MLS
LA Galaxy star Dejan Joveljic in search of MLS goals record
The Serbian striker is now the main man for Greg Vanney’s side and he can make history by scoring against Seattle Sounders.
LA Galaxy’s impressive start in the Eastern Conference has been one of the stories of 2024 so far in MLS. In previous years Greg Vanney’s side had looked confident in possession but struggled to provide the necessary cutting edge to make the most of their chances.
The off-season acquisition of Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Pec has strengthened the Galaxy’s offensive capabilities but the real game-changer has been the incredible early-season form of Dejan Joveljic. The Serbian striker has scored in each of the Galaxy’s first five games of 2024, levelling the all-time MLS record.
The only other player to score in each of the first five games of an MLS season was Brian McBride, who managed that feat for Columbus Crew in the 1998 season. McBride would go on to achieve great success and spent eight years in England, most notably starring for Fulham in the Premier League.
Dejan Joveljic focused on goal-scoring
The 24-year-old striker is now in his fourth season with the Galaxy but is finally the first-choice striker at Dignity Health Sports Park. He came through the prestigious youth set-up of Red Star Belgrade and signed his first professional contract in 2016, aged just 16.
His prodigious talents saw him shortlisted for the Golden Boy award in 2017 and he was signed by Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt in 2019. But he failed to make an impact in the German top flight and, after spells on loan in Belgium and Austria, moved to the Galaxy in 2021.
Initially he was a back-up to former Manchester United and Real Madrid star Javier Hernandez but now, after Chicharito’s departure to Chivas Guadalajara, is relishing his opportunity to be the main man.
Speaking last week, Joveljic said that he is optimistic about the Galaxy’s chances this season: “I feel very comfortable because I know that our players are able to create chances in every game that we are going to play. So my job is just to be on the right place at the right time. I’ve been just once tonight but in the next game, I’m going to be more times there.”
“I think that Paintsil already built very good relationship between our midfielders and other guys. He’s such a good player and good person, humble, and he’s going to help us a lot this season with his goals and assists. I can say that we are going to work even harder and that we are going to be more dangerous this year, more than ever.”