Match Preview: LA Galaxy on the road to face Seattle Sounders
The LA Galaxy travel to the Pacific Northwest to face the Seattle Sounders for the second and final time in the regular season. The last win for the Galaxy at Lumen Field was back on July 9th, 2016. LA looks to break that streak and get a bounce-back win.
The Galaxy lost 2-0 to Austin FC on the road last weekend for its second season loss. LA struggled to create much offensively after it conceded the first goal of the game. Seattle recorded a 3-2 win in Philadelphia on Tuesday night. The win broke a three-game winless run for the Cascadia side.
The Storyline
The Galaxy has the opportunity to get a bounce-back win during one of the toughest road trips of the season. The match against Seattle will be LA’s third in a row on national TV (the games have been televised on Fox/FS1 aside from Apple TV) and a good opportunity to continue to sell to fans across the country they’re among the best teams in MLS.
This performance has two possible major talking points; It can reveal LA’s large dependence on Riqui Puig (He’s suspended due to yellow card accumulation) or that the club can adapt to win in tough situations thrown their way.
Seattle’s still trying to find their identity this season due to their large list of injuries in their poor start to the 2024 MLS season. This Sounders team isn’t close to being a formidable side and still inconsistent at getting results. This game is winnable for the Galaxy, can they get the job done despite their current circumstances?
Players to Watch
SEA: Leo Chu, Winger
The Galaxy struggled to contain Austin FC’s Jader Obrian last weekend and the club will have their hands full with Chu in Seattle. The pace and verticality of Obrian was too much for the LA to deal with due to their high line and slow defenders - one of their largest defensive deficiencies.
Seattle’s Chu has very similar attributes to Obrian which could lead to LA getting exposed at their weakest. The Brazilian winger has one goal and one assist in two games played against the Galaxy.
Turnovers during possession, as the Galaxy push numbers forward, lead to easy transition moments for the other team. Albert Rusnak and Joao Paulo can play and excellent long ball to Chu to chase down when they win the ball back from the Galaxy. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this be one of Seattle’s main ways to create danger.
LA: Joseph Paintsil, winger
The Galaxy needs a spark after its performance last weekend, this is where Paintsil comes in. He’s been the MVP for the LA Galaxy this season and is one of the best wingers in MLS despite playing just 10 games in his Galaxy career. The absence of Dejan Jovejlic means LA is lacking that presence up top and might need another player to step up.
Paintsil played as a No. 9 in the second half of the Galaxy’s game in Austin. His movement and pace can be very unpredictable for defenders to manage. His threat in behind is something that will be on the mind of Seattle all game long no matter where he plays. The Galaxy is hoping their star player can put his stamp on the game when they need Paintsil the most.
The Winning Edge: The Galaxy’s Uruguayan’s
The most likey X-factors for this game will be LA’s group of Uruguayan players. The Galaxy heads into this game with some holes to fill and in need of players to step up.
Midfielder Gaston Brugman is likely set to play more of a playmaking role with Puig out in this game. The 31-year-old has shown flashes of being a quality chance creator with his high volume of progressive passes and playmaking instincts. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him play as No. 8 and start Edwin Cerrillo as No. 6 six in this game. This is Brugman’s chance to show he can conduct the midfield on his own and that Vanney should be playing him in more advanced positions.
Diego Fagundez is a great option off the bench as his attacking versatility allows him to play anywhere on the front line. Since Joveljic is out injured and Miguel Berry has underperformed in a starting role, Vanney might be tempted to move one of his wingers as a center forward. Fagundez could be in the starting XI as LA hopes to gain more attacking firepower on the road. He’s a player who could make major contributions in this game if given the chance to get a good amount of minutes.
The Galaxy backline has some major reinforcements with Emrio Garces available for selection and Jalen Neal back from his injury. Both players need time to get into match sharpness and gain chemistry with their new teammates. Time on the practice field and the pitch will help improve that day by day.
Martin Caceres has been dealing with discomfort in the last few games so this depth is needed for the Galaxy. If the Uruguayan can put in a 45-minute shift, it’ll relieve some of the pressure on LA’s young center backs. It’s the best way to ease in Neal or Garces into playing time as they start to get in the mix for a starting role potentially.