LA Galaxy vs. New York City FC
2017 MLS Regular Season - Week 23
StubHub Center - Carson, Calif.
Saturday, August 12 – 11 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN2, ESPN Deportes in USA; MLS LIVE in Canada
It's the same refrain for every LA Galaxy home match for the last two months: If the Galaxy want to make a serious push for the playoffs (they're nine points adrift of the final playoff spot in the West), they have to win their home games. With a 1W-6L-4D record at StubHub Center, the Galaxy still own the league's worst home record and they happen to be welcoming one of the best road teams in MLS in New York City FC (4W-6L-1D away record), who traveled to LA three days before the match.
While New York City FC's starting XI has been fairly established over recent weeks (only Maxi Moralez is unavailable due to suspension), LA head coach Sigi Schmid will have interesting decisions to make: Is Jonathan Dos Santos ready to start? Does Jermaine Jones move to center back? Does the team shift to a five-man backline for more protection?
LA Galaxy
- Suspended: DF Jelle Van Damme (2-match suspension for red card and yellow card accumulation)
- Suspended next yellow card:FW Romain Alessandrini
- International duty:None
- Injury Report: OUT — MF Baggio Husidic (fractured fibula), MF Sebastian Lletget (foot surgery), DF Robbie Rogers (season-ending ankle injury); QUESTIONABLE — Romain Alessandrini (left knee irritation)
Projected Starting XI (5-3-2, right to left): Brian Rowe — Pele Van Anholt, Daniel Steres, Jermaine Jones, Dave Romney, Ashley Cole — Joao Pedro, Jonathan Dos Santos, Romain Alessandrini — Giovani Dos Santos, Gyasi Zardes
New York City FC
- Suspended: MF Maxi Moralez
- Suspended next yellow card: MF Yangel Herrera, MF Alex Ring, DF Ethan White
- International duty:None
- Injury Report: OUT — FW Miguel Camargo, DF Maxime Chanot (osteitis pubis inflammation), DF Ronald Matarrita (non-displaced hip fracture), MF James Sands (right ASIS apophysitis injury)
Projected Starting XI (4-3-3, right to left): Sean Johnson — Ethan White, Frederic Brillant, Alexander Callens, Ben Sweat — Tommy McNamara, Alex Ring, Yangel Herrera — Jack Harrison, David Villa, Jonathan Lewis
All-Time Series
Saturday night will be the third all-time meeting between these two clubs with the home team winning each of the two previous matches. The LA Galaxy won handily in 2015, while New York City FC got their revenge last August on a David Villa goal.
- All-Time (2 regular season matches): LA Galaxy 1W-1L-0D (5 GF / 2 GA); NYCFC 1W-1L-0D (2 GF / 5 GA)
- In LA (1 regular season matches): LA Galaxy 1W-0L-0D (5 GF / 1 GA); NYCFC 0W-1L-0D (1 GF / 5 GA)
Referees
Referee: Robert Sibiga
Assistant Referees: Jeremy Hanson (bench side), Jonathan Johnson (far side)
Fourth Official: Alejandro Mariscal
Video Assistant Referee (VAR): Timothy Ford
