Match Preview presented by Welch's Fruit Snacks: LA Galaxy hope to head into World Cup with a win over RSL

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Having won three in a row and four of their last five games, Real Salt Lake are red-hot as they head to Carson to face an LA Galaxy side that is coming off a 1-1 draw against the Portland Timbers at Providence Park.

Match Preview presented by Welch's Fruit Snacks: LA Galaxy hope to head into World Cup with a win over RSL -

Real Salt Lake enters this weekend looking to get a result in three straight trips to the StubHub Center for just the second time in franchise history (last done from 2007-09). They have earned a win and draw in their last two games there.



LA Galaxy


The LA Galaxy (5-7-2) got off to a great start as Chris Pontius put the visitors in front in the 20th minute with his second goal of the season, but Diego Valeri leveled for Portland from the penalty spot in a 1-1 draw last Saturday.


On Wednesday, the Galaxy defeated FC Golden State Force in the Fourth Round of the U.S. Open Cup. Back from injury, Bradford Jamieson IV opened his account in the 15th minute and Ariel Lassiter struck for a brace.


“It’s always feel good scoring. It’s definitely a confidence boost,” Jamieson said. “It’s good to have things push through in the match. You do a lot on the training pitch… but at the end of the day, this is where it matters.”


  • Suspended: None
  • Suspended after next caution: M - Perry Kitchen 
  • International duty: F - Giovani dos Santos, M - Jonathan dos Santos
  • Injury Report: OUT: D - Rolf Feltscher (shoulder surgery)


Projected Starting XI(4-2-3-1, right to left) GK: David Bingham — Dave Romney, Michael Ciani, Jorgen Skjelvik, Ashley Cole — Servando Carrasco, Perry Kitchen — Romain Alessandrini, Sebastien Lletget, Ola Kamara — Zlatan Ibrahimovic


  • Notes: David Bingham recorded nine saves in the Galaxy’s 1-1 draw with Portland last weekend. Since 2010, only one player has had more in a MLS match (Jaime Penedo – 10 against Seattle in April 2015). … The Galaxy have lost four of their last five league home games (1W), getting outscored 10-5 in the process. They have allowed 3+ goals in three home games this year – they did so four times in all of 2017.


Real Salt Lake


Real Salt Lake (7-6-1) moved up to third place in the Western Conference following a 2-0 winover Seattle — their second victory over the Sounders a week apart. Corey Baird opened the scoring in the 57th minute and Luis Silva added a long distance stoppage-time clincher into an open net.


Mike Petke went with a reserve lineup and RSL suffered their first defeat since a league loss at Philadelphia, falling to defending U.S. Open Cup champion Sporting Kansas City2-0, in a Fourth Round match Wednesday night.


“I love the U.S. Open Cup for what it stands for, I hope to win it someday. I’ve never won it as a player or as a coach,” Petke said when asked why he didn’t use all three of his substitutions. “The thought process was, three games last week and LA is a big game for us in three days, so I didn’t want to risk any injury or continuation of tired legs.”


  • Suspended: None
  • Suspended after next caution: None
  • International duty: M - Albert Rusnak
  • Injury Report: OUT: D - Tony Beltran (right knee surgery), M - Jordan Allen (knee injury), GK - Alex Horwath (Achilles surgery), D - Shawn Barry (knee injury), D - Demar Phillips (ankle injury), M - Luke Mulholland (back injury); QUESTIONABLE: F - Joao Plata (back injury)


Projected Starting XI(4-2-3-1, right to left) GK: Nick Rimando — Brooks Lennon, Marcelo Silva, Justen Glad, Danilo Acosta — Kyle Beckerman, Sunny — Jefferson Savarino, Damir Kreilach, Sebastian Saucedo — Corey Baird


  • Notes: Real Salt Lake have already held two opponents without a shot on target this season. Only two teams did so more than once last season (Columbus Crew SC – four times, Toronto FC – twice). … Real Salt Lake’s 1-0 win in Seattle on May 26 snapped a 10-match road winless streak (8L-2D). They have not won consecutive away games in league play since last July-August.


All-Time Series


  • Overall: LA Galaxy 14 wins, 56 goals … Real Salt Lake 13 wins, 61 goals … 9 draws
  • At LA: Galaxy 10 wins, 32 goals … Real Salt Lake 7 wins, 31 goals … 2 draws
  • Last meeting at LA: LA Galaxy 1, Real Salt Lake 1 (Sept. 30, 2017)


Officials


Referee: Ted Unkel Assistant Referees: Kyle Atkins, Jeffrey Greeson 4th Official: Alejandro Mariscal VAR: Kevin Terry Jr