On Saturday, we will see the first El Trafico of the 2024 MLS campaign as Los Angeles FC battle the Los Angeles Galaxy at BMO Stadium.
The 2023 MLS Cup runners-up were beaten 3-2 by the Colorado Rapids last week, while the Galaxy are still unbeaten in 2024 following a 1-0 triumph over the Seattle Sounders.
Match preview
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LAFC continue to struggle away from home this season, losing a third successive match as the visitors last week, conceding eight goals over that stretch.
Their defeat last weekend was the first time since September 2022 (2-1 loss versus Dallas) that they went on to lose a regular-season contest after scoring the opener.
The good news for Steve Cherundolo is that three of their next four matches in this competition take place at BMO Stadium where the Black and Gold are undefeated this year, conceding just once at home, and posting back-to-back clean sheets.
If you include the 2023 MLS Cup playoffs, the Black and Gold are unbeaten in six successive MLS encounters that took place at BMO Stadium.
However, with just seven points domestically this year, they are off to their worst-ever start to an MLS campaign after six fixtures.
Los Angeles FC have won three of their previous four home fixtures versus the Galaxy, including the most recent one during the 2023 domestic campaign (4-2).
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In the early going of the new MLS campaign, we have seen the Galaxy perform a near 180 when compared to how they began the 2023 regular season.
Greg Vanney's men had a disastrous start to the previous campaign, going winless in their opening six fixtures, but they are the only remaining unbeaten side in the Western Conference this year and are tied with FC Cincinnati for the best record in the league (3-3-0).
While they are still giving up their fair share of chances, LA have made up for that by possessing the best attack in the Western Conference (13 goals scored), netting the second-most goals in the league this year behind only Inter Miami (14).
Los Angeles have already matched their number of away wins from a season ago (two), and they would surpass their amount of points on the road in this competition from 2023 (12) with a victory this weekend.
Six of their eight goals scored away from home this season have come in the second half, while three of their five goals conceded as the visitors have also occurred in the final 45 minutes of play.
In two of their last three competitive fixtures versus the Black and Gold, the Galaxy have emerged victorious on two occasions, with their most recent triumph at BMO Stadium taking place in the last 16 of the previous US Open Cup (2-0).
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Team News
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Last weekend, LAFC were missing Omar Campos because of a sore ankle, Lorenzo Dellavalle sat out due to a right knee injury and David Martinez will be suspended for this clash after receiving a pair of second-half cautions versus the Rapids.
Ahead of their encounter with Colorado, the club signed Maxime Chanot through the 2025 season and also added Kei Kamara, who made his debut for the Black and Gold last week, while it has been rumoured that Olivier Giroud will join them this summer from AC Milan.
Martinez was sent off not long after scoring his first goal of the season last weekend, with their other strike coming courtesy of Eduard Atuesta.
Jalen Neal has yet to feature for the Galaxy in 2024, with the 20-year-old sitting out of their match versus the Rave Green last week due to an abdominal injury.
On Tuesday, they signed Emiro Garces on loan from Deportivo Pereira until the end of this season with a purchase option, while Martin Caceres returned to the Galaxy lineup after missing their victory versus Sporting Kansas City (3-2) through suspension.
Dejan Joveljic, who is tied for second in the Golden Boot race with five goals, started on the bench for the first time this year in favour of Miguel Berry, while Gabriel Pec scored his first of the season and former LAFC goalkeeper John McCarthy collected his first clean sheet with his new team.
Los Angeles FC possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Hollingshead, Murillo, Long, Segura; Tillman, Sanchez, Atuesta; Ordaz, Bogusz; Bouanga
Los Angeles Galaxy possible starting lineup:
McCarthy; Yamane, Yoshida, Caceres, Aude; Pec, Delgado, Brugman, Puig; Paintsil, Joveljic
We say: Los Angeles FC 3-2 Los Angeles Galaxy
As inconsistent as LAFC have been throughout the year, it is always easy for them to bring up their intensity when playing their biggest rivals.
For as much as the Galaxy have improved this season, they are still unstable on the back end, and we believe that could prove costly on Saturday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
