CARSON, Calif. – Following 34 games over the course of nine months, whether the LA Galaxy continue their 2016 campaign will depend on the outcome of a single match.
Los Angeles begin the 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs on Wednesday when they host Real Salt Lake in a win-or-go-home Knockout Round match at StubHub Center. After a season that saw the Galaxy finish in third place in the Western Conference—and set a new club record in draws— with a 12-6-16 record, the team is ready to flip the switch to the postseason.
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“This is what it is all about. You still get that excited feeling about trying to win a championship. I’m excited for it,” forward Alan Gordon, who has scored three goals in his last six appearances with the Galaxy, said. “We’ve got no excuses, and we’re ready to go. We have a lot of veterans on this field; we have a lot of champions on this team. … We’ve got guys that are winners.”
The match reunites old rivals who have met in the postseason in four out of the last seven years.
Los Angeles bounced Salt Lake from the postseason in 2012 and 2014, while RSL defeated the Galaxy in 2013 and the 2009 MLS Cup. In each of the four meetings, the winner either advanced to the MLS Cup final or won the title after winning the series.
In addition to traditional stalwarts Nick Rimando, Kyle Beckerman, and Javier Morales, Salt Lake are led by strikers Joao Plata (nine goals and 11 assists) and Yura Movsisyan (nine goals and three assists).
“They’re always a good team. They play; we play, so that’s good,” Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said. “If you look at their strengths, I think you always got to talk about Nick Rimando and Kyle Beckerman, a leader in the midfield. They have a variety of good attacking players, and Joao Plata has had a very good year.
“Teams always come defensive here. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s part of the plan with Salt Lake, but you have to be ready for everything. We’re going to get the team on the field ready to play.”
Added forward Giovani dos Santos, “They have a very solid team, and I expect a really tough game against them. It’s a different game; they’re a good team. We’re hoping for another great game.”
After a rollercoaster of a season that Arena described as “awkward” after the final match against Dallas, the Galaxy boss believes his squad is right where they need to be.
“To be still standing, having our heads above water at this point proves that we’ve been able to cope with the different injuries and issues that we’ve had. So that’s a positive,” Arena said. “But it doesn’t matter now; we’re down to one game.”
2016 Western Conference Knockout Round
StubHub Center | Carson, California
Wednesday, Oct. 26
10:30 pm ET (Spectrum SportsNet, UniMás, TSN1, TSN5, MLS LIVE, RDS2)
The Lowdown
One of the best Western Conference rivalries will write another chapter on Wednesday with the LA Galaxy hosting Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference Knockout Round of the Audi 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs. The teams, which faced off against each other in the 2009 MLS Cup final, with Real Salt Lake winning their first MLS Cup title in a penalty shootout, are aiming to find a run and surprise the Western Conference field.
But first, they must win the Knockout Round clash. LA hold the edge across all historical measures, including a 3-1-1 edge in the playoffs, and the Galaxy are the higher seed in the game. RSL, who have struggled to score following a wild 3-3 draw against LA in September, will look to have their shooting boots on for the most important game of the season.
LA Galaxy Snapshot
- 2016 Regular Season Finish: West No. 3 seed (12-6-16 record, 52 pts / 8-1-8 home record)
- Current Form: D-W-L-L-D
- Strengths: Experience, star power, combined with a club with considerable recent experience winning MLS Cup (2011, 2012, 2014).
- Weaknesses: Inconsistency, injuries, suspensions throughout the season
- Injuries/Suspensions: Gyasi Zardes (foot) - status unknown; Steven Gerrard (hamstring) - status unknown; Robbie Keane (undisclosed injury) - status unknown
- Player to Watch: Giovani dos Santos: Galaxy's MVP candidate will be called upon to raise his game in MLS to even greater heights
- Probable Starting XI: Brian Rowe; Robbie Rogers, AJ DeLaGarza, Jelle Van Damme, Ashley Cole; Baggio Husidic, Jeff Larentowicz; Landon Donovan, Giovani dos Santos, Sebastian Lletget; Robbie Keane
Real Salt Lake Snapshot
- 2016 Regular Season Finish: West No. 6 seed (12-12-10 record, 46 pts / 4-11-2 away record)
- Current Form: L-D-L-D-L
- Strengths: Experience through the spine of the team, combined with balanced play; At their best, entire team plays good defense and is involved in numbers in attack.
- Weaknesses: Inability to score in final months of season; No wins since Aug. 24.
- Injuries/Suspensions: Aaron Maund (toe) -- Out; Jeff Attinella (elbow) -- Out; Emery Welshman (hip) -- Out; Yura Movsisyan (heel) -- Probable
- Player to Watch: Joao Plata: The diminuitive attacker has been capable of carrying RSL's attack at times. They may need that kind of effort out of him against LA.
- Probable Starting XI: Nick Rimando; Tony Beltran, Jamison Olave, Justen Glad, Chris Wingert; Kyle Beckerman, Luke Mulholland, Sunny Stephen; Juan Manuel Martinez, Yura Movsisyan, Joao Plata
Match Essentials
Referee: Alan Kelly
Assistant Referees: Matthew Nelson (AR1-bench); Brian Dunn (AR2-opposite)
4th Official: Kevin Stott
LA vs. RSL Head-to-Head
All-Time (33 meetings):
LA Galaxy 13 wins, 51 goals • Real Salt Lake 12 wins, 53 goals • Ties 8
All-Time Playoff Meetings:
LA 3 wins • Real Salt Lake 1 win • Ties 1
All-Time in LA (17 meetings):
LA Galaxy 10 wins, 29 goals • Real Salt Lake 6 wins, 26 goals • Ties 1
2016 Meetings (2 meetings):
LA 5, RSL 2
(Apr. 23);
RSL 3, LA 3
(Sept. 7)
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog atwww.LAGalaxy.com/Insiderand contact him atLAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com
