‘Perfect debut’: Sporting KC earns 1st win of 2026 — thanks to brand-new player
For the first time all season, Lasse Berg Johnsen took the field for Sporting Kansas City. And his presence immediately paid off against the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Dejan Joveljic scored against his old team, and Berg Johnsen gave Sporting a two-goal lead late in the second half. SKC survived a late onslaught to win 2-1 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
“It was a perfect debut,” Berg Johnsen said. “It was a really proud moment for me to debut in MLS.”
Sporting (1-2-1) earned its first victory since a 4-2 win over the Colorado Rapids on Aug. 30, 2025. It’s Sporting’s first road win since July 4, 2025.
“Winning football games is difficult,” SKC coach Raphael Wicky said. “Winning away games — in any league — is even more difficult. Coming here to Los Angeles against a very good team and (earning) a win is big for us.”
Wicky said SKC’s togetherness made him most happy Saturday night.
“The team works together, suffers together, but plays also together,” Wicky said. “And I think that is the base of a good football team. And that is what we try to build on.”
The win, of course, was Wicky’s first as Sporting’s head coach. Joveljic said the players have bought into the staff’s vision and badly wanted to deliver a win.
“From the first day with Rapha, it felt different,” Joveljic said. “We like the philosophy, we like his ideas, and we are ready to fight for him until the end. This win means a lot in the dressing room.”
It took a moment to get there.
The first half featured few highlights on either side, until the end of the two minutes of stoppage time. That’s when Manu Garcia found Joveljic with a perfect pass over the top of the Galaxy defense.
Joveljic received the ball wide on the left wing and drove right at a defender. He cut onto his right foot and ripped a shot that curled past the goalkeeper into the far corner.
It was the first time that Sporting KC scored first since a 2-1 loss to Austin FC on Sept. 7, 2025. And the visitors took their 1-0 lead Saturday into halftime.
Joveljic has now scored in his last seven games at Dignity Health Sports Park, including Sporting’s 4-1 loss last season and in the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs. He said Saturday he feels like he has to give more effort against his old team out of respect.
“Unfortunately for them, I’m gonna keep scoring against them,” Joveljic quipped.
Then a counterattack in the second half led to Berg Johnsen’s debut goal, which turned out to be the winner.
Stephen Afrifa picked up the ball and drove at the Galaxy defense. Joveljic dummied Afrifa’s cutback pass, leaving the ball for the on-running Berg Johnsen.
Berg Johnsen’s shot was one-timed and placed perfectly into the far left corner, curling away from the Galaxy goalkeeper. He became the first Sporting player to score in his club debut since both Gadi Kinda and Alan Pulido on Feb. 29, 2020.
“(Joveljic) has split vision letting the ball go to me,” Berg Johnsen said. “I see the goalkeeper, so I think a strong finish on one touch will surprise him. It was a good strike, so it was really nice to see it go in the corner.”
SKC goalkeeper John Pulskamp was once again impressive in goal. And there was some bad luck involved in giving up his clean sheet after making multiple unlikely saves — including a reflexed parry of a shot onto the crossbar.
Unfortunately for him, German legend Marco Reus headed home the rebound to make things interesting late. Pulskamp finished with four saves.
Wicky, however, was proud of the team’s defense, noting the underlying culture that they’ve been working to create.
“That is, for me today, a big confirmation that when you have that foundation with talent, then obviously you can win football games,” Wicky said. “And I’m proud of that.”
Up next: Sporting KC hosts the Colorado Rapids next Saturday. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m at Sporting Park.
Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.
This story was originally published March 14, 2026 at 11:14 PM.