Match Preview: LA Galaxy begin two game road trip in Minnesota
The LA Galaxy heads to Minnesota for its first midweek match of the season. Both sides are tied with 20 points this season with the Loons higher on the table due to goal difference.
The Galaxy is coming off a 2-2 draw at home against Real Salt Lake over the weekend. Miguel Berry was the hero late in the game after recording the equalizer deep in stoppage time. Minnesota has a bye week and didn’t play in the last matchday. Its last result came in the form of a 2-1 win on the road over Atlanta United.
The Storyline
The LA Galaxy kickoff a tough two-game road trip starting with their visit to Minnesota and ending with a match on the other side of the U.S. in Charlotte. As mentioned earlier, the Loons sit in second place in the West and coming off a bye week.
LA’s last win at Allianz Field was back in 2021 - Dejan Joveljic (who made his LA Galaxy debut that day) is the only player from that team who remains on the Galaxy roster today.
With three games being played in the span of a week, it’ll be interesting to see if Greg Vanney implements a squad rotation. Maya Yoshida, Julian Aude, and Joseph Paintsil are the three outfield players who have played at least 1,000 minutes this season.
LA has the depth to make notable changes this week. Emiro Garces, Diego Fagundez, Edwin Cerrillo, Martin Caceres and John Nelson are starting-caliber players that could get more minutes this week.
It’ll be interesting to see the starting lineup in Minnesota, will the Galaxy go toe-to-toe in this marquee showdown, or might there be some different faces on the pitch.
Players to Watch
LA: Joseph Paintsil, Winger
The Ghanaian winger struggled to finish his chances against Real Salt Lake but has the opportunity to bounce back in Minnesota. The Galaxy was consistently creating chances and breaking down RSL with Paintsil’s runs and positioning last weekend. Now it's about finding the finishing the play to give LA an advantage with the lead.
Paintsil is already among the best players at his position but this is his real first test of adversity in MLS. This is a tough game for the Galaxy, where its star players must show up.
MIN: Robin Lod, Midfielder
Death, Taxes, and Robin Lod being the most consistent player for the Loons. The Finnish midfielder has stepped up in the absence of playmaker Emmanuel Reynoso as he’s recorded three goals and six assists.
Lod’s been moving the Minnesota attack as he leads the team with 20 chances created. He’s played many different roles with the Loons since he arrived in 2019. Lod tends to play as a box-crashing midfielder with his positioning more akin to no. 10 on the ball than what you expect from a central midfielder. If anyone on Minnesota United is going to carve out the LA Galaxy, it’s likely to be Lod.
The Winning Edge: Playing Through the Press
One of Minnesota’s key principles is their press in the attacking half. This style of play could cause trouble for the LA Galaxy as the club tends to build possession build-ups from the backline.
Given that this game is away from home, the Galaxy needs to find a good rhythm in possession to get a hold of the game. Failure to do so would lead to no consistency in the attack and getting caught in transition.
Riqui Puig and Gaston Brugman tend to pull the strings in the midfield but their one flaw is their aggressiveness. The pair look for aggressive line-breaking passes (which they can pull off) or can hold onto the ball for too long. Both players need to limit the amount turnovers in this game and how often they try to thread the needle with their passes.
If the Galaxy can make the Loons high press ineffective, they’ll have a good grip on the game and a chance to leave Allianz Field with a point.