The Los Angeles Galaxy can close the gap between themselves and the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS playoff race when the two Western Conference foes square off at BC Place Stadium on Saturday.
For the moment, the Caps are holding onto that final postseason position in the west following a 2-1 triumph versus Austin FC, while LA defeated the Philadelphia Union in their previous encounter, 3-1.
Match preview
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Halfway through their four-game homestand, Vancouver were able to do what they could not accomplish against the Seattle Sounders last weekend, keep their opponents down and come away with three points.
It was not easy for Vanni Sartini's side as they needed another strong second-half showing to put Austin away, but the Caps were highly effective in transition while limiting the Verde and Black to just two efforts on target.
Not only does this group create tons of scoring opportunities at home, but they rarely fail to find the back of the net under the dome of BC Place, scoring at least once in 14 of their last 15 regular season matches played in Vancouver.
A 3-2 defeat to the Sounders last weekend was the third time domestically in 2023 that this team came away empty-handed despite leading at the half, while it was also the first time they had lost a regular-season fixture when scoring multiple times, since a 5-2 defeat at the Los Angeles Galaxy last August.
While they have claimed the same amount of victories after 21 games this year as they managed at this same stage in 2022, the Caps have picked up two more points this time around (28).
Vancouver have not lost to the Galaxy at BC Place since 2019, when Zlatan Ibrahimovic set up the winner and scored one himself in a 2-0 triumph for the visitors.
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Since late May, LA have made a big push to climb back into the playoff picture, claiming at least a point in seven straight MLS encounters.
Even with that solid form, though, they still find themselves second from the bottom in the Western Conference, six points behind Vancouver for that final postseason berth but with four teams, including the Whitecaps, above them.
Greg Vanney has seen his side earn plenty of positive results, but LA have also let four points slip away on their current unbeaten run when leading in the second half.
Their sputtering attack, which scored a goal or fewer in their opening six matches of the season, seems to have come to life, netting multiple times in four of its previous five fixtures, while only being shut out once in their last six league games.
It is a good thing their attack has woken up because defensively, the Galaxy have been poor throughout 2023, conceding in 12 of their previous 13 domestic encounters, though three of their four shutouts this year have come away from home.
Saturday will be their first visit to Canada this season, and the Galaxy have not beaten a Canadian club on the road in this competition in over three years, losing 3-0 at Vancouver last season and also drawing Toronto 2-2.
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Team News
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Mathias Laborda will be suspended for one more Whitecap encounter after his red card versus the Sounders, Ali Ahmed is dealing with a right foot contusion, while Julian Gressel and Javain Brown might be back this weekend after the USA and Jamaica were eliminated from the Gold Cup.
Sergio Cordova scored the winner versus Austin with fewer than 20 minutes remaining, his first with Vancouver, Andres Cubas picked up his first assist since signing a contract extension earlier this week and Pedro Vite became just the second MLS player to score within the first 30 seconds of a game twice in a single season, joining former Whitecap Yordy Reyna who did it with Charlotte FC last year.
On Wednesday, Ryan Gauld drew even with former midfielder Pedro Morales for the most assists in all competitions at Vancouver (26), while he, Vite and their now-retired striker Tosaint Ricketts each netted the last time they hosted the Galaxy, winning 3-0.
Jonathan Bond is listed as questionable for LA because of a sore thigh, something which kept Memo Rodriguez out of their previous encounter, while Martin Caceres has an avulsion fracture and Chicharito is out with a torn ACL.
LA made a move to try and bolster its lacklustre defence this week, acquiring Tony Alfaro from New York City FC in exchange for £96,218 in General Allocation Money (GAM) this year and an additional £288,653 in the future if some performance incentives are met.
An own-goal by Olivier Mbaizo held up as the winner for the Galaxy last Saturday against the Union, with Tyler Boyd and Riqui Puig also netting as Jonathan Klinsmann only had to make two stops for the victory.
Vancouver Whitecaps possible starting lineup:
Takaoka; Martins, Veselinovic, Blackmon; Gressel, Cubas, Berhalter, Schopf; Vite, Gauld; White
Los Angeles Galaxy possible starting lineup:
Klinsmann; Calegari, Leerdam, Mavinga, Edwards; Delgado, Brugman, Puig; Costa, Joveljic, Boyd
We say: Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 Los Angeles Galaxy
Both teams have been in relatively good form of late, with the big names like Gauld and Puig stepping up their games in recent outings.
In a match that could be played at a very high tempo, whichever backline can withstand an onslaught the best is likely to win, and that is where we believe the Caps hold a decisive edge on LA.
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Top tip
Joel Lefevre
