Preview: Los Angeles Galaxy vs St Louis City - prediction, team news, lineups

Los Angeles Galaxy and St Louis City will continue their Major League Soccer campaigns when they clash at Dignity Health Sports Park on Thursday.

The hosts are ninth in the Western Conference table with 20 points from 16 games, narrowly one point ahead of their 10th-placed visitors, who have also played one game fewer.

Match preview

LA Galaxy, the league's most successful team with a record six MLS Cup triumphs, have failed to reach the heights of their most recent title-winning campaign in 2024.

Galaxy disappointingly failed to even qualify for the MLS Cup playoffs in 2025, finishing 14th in the Western Conference table and a considerable 11 points behind the playoff qualifying places.

Greg Vanney, in charge since January 2021, has overseen another challenging start to the 2026 campaign, with LA Galaxy narrowly inside the MLS Cup qualifying places in the Western Conference.

LA Galaxy have recorded five wins, five draws and suffered six defeats from their 16 MLS games, leaving them placed ninth in the Western Conference with 20 points, narrowly one point above 10th-placed St Louis.

Vanney's side have particularly struggled at home, taking only nine points from their eight fixtures at Dignity Health Sports Park, ranking as the 26th-best home record out of all 30 teams in MLS.

As for the visitors, St Louis City have endured two difficult campaigns since placing top of the Western Conference table in their debut MLS season in 2023.

St Louis have subsequently recorded 12th and 13th-placed Western Conference finishes, failing to qualify for the MLS Cup playoffs, but they are back in the race for a playoff place this term.

After facing a lacklustre start to the 2026 term, managing only one win from their opening 10 league games, St Louis City have managed to turn their fortunes around with four wins and one draw in their last five MLS fixtures.

As a result, Yoann Damet's side have climbed to 10th in the Western Conference and just one point adrift from the MLS Cup qualifying places, while they also boast a game in hand over ninth-placed LA Galaxy.

Damet will be looking for his team to maintain their current momentum and move into the top nine by picking up a victory on Thursday, but they will have to overcome their struggles on the road, having won just once away from home in the league all season.

St Louis will, however, draw confidence from their record away from home against LA Galaxy, winning two and two of their five clashes at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Los Angeles Galaxy Major League Soccer form:

D W L W D L

Los Angeles Galaxy form (all competitions):

W L W D W L

St Louis City Major League Soccer form:

L W W D W W

St Louis City form (all competitions):

W W D D W W

Team News

Los Angeles Galaxy are expected to remain without Joao Klauss until August due to a foot injury, while Riqui Puig will be unavailable until November due to an ongoing knee injury.

Erik Thommy may also be a doubt after coming off with an injury concern in the defeat to Los Angeles FC last time out, meaning a front three of Josepth Paintsil, Marco Reus and Ruben Ramos could start.

Meanwhile, Celio Pompeu, Jaziel Orozco and Roman Burki are anticipated to be unavailable due to injury issues for St Louis City.

Following their second straight MLS victory last time out, having defeated Kansas City 3-2, Damet could name an unchanged starting side against Los Angeles Galaxy.

Los Angeles Galaxy possible starting lineup:

Micovic; Yamane, Glesnes, Haak, Nelson; Sanabria, Cerrillo, Wynder; Paintsil, Reus, Ramos

St Louis City possible starting lineup:

Lundt; MacNaughton, Baumgartl, Polvara; Wallem, Lowen, Edelman, Totland; Sang-bin, Becher, Hartel

We say: Los Angeles Galaxy 1-2 St Louis City

Although St Louis City have faced difficulties on the road this term, the visitors are in stronger form than their hosts and also boast a strong recent record in this fixture, leading us to predict an away win.

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