Minnesota United FC vs. LA Galaxy | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Minnesota United FC vs. LA Galaxy
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 34
TCF Bank Stadium — Minneapolis
October 21 — 5 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

The LA Galaxy will look to move above the playoff line in the Western Conference, while Minnesota United FC will try and play spoilers in their home finale Sunday afternoon.

The Galaxy are coming off a 1-1 draw against Sporting Kansas City, their third match without defeat, while the Loons fell to the Colorado Rapids, 2-0, and have been outscored, 7-1, in back-to-back defeats.

This is the second league meeting this season, with the sides finishing deadlocked at two on August 11. After Romain Alessandrini scored the lone goal of the first half on seven minutes, Michael Boxall equalized in the 64th minute. Sebastian Lletget gave the Galaxy their second lead in the 73rd minute, but Romario Ibarra leveled 11 minutes later.

Minnesota United FC

A week after being officially eliminated from playoff contention, Minnesota (11-18-3) dropped a second straight game, falling to the Rapids at home last Saturday.

Missed opportunities early proved costly for the Loons, who conceded twice after halftime as Yannick Boli scored the opening goal just part the hour mark and Niki Jackson tacked on a goal deep in second-half stoppage time.

“We started quite well, and we had two great chances, two glorious opportunities from Ángelo [Rodríguez] and Darwin [Quintero],” Adrian Heath said. “And, I’ve said it a million times, goals change games. At this moment in time, with the way that we’re playing, we need to take them opportunities when they come, to give the team confidence to move on from there. But we didn’t, and I said at halftime that I thought the first goal was going to be crucial today, and they got that opportunity, and took it.”

Suspended: M - Harrison Heath, D - Alexi Gomez
Suspended after next caution: M - Miguel Ibarra
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: M - Sam Cronin (cervicogenic dysfunction), M - Kevin Molino (torn left ACL), M - Ethan Finlay (torn ACL), GK - Bobby Shuttleworth (back injury); QUESTIONABLE: F - Romario Ibarra (hamstring injury), F - Abu Danladi (right leg injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Matt Lampson — Jerome Thiesson, Michael Boxall, Brent Kallman, Francisco Calvo — Fernando Bob, Maximiniano — Miguel Ibarra, Darwin Quintero, Alexi Gomez — Angelo Rodriguez

LA Galaxy

The Galaxy (12-11-9) continued their late-season playoff push with a 1-1 draw against Sporting Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Park on Oct. 6.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic put the visitors in front with a 25th-minute penalty kick, his 21st goal of the season. After Daniel Steres had a goal called back on Video Review, Johnny Russell leveled late as the teams shared the needed points.

“We gutted it out. We got a little bit of luck. But then on the other side of it, we had some good moments where we could have been 2-0 at halftime. I didn’t see the VAR. I won’t speak about that,” Dominic Kinnear said. “But even in the second half, we were breaking. We were just misconnecting our passes and it put more pressure on us and we couldn’t really get out. At times when we did, we looked pretty comfortable. Give credit to them, they were kind of putting their foot on the gas. Give credit to us, we defended for everything.”

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

Projected Starting XI
(4-1-4-1, right to left)
GK: David Bingham — Rolf Feltscher, Daniel Steres, Dave Romney, Ashley Cole — Jonathan dos Santos — Ema Boateng, Sebastian Lletget, Ola Kamara, Romain Alessandrini — Zlatan Ibrahimovic

All-Time Series

Overall: Minnesota United 0 wins, 3 goals … LA Galaxy 1 win, 7 goals …. 1 draw
At Minnesota: Minnesota United 0 wins, 1 goal … Galaxy 1 win, 2 goals … 0 draws
Last meeting at Minnesota: Minnesota United 1, LA Galaxy 2 (May 21, 2017)