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[monks data]
LA Galaxy
Major League Soccer
Sep 15, 2024 at 3.30am UK
Dignity Health Sports Park
Los Angeles FC

LA Galaxy
4 - 2
Los Angeles

Joveljic (53', 67'), Cerrillo (55'), Puig (86')
Fagundez (34'), Neal (37'), Pec (49'), Cerrillo (89'), Puig (89')
FT(HT: 0-2)
Bogusz (4'), Bouanga (15')
Sanchez (45+3'), Long (71')
O'Brien (79')

Preview: Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Los Angeles FC - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Major League Soccer clash between Los Angeles Galaxy and Los Angeles FC, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

The final El Trafico of the 2024 Major League Soccer (MLS) campaign may determine who finishes first in the Western Conference as the Los Angeles Galaxy host Los Angeles FC at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday.

Right now, the Galaxy are four points above LAFC for first in the West despite losing their previous encounter versus St Louis City, 2-1, while the Black and Gold played to a 0-0 draw with the Houston Dynamo last weekend.


Match preview

La Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney pictured on August 2, 2022© Imago

A single point on Saturday would be enough for the Galaxy to book their place in the MLS Cup playoffs for a second time in three years.

Since the Leagues Cup concluded, this team have one win and a loss, having claimed 15 victories in MLS this season, the most for them in a single campaign since 2019 (16).

Greg Vanney's men have won their last eight MLS encounters played at Dignity Health Sports Park and have never lost a domestic contest in Carson this season.

Their attack has carried them to victory throughout the domestic campaign, scoring the joint-second-most goals in the league thus far (53).

Defensively, however, there are still plenty of questions surrounding this group, conceding multiple goals in half of their domestic contests thus far (14/28).

The Galaxy have lost two of their previous four home games against LAFC and have not beaten them at Dignity Health Sports Park since the 2022 US Open Cup (3-1).

Los Angeles FC striker Olivier Giroud pictured on August 13, 2024© Imago

We are into the final stretch of the regular season, and Los Angeles FC are in a position to finish first in their conference for a second time in three domestic campaigns.

With two games in hand on the Galaxy, Steve Cherundolo's men have their destiny in their hands and can officially clinch a playoff berth with a win along with a defeat or draw by Dallas.

Since going winless in their first five away games of the regular season, the Black and Gold have not lost a match as the visitors in this competition.

On Saturday, they have a chance to surpass their win total from the previous regular season (14), and if they can emerge victorious from their final eight matches of this competition, LAFC would set a new club record for the most wins in a single regular-season, surpassing the old mark set in 2023 and 2019 (21).

This team have failed to find the back of the net on consecutive occasions and are in danger of being held goalless in consecutive MLS home fixtures for the first time since June 2023 (two).

The Black and Gold have won their previous three domestic meetings with the Galaxy and can sweep the season series against them this weekend for the first time.

Los Angeles Galaxy Major League Soccer form:


Los Angeles Galaxy form (all competitions):


Los Angeles FC Major League Soccer form:


Los Angeles FC form (all competitions):
  • W
  • W
  • L
  • W
  • L
  • D



Team News

Miki Yamane of the Los Angeles Galaxy pictured on August 4, 2024© Imago

Heading into this encounter, the Galaxy may not have Carlos Garces available due to a calf injury, while Julian Aude could be sidelined once again because of a groin strain.

Vanney will be missing Joseph Paintsil, who must serve a yellow card suspension, while Riqui Puig is eligible to return from his own ban on Saturday.

Gabriel Pec had the only Galaxy goal in a losing effort against St Louis City, his 11th of the season, putting him one behind Dejan Joveljic for first on the team.

LAFC may be without Jesus Murillo and Lorenzo Dellavalle for this upcoming fixture, as they are both recovering from knee injuries.

They had a handful of players away last weekend for the international break, including leading goalscorer Denis Bouanga (Gabon), Maxime Chanot (Luxembourg), Mateusz Bogusz (Poland), Cristian Olivera (Uruguay), Omar Campos (Mexico) and David Martinez (Venezuela).

Hugo Lloris stopped three shots against the Dynamo last weekend to claim his first MLS clean sheet since July 20 (3-0 win over the Seattle Sounders).

Los Angeles Galaxy possible starting lineup:
McCarthy; Yamane, Yoshida, Neal, Nelson; Delgado, Brugman; Pec, Reus, Puig; Joveljic

Los Angeles FC possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Long, Chanot, Segura; Hollingshead, Sanchez, O'Brien, Tillman; Bogusz, Giroud, Bouanga


SM words green background

We say: Los Angeles Galaxy 1-2 Los Angeles FC

This edition of LAFC know how to handle the stretch run of a long season, and we trust their defensive shape a lot more than the Galaxy's, which remains a big flaw that has held them back.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


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Game History

How you voted: LA Galaxy vs Los Angeles

Los Angeles Galaxy
44.0%
Draw
24.0%
Los Angeles FC
32.0%
25
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Eastern Conference

TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Inter MiamiInter Miami33218473472671
2Columbus Crew33189669383163
3FC CincinnatiCincinnati33175115647956
4Orlando City331571158481052
5New York City FCNY City33148115447750
6Charlotte FCCharlotte FC33139114337648
7New York Red BullsNY Red Bulls33111485347647
8DC United331010135267-1540
9CF MontrealMontreal331010134664-1840
10Philadelphia UnionPhiladelphia33910146153837
11Atlanta UnitedAtlanta33910144448-437
12Toronto34114194061-2137
13Nashville SCNashville3389163554-1933
14New England RevolutionNew England3394203568-3331
15Chicago Fire3379174059-1930

Western Conference

TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Los Angeles GalaxyLA Galaxy33197768482064
2Los Angeles FCLos Angeles33187860421861
3Real Salt LakeSalt Lake331511763471656
4Seattle SoundersSeattle33168950341656
5Houston DynamoHouston33149104538751
6Colorado RapidsColorado33155135957250
7Minnesota UnitedMinnesota Utd33147125448649
8Vancouver WhitecapsVancouver33138125147447
9Portland TimbersPortland331210116455946
10Austin FCAustin33109143646-1039
11Dallas33108155255-338
12St Louis City33813124959-1037
13Sporting Kansas CityKansas3387185064-1431
14San Jose EarthquakesEarthquakes3363244075-3521


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