Starting XI presented by Modelo: LA Galaxy vs. Houston Dynamo | October 28, 2018

StartingXI 2018
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Starting XI presented by Modelo: LA Galaxy vs. Houston Dynamo | October 28, 2018 -

Starting XI


David Bingham; Rolf Feltscher, Daniel Steres, Dave Romney, Ashley Cole (c); Romain Alessandrini, Sebastian Lletget, Jonathan dos Santos, Emmanuel Boateng; Ola Kamara, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.


Bench


Justin Vom Steeg, Sheanon Williams, Jorgen Skjelvik, Servando Carrasco, Perry Kitchen, Baggio Husidic, Giovani dos Santos.


Lineup Notes


  • Decision Day! With one game left in the MLS Regular Season, the LA Galaxy must get a win against the Houston Dynamo to make it to the playoffs.
  • Sunday’s meeting will mark the second of the season between the two teams. In the first match in Houston, the Galaxy lost 3-2 to the Dynamo. Giovani dos Santos and Ola Kamara scored in the match.
  • Dominic Kinnear will trot out the same Starting XI as he did in Minnesota, also the same starting XI that he saw in the last two home matches against Seattle Sounders FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Each of those home contests resulted in 3-0 victories to the Galaxy.
  • In net, David Bingham will complete the 2018 MLS Regular Season with his 34th start, playing every minute with the LA Galaxy this season. Bingham has played all 34 games only twice in his eight-year MLS career, in 2015 and 2016 with the San Jose Earthquakes.
  • Rolf Feltscher will make a consecutive start at right back. Feltscher has assisted Ibrahimović in consecutive starts now for the Galaxy (Vancouver and Minnesota).
  • Anchoring the back line is Daniel Steres in a fifth straight start, tying a record for him this season.. Steres’ only other run of consecutive starts this season was a stretch of five starts that lasted from March 24 to April 21.
  • Dave Romney makes his 26th consecutive start of the season. The Galaxy are 10-7-9 when Dave Romney has played this season; that’s a PPG total higher than any other Galaxy defender. Last game, Romney passed his 2017 minutes (2249). He’s at 2,264 now.
  • Veteran Ashley Cole will captain the side from the left back position. Cole has recorded nine assists on the campaign this season, the most of any MLS defender and second to only Zlatan Ibrahimović on the Galaxy.
  • On the right is Romain Alessandrini. In his last 16 appearances, Alessandrini has scored or assisted in 15 of them. Alessandrini currently posts a .885 goals and assists per 90 (11g/7a). He finished with a .922 (13g/12a) in his first Galaxy campaign, but with fewer games less season is almost just as productive.
  • In the middle is Sebastian Lletget, who is ready to make his 82nd appearance in an LA Galaxy uniform. Lletget’s secondary assist on Ola Kamara’s goal against Minnesota was an underrated thing of beauty, and is a great example of how Lletget has been thriving in the middle of the park as of late.
  • Next to Lletget is Jonathan dos Santos, one of the biggest keys to the LA Galaxy’s success in their late season run. The Galaxy are 11-7-4 with JDS on the field, the best PPG of any Galaxy player with over 10 appearances. Dos Santos has two goals and seven assists in 22 appearances in his first full season for the LA Galaxy.
  • On the left, the speedy and dangerous Emmanuel Boateng gets his 12th start of the season for the Galaxy. It’ll be Boateng’s fifth consecutive start, a season high for him. Boateng has recorded two goals and five assists this campaign, the same numbers he put up in 2016, his first season. He recorded four goals and two assists last season, but he’s played half as many minutes this season, and over 400 minutes less than 2016.
  • Up top is Ola Kamara, one of the Galaxy’s hardest working players. He’s also got 12 goals and 3 assists to his name this season. His third straight MLS season of 10+ goals.
  • Leading the way is Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The MLS MVP candidate got another goal and assist in last weekend’s win. He’s got 22 goals and ten assists in 26 appearances. His 1.40 goals/assists per game average is an MLS record. Ibra is two goals away from the LA Galaxy single-season scoring record, 24, set by Carlos Ruiz in 2002. 


Game Notes


  • The Galaxy are 13-11-9 on the year, with 64 goals scored and 61 goals conceded.
  • The Galaxy are the second-highest scoring team in the Western Conference.
  • This year, the Galaxy are 8-4-4 at home. Houston’s 1-10-5 record on the road is the second-worst in MLS.
  • Zlatan Ibrahimović averages 1.40 goals or assists per 90 minutes this season, an MLS record.
  • Romain Alessandrini has recorded a goal or an assist in 15 of his last 16 appearances.
  • Two goals allowed in the last four games from the Galaxy is their best four-game stretch of defense at any point this season.
  • This marks the first year since 2014 that three goalscorers for the Galaxy have notched 10 or more goals (Ibrahimovic/Kamara/Alessandrini – Keane/Zardes/Donovan)
  • The Galaxy are 6-1-6 when leading at halftime and 9-2-7 when scoring the first goal of the match.
    • Conversely, they are 4-8-1 when trailing at half and 4-9-1 when conceding first this year.
  • Heading into the weekend, LA Galaxy sit seventh in the Western Conference standings, one point off of 6th place Real Salt Lake.


Storylines


  • It’s a must-win for the Galaxy. Can they get the win in front of a sold-out Galaxy crowd?
  • Can the Galaxy put Houston away early?
  • Can Zlatan Ibrahimović earn more MLS MVP votes in his final regular season performance?
  • Can the Galaxy maintain their run of good defensive form?


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