João Klauss scored two goals two minutes apart in the first 13 minutes — after a score by Lucas Sanabria — and the Galaxy cruised to a 3-0 victory over Charlotte FC on Saturday night.
Sanabria gave the Galaxy (1-0-1) the lead in the eighth minute with an unassisted goal. Sanabria had two goals in 21 appearances as a rookie last season.
Klauss took a pass from Gabriel Pec and scored in the 11th minute, then scored unassisted two minutes later for a three-goal lead. Pec’s first assist this season gives him 24 through his first 64 matches.
Klauss scored the lone goal in a 1-1 season-opening draw with visiting New York City FC. He came over in a cash-for-player trade with St. Louis City in the hopes he’d help ease the loss of superstar Riqui Puig for a second straight season after complications from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. So far, so good for the 29-year-old forward with 28 goals in 81 career appearances.
Novak Micovic needed to make just one save to notch his fourth clean sheet in his 26th career start for the Galaxy.
Kristijan Kahlina made eight saves for Charlotte (0-1-1), which was coming off a 1-1 draw at St. Louis City on a goal by Pep Biel — one of 11 players in the league with double-digit goals and assists last season.
Up next for the Galaxy: at Colorado Rapids on Saturday.