CARSON — Last season on Decision Day, the Galaxy learned their path to what would eventually be their sixth MLS Cup.

Saturday, the Galaxy took the field for the final time in the 2025 regular season. This time, there was no scoreboard watching to see if they could move into a playoff spot, since their season was essentially done in May.

The Galaxy started the season going winless in their first 16 MLS games (0-12-4). The first win didn’t come until May 31.

To the Galaxy’s credit, they found a better form over the second half of the season, starting with a third-place finish in Leagues Cup and ended the year on a high note, defeating Minnesota United FC, 2-1, in the regular-season finale in front of 17,765 at Dignity Health Sports Park.

“At the halfway point, we started to put some things together and started to find a little bit more cohesion, starting to get some results along the way,” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said of the season. “Everybody stuck together all the way to the last game and we beat two playoff teams down the stretch, which is a nice statement for where we are.

“I actually think we’re probably one of the better teams that didn’t make the playoffs, when it’s all said and done, so but it what it is, we are where we deserve to be because of how it all started out.”

Matheus Nascimento scored in the 12th minute for a 1-0 lead that the Galaxy (7-18-9, 30 points) took into halftime.

After the break, Joseph Paintsil made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute. Paintsil finished the season with 10 goals, leading the club in league play. He scored 14 across all competitions.

Minnesota broke the shutout with a goal deep into the six minutes of stoppage time.

The Galaxy won back-to-back games only one other time this season in MLS play.

Despite closing the season with consecutive wins, the Galaxy finished the regular season with the fewest points, over a complete season in club history. The previous low was 32 set by the 2017 team, the first full season after Bruce Arena’s departure.

“I think everybody is looking ahead to 2026,” Galaxy midfielder Diego Fagundez said Thursday.

The Galaxy will have some decisions to make on contracts, both outgoing and incoming, but with the prospect of a healthy Riqui Puig, who has missed all of this season after suffering an ACL injury, the Galaxy’s climb back up the Western Conference standings should be expected.

“Getting Riqui healthy is a big thing,” Vanney said. “The game is very different when Riqui’s in.”