Starting XI

David Bingham; Dave Romney, Daniel Steres, Jorgen Skjelvik, Ashley Cole ©; Servando Carrasco, Jonathan dos Santos; Chris Pontius, Sebastian Lletget, Romain Alessandrini; Ola Kamara.

Bench

Justin Vom Steeg, Michael Ciani, Sheanon Williams, Perry Kitchen, Baggio Husidic, Ariel Lassiter, Emmanuel Boateng.

Lineup Notes

• A Saturday night contest in the Rocky Mountains as the LA Galaxy face the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
• LA Galaxy Head Coach Sigi Schmid will shuffle his lineup to adjust to the absence of Ibrahimovic, with Ola Kamara as the lone striker up top.
• In net, David Bingham continues in net for the Galaxy after playing every minute between the pipes for LA this season, posting six shutouts and recording 86 saves on the year.
• Defender Dave Romney will start his 15^th game this season for the Galaxy while playing in multiple positions for LA this year. Romney has notched 60 MLS appearances since joining the club from LA Galaxy II.
• In the center of defense is Daniel Steres, who has 57 previous MLS starts to his name. Steres was one of the most consistent fixtures in the Galaxy starting XI in previous seasons, and will make his eighth start of the year.
• The athletic Norwegian defender Jorgen Skjelvik will make the start, joining Bingham as the only two players to start in all 22 previous MLS contests this year. Skjelvik has been a steady presence in the back and has the highest ratio of consonants to vowels in his last name of anyone else ever.
• On the left is captain Ashley Cole, who leads the Galaxy in assists this year with six on the season, the most of any defender in MLS.
• Midfielder Servando Carrasco gets the nod in the center of the field alongside Jonathan dos Santos in Colorado. Carrasco joined this offseason and has been a solid contributor when called upon throughout the year.
• Also in the center of the field is Jonathan dos Santos, one of the top central midfielders in MLS who is coming off a strong performance vs. Orlando on Sunday night and a midweek appearance at the MLS All-Star Game in Atlanta.
• On the right is Chris Pontius, an MLS veteran who has played a key role for the Galaxy this year while scoring five goals and adding four assists. In total, Pontius has tallied 50 goals and 33 assist during his MLS tenure.
• In a playmaking role, Sebastian Lletget returns to the lineup in his first start since June 9. Lletget is one of the most talented Galaxy players on the ball and will add a different dimension to LA’s attack.
• On the left is the Frenchman Romain Alessandrini, who has been coming into strong form in recent weeks. This year, Alessandrini has six goals and five assists, bringing his MLS total to 19 goals and 17 assists since last year.
• Up top is the workhorse Ola Kamara, who continues to finish at a high level, registering nine goals on the campaign. Kamara now has 43 total goals in three years in MLS.

Additional lineup notes:

• Giovani dos Santos withheld from the starting XI due to a minor knock. Michael Ciani and Perry Kitchen out of the XI due to squad rotation.

Game Notes

• The Galaxy are 10-7-5 on the year, with 43 goals scored and 36 goals conceded.
• This season on the road, the Galaxy have gone 4-3-4 while scoring 19 goals and allowing 17.
• All time, LA have gone 37-25-10 against the Colorado Rapids.
• The Galaxy enter Sunday’s contest on an nine-game unbeaten streak in which they have scored 25 goals.
• The Galaxy are 3-0-3 when leading at halftime and 6-0-3 when scoring the first goal of the match.
  • Conversely, they are 4-5-1 when trailing at half and 4-7-1 when conceding first this year.
• LA have won four-straight come-from-behind contests.

Storylines

• Can the Galaxy go unbeaten in their 10^th-straight game?
• How will a shifted formation fare on the road?
• Where will the goals come from minus Zlatan?
• Can the backline bounce back from conceding three goals last Sunday?
• How will the altitude affect the match?

Quick Hits

• Match Preview pres. by Welch's Fruit Snacks
• LA Galaxy 2019 Season Ticket Memberships are now available
• Zlatan Ibrahimovic makes calls to renewed Season Ticket Members
• Bid to win signed LA Galaxy cleats, benefiting Power Soccer

John Denver Lyrics – Rocky Mountain High

He was born in the summer of his 27th year

Coming home to a place he'd never been before

He left yesterday behind him, you might say he was born again

You might say he found a key for every door

When he first came to the mountains his life was far away

On the road and hanging by a song

But the string's already broken and he doesn't really care

It keeps changing fast and it don't last for long

But the Colorado rocky mountain high

I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky

The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullabye

Rocky mountain high (Colorado)

He climbed cathedral mountains, he saw silver clouds below

He saw everything as far as you can see

And they say that he got crazy once and he tried to touch the sun

And he lost a friend but kept his memory

Now he walks in quiet solitude the forest and the streams

Seeking grace in every step he takes

His sight has turned inside himself to try and understand

The serenity of a clear blue mountain lake

And the Colorado rocky mountain high

I've seen it raining fire in the sky

You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply

Rocky mountain high

• John Denver (1972)