With just two goals scored in their first four matches, the LA Galaxy are atypically near the bottom of the Western Conference standings — 12th place out of 14 teams — heading into a home match Saturday afternoon against the Seattle Sounders.
Sounders forward Jordan Morris, meantime, scored four times last week alone and leads MLS with seven goals on the young season.
Still, the Galaxy (0-1-3, 3 points) have lost just once and are undefeated since the season opener at the beginning of March despite having trouble scoring. Even as they dominated possession at Portland last week, the Galaxy couldn’t solve the injury-riddled Timbers and gained only a frustrating scoreless draw.
For just the fourth time in the past 24 seasons, the Galaxy are winless in the first four games.
“We feel like we could easily be sitting on seven points. We’re not,” Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney told the LA Daily News. “With a couple of things going our way, we could be on seven.
“That’s not to say that everything inside of those performances were exactly where we want to be, but given the circumstances, guys being out, guys coming in that we’re signing. … We haven’t given up a goal in the run of play in three games, haven’t lost in three games.”
The Sounders (3-1-1,10 points) have outscored opponents 10-2 this season.
“Defense wins championships,” Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer said. “In order to maintain a good defensive squad, you’ve got to start with your goalkeeping first. They clean up a lot of the mess that the field players give them.”
Stefan Frei has made nine saves and already has earned three clean sheets, tying for the league lead.
Seattle is unbeaten in nine consecutive matches against the Galaxy, with five wins and four draws. No team, according to the MLS website, has ever gone 10 straight games without a defeat to the Galaxy.
Morris is coming off the first four-goal performance in Sounders history, as he accomplished the feat last week. Teammate Leo Chu had four assists.
–Field Level Media