Seattle Sounders will be hoping to secure their first victory of the 2022 MLS campaign on Saturday when they welcome Los Angeles Galaxy to Lumen Field.
The visitors have kickstarted the season in a much stronger fashion, winning consecutive matches, which has left them in second place in the Western Conference so far.
Match preview
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Seattle Sounders have suffered consecutive losses to kickstart their league campaign, and they have failed to score a single goal in either of those games, which is something they will want to change immediately.
However, even though Brian Schmetzer's men have been beaten twice so far, both games were closely contested, finishing 1-0 each time, with Bobby Wood scoring for Real Salt Lake early in the second half last weekend.
It is a contrasting start from how last season when though, when the club finished in second place within the Western Conference, just a single point behind Colorado.
Last season the Sounders were able to defeat LA Galaxy 3-0 at Lumen Field, and that is a result they would be more than happy to replicate at this stage of the season.
However, the team have performed well in the CONCACAF Champions League, defeating Leon in the quarter-final first leg during their most recent outing, with Fredy Montero scoring a brace, while Jordan Morris wrapped things up with a goal in the last minute.
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LA Galaxy do not have the distraction of any other competitions right now, and the firm focus on league soccer has worked in their advantage, winning both of their opening games.
Greg Vanney will have been impressed with the performances of his team, particularly from a defensive point of view, as Jonathan Bond has kept clean sheets in their first two fixtures.
Considering the fact that Seattle are yet to score in the league this season, that is a record the goalkeeper will believe he can extend to three, which would allow Galaxy to add further points to the board.
After narrowly missing out on the final series playoffs in 2021 by goal difference, the club will be pushing to go one step further this time around, and consistency will be crucial in that aspect.
The two teams did meet in pre-season and battled out to a 1-1 draw, showcasing the closeness that is there between the two teams, but with confidence behind them, Galaxy shall be hoping for a victory this time out.
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Team News
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Raul Ruidiaz was unavailable for Seattle during their most recent outing due to a hamstring problem, which is something that is likely to see him miss out again.
However, Montero will be aiming to continue his form in front of goal from the midweek match where he scored twice, as the Sounders look to open their account as a club in the league.
Obed Vargas had a strong individual performance in the 3-0 victory, and the 16-year-old could be given the chance to shine again in the heart of midfield.
Defensively, it is unlikely that any changes will take place to LA Galaxy because of their impressive start to the season in that respect, but they do have one injury issue to contend with as Adam Saldana is unavailable with an ankle problem.
Efrain Alvarez scored the winner against Charlotte, and considering he appeared from the bench, he could be in contention to earn a starting place in the team this time around.
Seattle Sounders possible starting lineup:
Frei; Roldan, Gomez, Arreaga, Tolo; Vargas, Paulo; Roldan, Rusnak, Morris; Montero
Los Angeles Galaxy possible starting lineup:
Bond; Araujo, Coulibaly, DePuy, Edwards; Vazquez, Delgado, Raveloson, Costa; Cabral, Hernandez Balcazar
We say: Seattle Sounders 1-2 Los Angeles Galaxy
Seattle Sounders may have been the stronger team last season, but so far their league campaign has gotten off to a rocky start, which LA Galaxy will be looking to take advantage of.
The poor performances in front of goal could prove to be a problem for the hosts, and this is why they may find themselves still without a point on the table after Saturday.
Top tip
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Seattle Sounders win with a probability of 50.81%. A draw had a probability of 25.5% and a win for Los Angeles Galaxy had a probability of 23.74%.
The most likely scoreline for a Seattle Sounders win was 1-0 with a probability of 12.35%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 2-0 (9.62%) and 2-1 (9.4%). The likeliest drawn scoreline was 1-1 (12.07%), while for a Los Angeles Galaxy win it was 0-1 (7.76%). The actual scoreline of 3-2 was predicted with a 2.4% likelihood. Our data analysis correctly predicted that Seattle Sounders would win this match.
