanta United on Saturday evening.
His brace, which brought his MLS tally to three goals this season, helped the Galaxy (4-4-4, 16 points) secure their second road win of the league campaign and extend their unbeaten run to three matches (2-0-1).
*May 9, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; LA Galaxy defender Harbor Miller (26) and Atlanta United defender Tomas Jacob (55) battle for the ball during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images*
Atlanta (3-8-1, 10 points) saw its three-match winning streak across all competitions snapped in its final home game before the World Cup break.
Pec delivered the match-winner in the 79th minute after venturing into the box. His initial shot was blocked, but the LA winger pounced on the loose ball and fired it home to make it 2-1.
That came just five minutes after Pec equalized in the 74th minute. A failed tackle by Elias Baez gave Pec a one-on-one chance against Atlanta goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos, which he converted to level the score at 1-1. Marco Reus and Joseph Paintsil provided the assists on the goal.
Pec’s equalizer canceled out Jay Fortune’s brilliant opener in the 69th minute. Fortune collected the ball near the left touchline, dribbled to the top of the box, and curled a shot past a lunging JT Marcinkowski. It was Fortune’s first goal of the season, assisted by Elias Baez and Saba Lobjanidze.
An eventful but scoreless first half featured three yellow cards for Atlanta United within a four-minute span, along with bookings for both the Atlanta and LA benches.
In the 41st minute, Atlanta thought it had taken a 1-0 lead from a corner-kick routine, but Juan Berrocal’s potential first MLS goal was disallowed after Matias Galarza was ruled to have committed a foul on Marcinkowski during the play.
Pec’s double gave the Galaxy a third straight win over Atlanta United, tying the all-time series at 3-3-0.
