Match Preview: LA Galaxy set to host Western Conference leaders Real Salt Lake
The LA Galaxy faces its biggest test of the 2024 MLS season on Saturday night
The LA Galaxy returns home to face Western Confrence leaders Real Salt Lake on Saturday night. The Galaxy is coming off two lackluster performances on the road where the club failed to score a goal.
The Galaxy recorded a scoreless draw with the Seattle Sounders last weekend. LA was without multiple key starters and took a point home from the trip up North. Salt Lake is coming off a 1-0 home win against Kansas City. The Utah side extended its unbeaten run to seven games.
The Storyline
The LA Galaxy has some momentum heading into this game as the club is set to have its full squad available for this match. Head Coach Greg Vanney told the media on Thursday that his squad is trending to be fully available against Salt Lake.
The Galaxy missed Dejan Joveljic, Riqui Puig, Martin Caceres and Mark Delgado in last weekend’s encounter with Seattle. Getting those instrumental players back is key to going up against one of the better defensive teams in MLS.
RSL has conceded a league-low nine goals so far this season. The Utah side has allowed just one goal in its last four MLS games despite multiple injuries to their center backs.
The Galaxy didn’t look as dangerous and multidimensional with Puig out of the lineup last weekend. The Spanish midfielder is a game-changer every time he’s on the pitch and will be essential in breaking down RSL’s defense.
You need you’re marquee players to show up in games like this. I expect LA to put up a good fight with everyone set to be available for this clash.
Players to Watch
LA: Dejan Joveljic, Striker
The Galaxy has gone two games without scoring, it has also been without Joveljic in that time. The Serbian is the club’s leading scorer with six goals in nine games.
Backup striker Miguel Berry struggled to replicate a similar impact in the final third. The threat to the goal wasn’t visible in those couple of games as he recorded one shot through 134 minutes. The Galaxy attack didn’t have that fox-in-the-box threat with Berry up top.
Joveljic’s hold-up play and positioning have improved compared to the first couple of games of the season. The correlation between Joveljic on the pitch and a goal-scoring LA Galaxy has been present this season - that bond could get stronger if the Galaxy attack can put up multiple goals this weekend with him in the starting lineup.
RSL: Chicho Arango, Striker
The Colombian forward is undisputably the best player in the Western Conference through the first third of the season. Arango has 12 goal contributions (nine goals, three assists) in 985 minutes played this season.
Some of Arango’s biggest moments in MLS have come against the Galaxy. His first MLS goal came from the penalty spot in a 3-3 El Trafico draw in 2021. The last time he faced the Galaxy, he scored a stoppage-time winner to eliminate the Galaxy from the MLS Cup playoffs in 2022. In six games against the Galaxy, Arango has four goals and one assist.
That was as a member of LAFC. Saturday night’s match will be his first game against the Galaxy in Salt Lake colors. Arango is now among the elite players in MLS with RSL, he’ll be a headache in multiple ways on Saturday night.
The Winning Edge: Back at Home
The Galaxy returns to Dignity Health Sports Park at the perfect time. LA will face one of the most in-form teams in the West with the 12th man on their side on Saturday night.
LA’s home games have been close affairs with the Vanney’s side recording nine goals for and seven goals against in four games. The Galaxy has yet to record a comfortable win at home but they’ve also been able to get across the finish line with at least a point in every home match.
Players such as Gabriel Pec and Joseph Paintsil have performed much better at home than on the road this season. Their performances are why the LA Galaxy have recorded wins in Carson.
The extra energy and support from the stands will be a reason why the Galaxy could end up with a win over RSL. LA has lacked that energy this season due to playing most of their games on the road this season. The combination of a healthy squad and home crowd on their side is why an LA Galaxy win seems possible on Saturday night.