Match Preview: LA Galaxy travel to the Midwest to face Sporting Kansas City
The LA Galaxy heads out to Kansas City to face another undefeated team in the Western Conference. Both LA and SKC have identical records of 1W-3D and are tried with six points in the standings. Notably, the Galaxy’s last victory at Children’s Mercy Park was back in the 2019 MLS campaign.
The Galaxy is coming off a 3-3 draw at home against St. Louis City. The Galaxy has one win and one draw on the road in this early season. SKC is coming off its first win of the season against the San Jose Earthquakes after starting the season with three straight draws.
There is also a record watch to keep an eye on during this game. With a goal on Saturday, Dejan Joveljic will tie Brian McBride for the longest goal-scoring streak to start a season in league history (5 games). Here’s a look at more key stories and figures to keep an eye on during the showdown in the Midwest.
Injury Report
SKC:
Logan Ndenbe - Knee (Out)
Khiry Shelton - Ankle (Out)
Andreu Fontas - Hamstring (Questionable)
Memo Rodriguez - Hamstring (Questionable)
Johnny Russell - Hamstring (Questionable)
LA Galaxy:
Martin Caceres - Red Card (Out)
Jalen Neal - Abdominal (Out)
The Storyline
Greg Vanney will look to get his first managerial win over Peter Vermes on Saturday night. The pair have faced off 11 times and Vermes has never come away tasting defeat.
What feels different this year is the squad that Vanney has this season. He’s got two new wingers, Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Pec, who will run in behind consistently and won’t clog up the half-spaces. Paintsil has two goals and an assist through four games this season. Pec has come off the bench but could soon be put in the starting XI.
The tactical ideas are working and making the LA Galaxy one of the best attacks in the league early in this season. If the Galaxy can limit individual mistakes, they will have a shot to win. If the Galaxy wants to make this season different, breaking a winless streak (Vanney’s personal record against Vermes and current winless run in KC) will do that for the players, coaches, and fanbase.
Players to watch
SKC: Alan Pulido, striker
The Mexican forward is a threat both on and off the ball for SKC. He is the type of striker who makes everyone around him better and is aware of how to manipulate a backline.
Pulido is very comfortable with the ball at his feet and will come deep to get touches. SKC’s Johnny Russell and Dániel Sallói provide a vertical and goalscoring threat when Pulido can pass them the ball.
His movement in the box is elite and will be the target man for crosses into the box. Communication on who will mark Pulido between the center backs and midfield has to be clear in order to limit his impact in the attacking third.
LA: Riqui Puig, midfielder
It’s not often you see games where Puig has little impact for 90 minutes but that was the case last weekend. His most memorable moment was his pass that was intercepted in the Galaxy’s defensive third and led to City’s first goal of the game.
For a player who has the talent to be MLS MVP, you’re expecting to see a bounce-back performance in Kansas City. I’d expect to see him very involved with ball progression and playing long balls for Paintsil to chase in behind. The game is won in the midfield trenches and Puig needs to be one of the top performers if LA wants to get their second road win of the year.
The Winning Edge: The Center Backs
LA will be without Martín Cáceres due to the red card he received in the final moments of last week’s match to prevent a breakaway chance for St. Louis City. The Galaxy is forced to make a lineup change after starting the same XI for the last four games.
Eriq Zavaleta will likely get his first minutes of the season in place for Cáceres. The only action Zavaleta had in the calendar year was during the preseason. Luckily he has multiple games playing alongside his center back partner Maya Yoshida.
As I said earlier, the Galaxy will be fine if they can limit their individual mistakes. Not to mention their set-piece defense after City scored twice from corner kicks last week. If Yoshida and Zavaleta can hold it down in the back, it will be on the Galaxy’s offense to score and finish their chances.