LA Galaxy vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

LA Galaxy vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 31
StubHub Center — Carson, Calif.
Sept. 29 — 10 pm ET
WATCH: TSN 1/4, ESPN+

Two teams led by interim coaches desperate to climb above the playoff line in the Western Conference meet at the StubHub Center when the LA Galaxy host Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday night.

Three points below the playoff line, the Galaxy are coming off a 3-0 victory over sixth-place Seattle on Sunday at home, while the Whitecaps, four points below the line, fell 2-1 at home to FC Dallas, with the club parting ways with coach Carl Robinson two days later.

This is the second meeting this season with the teams playing to a goalless draw at BC Place on March 24.

LA Galaxy

The Galaxy (11-11-8) inched closer to a playoff berth with a comprehensive win over the Sounders at home Sunday.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the ninth minute and then helped set up Ola Kamara’s insurance goal in the 40th minute. Ema Boateng capped the scoring in the 52nd minute off Romain Alessandrini’s second assist of the game.

“It isn't breathing room, but it puts us back in the conversation,” Dominic Kinnear said. “And that was the message before the game, when were sitting around, talking: Let's not worry about what other teams are doing, let's try to get ourselves back into it.

“Obviously, when people [have been] talking about possibilities of making the playoffs, our name is never mentioned. Not that I take it personal; I can see where they're coming from. But with a win now, obviously, the conversation changes a little bit.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: D - Michael Ciani, F - Zlatan Ibrahimovic, D - Jorgen Skjelvik, D - Rolf Feltscher
International duty: None
Injury Report: QUESTIONABLE: F - Giovani dos Santos (undisclosed injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-2, right to left)
GK: David Bingham — Rolf Feltscher, Daniel Steres, Dave Romney, Ashley Cole — Ema Boateng, Jonathan dos Santos, Sebastian Lletget, Romain Alessandrini — Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ola Kamara

Vancouver Whitecaps

Vancouver (11-11-7) suffered a second consecutive defeat, dropping a 2-1 decision to FC Dallas at home on Sunday.

After Santiago Mosquera latched onto a Maxi Urruti set piece to put the visitors in front in the 42nd minute, Alphonso Davies beat three defenders before sending a cross into the box where Kei Kamara powerfully headed in the equalizer in the 66th minute. Three minutes from full time, though, an unmarked Michael Barrios flicked on an Urruti corner that Matt Hedges got on the end of at the far post for the winner.

Two days later, the club announced that Carl Robinson was relieved of his duties after five years as head coach.

“It’s never an easy decision to relieve your coaching staff, but this was a time where we felt it gave us the best chance to, for the most part, look at the longer term future, but also what we don’t want to do is to write off the playoff opportunity,” Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi said. “We have a group of players that we feel confident in and we’ve put Craig Dalrymple in to oversee that process.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: M - Cristian Techerea
International duty: None
Injury Report: QUESTIONABLE: D - Aaron Maund (right hip flexor strain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-2, right to left)
GK: Stefan Marinovic — Jake Nerwinski, Kendall Waston, Doneil Henry, Brett Levis — Cristian Techera, Aly Ghazal, Russell Teibert, Alphonso Davies — Kei Kamara, Yordy Reyna

All-Time Series

Overall: LA Galaxy 9 wins, 27 goals … Vancouver Whitecaps 5 wins, 16 goals … 5 draws
At LA: Galaxy 7 wins, 15 goals … Whitecaps 2 wins, 3 goals … 1 draw
Last meeting at LA: LA Galaxy 0, Vancouver Whitecaps 1 (July 19, 2017)