Two sides at opposite ends of the table square off when high-flying St. Louis City hosts the basement-dwelling Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday.
St. Louis (9-5-1, 28 points) is among the top teams in MLS with 32 goals and has been stingy defensively, allowing only 16 goals through 15 games.
The first-year side can make expansion club history with a victory. Los Angeles FC holds the MLS record for the fastest to reach the 10-win mark in an inaugural season, having done so in 2018 in 18 matches.
St. Louis City enter the match off a 2-0 setback to FC Dallas, a 40-minute outing that was the resumption of a May 6 game that had been halted after 50 minutes of play due to inclement weather.
“I think that Dallas game was a wakeup call for us,” midfielder Njabulo Blom said. “Going to the LA Galaxy game, I think we have to go out there and not relax. I’ve always said this — keep on doing what you’ve been doing because we’ve done so good so far.”
Midfielder Eduard Lowen shares the team lead with five goals. He had scored in three straight before the resumed game against Dallas and has at least four shot attempts in each of his past four matches.
The Galaxy (3-9-3, 12 points) are last in the MLS table and have struggled to score, with just 13 tallies through 15 games. It’s also been a struggle at the other end of the pitch, allowing 26, which ranks among the bottom five in the league.
Los Angeles will be without captain Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez for the rest of the season, the team announced Friday. The striker sustained a torn ACL in his right knee Wednesday in the team’s U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match against Real Salt Lake and will undergo surgery. It could mark the end of a career for the 35-year-old, who is in his fourth season with the Galaxy.
“Nobody has to be anyone that they’re not and nobody has to try to force the issue,” coach Greg Vanney said. “Play within the team concept, connect with your teammates, work for your teammates, trust the system … and make the best decisions in the moment.”
While little has gone right for the club, there has been a bright light recently, picking up their first road win of the season May 31, a 3-2 triumph against Real Salt Lake.
Tyler Boyd scored his second goal of the season to claim a share of the team lead with Dejan Joveljic.
–Field Level Media