CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy could have the perfect elixir to their current malaise following Wednesday’s disappointing 3-3 tie with Real Salt Lake.
“What better way than to face one of the best players in the world?” Galaxy midfielder Baggio Husidic said about Kaka, the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year who has eight goals and eight assists this season for Orlando City, Sunday’s opponent for the Galaxy (10-4-14, 44 points) at StubHub Center (4 p.m., Fox Sports 1). “We want to get that tie out of our heads as soon as possible.”
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Sunday will mark the second-ever meeting between the sides. The first one occurred May 17, 2015 in Orlando, where the first-year franchise routed the Galaxy 4-0.
Husidic has particularly vivid memories of that game, and not so much because of the final score. He was asked to play left back that day because of injuries to Robbie Rogers and former Galaxy standout Todd Dunivant and former Galaxy right back Dan Gargan couldn’t play because of yellow-card accumulation.
“It was hot, really hot,” he recalled about last year’s meeting. “We were all slipping on that turf for some reason.”
Husidic figures to be back at his normal midfield position Sunday and shouldn’t have any problems with the StubHub pitch. But the Galaxy could have problems with Orlando City (7-7-13, 34 points), which has won its last two games – both on the road, at Montreal and New York – and is 2-1-2 in its last five games.
Orlando City, now coached by Jason Kreis, also will be boosted by the returns of Cyle Larin and Kevin Molino from international call-ups (Canada and Trinidad and Tobago, respectively). Larin leads the club with 13 goals, including two game-winners. Molino has nine goals and seven assists.
“It’s going to be a tough team,” Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said. “But anytime you have one of the leading goal scorers in the league and arguably one of the best players in Kaka and a great playmaker, it makes for a tough afternoon.
“It’s going to be a real battle.”
A rash of injuries hit the Galaxy hard in September that claimed Gyasi Zardes (broken foot, out for the rest of the regular season), center back Jelle Van Damme (sprained knee ligament) and Steven Gerrard (hamstring). Robbie Keane said he’s ready to go after nursing a strained groin and Landon Donovan could be on the 18-man roster after ending his retirement this week.
The 34-year-old Donovan, however, said he won’t do anything foolish. But he is anxious to see his first playing time in 20 months.
“Mentally and ego-wise, yeah, I think I’m ready,” he said. “I’ve got to manage what I want to do versus what’s smart. The reason I’m here is to help and hopefully win a championship.
“You can’t win a championship by playing a few minutes on Sunday, but I can certainly do something stupid and jeopardize my role here. We’ll be smart about it.”
StubHub Center | Carson, California
Sunday, September 11 | Week #27 | MLS Game #282
4 pm EP
A star-filled night is ahead in a meeting of two teams in the thick of the chase for places in the MLS Cup Playoffs when the LA Galaxy meet Orlando City SC on Sunday afternoon at StubHub Center before an FS1 audience. The Galaxy sit in a tie for second place in the Western Conference, coming off a dramatic 3-3 draw at Real Salt Lake at midweek -- and will be welcoming MLS all-time leading scorer Landon Donovan back from retirement for the match. Orlando City kicked off their road swing with a 4-1 win at the Montreal Impact also at midweek as one-time FIFA World Player of the Year Kaká netted two goals -- putting OCSC above the red line as they bid to reach the MLS postseason for the first time.
- The LA Galaxy used a pair of impressive strikes to beat Columbus Crew SC, 2-1, at home during Week 26 action. LA have a midweek game against Real Salt Lake before this meeting with Orlando City.
- Orlando City SC also have a midweek road match on the schedule, as they play the Montreal Impact before heading to StubHub Center. Orlando's most recent match was a 2-1 victory over New York City FC on Aug. 28.
- This is the first and only meeting between the two teams during the 2016 regular season.
REFEREE: Ismail Elfath. AR1 (bench): Matthew Nelson; AR2 (opposite): Ian Anderson; 4th: Allen Chapman
MLS Career: 78 games; FC/gm: 24.8; Y/gm: 3.1; R: 18; pens: 21
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: LA: Jelle Van Damme -- ORL: David Mateos, Carlos Rivas, Brek Shea
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: LA: A.J. DeLaGarza, Jeff Larentowicz -- ORL: Servando Carrasco, Seb Hines
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (1 meeting): Galaxy 0 wins, 0 goals -- Orlando City 1 win, 4 goals -- Ties 0
AT STUBHUB CENTER: First meeting.
LAST YEAR (MLS)
5/17: ORL 4, LA 0 (Avila 12; Larin 34; Kaka 56; Ceren 73)
- The teams met once during Orlando City SCís inaugural season. Eric Avila, Cyle Larin, Kak· and Darwin Ceren all scored as City strolled to a 4-0 win May 17 in Orlando.
- Coaches record: Bruce Arena vs. ORL: P1 W0 L1 T0 -- Jason Kreis vs. LA: P18 W7 L7 T4