Pregame Notes: Philadelphia Union vs LA Galaxy

PHILADELPHIA UNION vs LA GALAXY
PPL PARK, Chester, Pa.
May 15, 2013 (WEEK 12, MLS Game #103)
7:30 p.m. ET (CSN-Phi; TWCSN-LA/TWCD, 1330 AM; LIVECHAT)

Philadelphia Union will be looking to win at home for the first time in nearly two months when they entertain an LA Galaxy side starting a two-game East Coast trip on Wednesday evening at PPL Park. Union are coming off a 1-0 win at Chicago that ended a three-game winless run; their last home win came March 16 vs. New England. The Galaxy are coming off back-to-back losses, starting this three-game road swing with a 3-1 loss at Vancouver last weekend.

REFEREE: Ismail Elfath. AR1 (bench): Craig Lowry; AR2 (opposite): James Conlee; 4th: Chris Penso
MLS Career: 11 games; FC/gm: 24.2; Y/gm: 2.6; R: 4; pens: 6

DISABLED LIST: none
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: none
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: PHI: Conor Casey … LA: Marcelo Sarvas
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (MLS) (5 meetings): Union 1 wins, 4 goals … Galaxy 3 wins, 7 goals … Ties 1
AT PHILADELPHIA (2 meetings): Union 0 wins, 1 goal … Galaxy 1 win, 2 goals … Ties 1

LAST YEAR (MLS):
7/4: LA 1, PHI 2 (Barrett 73 – McInerney 46+; M. Farfan 95+)

• Union won the only meeting between the clubs a year ago, a 2-1 victory at The Home Depot Center behind a late, late goal from Michael Farfan. It was Union’s first win against the Galaxy in five meetings all-time; LA hadwon the first three.
• Union have not defeated the Galaxy at PPL Park. The teams played to a 1-1 draw in Chester in their last meeting there in 2011; LA won at PPL Park in 2010.
• Coaches record: John Hackworth vs. LA: P1 W1 L0 D0 … Bruce Arena vs. PHI: P5 W3 L1 D1

LA GALAXY

The LA Galaxy lost for a second game on the trot, dropping a 3-1 decision to Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday afternoon at BC Place. The Galaxy are in a tie for fifth place in the Western Conference with 14 points from 9 matches.

LAST MATCH

The Galaxy pulled a goal back in the 86th minute through Gyasi Zardes, who headed home a Jose Villarreal cross from the right flank for his first MLS goal.

• The Galaxy have suffered back-to-back losses for the first time this season, and allowed three or more goals in a game for the first time since a 4-0 defeat by Seattle last Aug. 5.
• READ: LA Galaxy hoping to get nasty in order to snap losing streak
• After playing as an attacking wide midfielder in his last couple of starts, Landon Donovan moved into a more out-and-out striker’s role, alongside Jose Villarreal.
• “We don't have enough aggressive players on the ball in the last third of the field. It showed tonight ...” head coach Bruce Arena said. “Landon can be more aggressive on the ball. [Mike] Magee didn't have a particularly good game in the last part of the field, either. Those are guys we're counting on.”
• “I felt like I played OK,” Donovan said, “but Bruce and I spoke this week. I've got to get more chances on my own, and it's difficult. Teams do a good job on sort of keying in on a few of us. We got some sort of half-chances but no real chances, and I've got to do a better job of getting some better chances.”
• The Galaxy were without striker Robbie Keane for a fourth time in five games, still suffering from a sprained ankle. Keane has said he is aiming for the Union match to return.
• “He can create chances on his own,” Donovan said. “When Robbie's on the field, he takes some of that pressure [on specific attackers] off so that he's attracting attention, which sometimes leaves me with more space or Mike with more space or Juninho with more space, and then we get more chances.”
• Said Magee: “We’ve got to learn. The last few games have been a similar pattern in terms of not having the killer instinct and letting games get away from us. We’ve got to put the majority behind us, but the mistakes we made are mental. We have the ability there and we’ve got the right guys, even with Robbie gone, we’ve still got the right guys to get a win.”
• READ: Despite defensive breakdown in Vancouver, LA "doing a lot better than we were last year"
• Home Grown Player Gyasi Zardes scored his first professional goal after coming on for the final quarter of the match, in place of Marcelo Sarvas. Zardes was making his third appearance in the first team.
• “It is definitely a blessing. It felt great getting that goal. It was unfortunate that they scored, but it was definitely a blessing getting that goal,” Zardes said.
• READ: Gyasi Zardes hopes first goal is the start of big things for LA Galaxy

PHILADELPHIA UNION

Philadelphia Union won for the first time in three matches, getting the game’s only goal for a 1-0 win against the Chicago Fire on Saturday afternoon at Toyota Park. Union sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 15 points from 10 matches.

LAST MATCH

Union goalkeeper Zac MacMath made six saves for the shutout behind a makeshift Philadelphia back four.

“It’s really not too different. Soumare is a big guy and he likes to win balls in the air, and he did a really good job saving some balls and getting in the way,” said MacMath. “I think his veteran experience helped us today, winning balls and communicating to the back line.”