Mary C Posted June 18, 2022 Share Posted June 18, 2022 POTENTIAL STARTING LINEUPS: LOS ANGELES GALAXY: GK | Jonathan Bond LB | Raheem Edwards RB | Julián Araujo CB | Nick DePuy CB | Derrick Williams MF | Rayan Raveloson MF | Marco Delgado MF | Efraín Álvarez CF | Javier Hernández F | Kévin Cabral F | Samuel Grandsir PORTLAND TIMBERS: GK | Aljaz Ivacic LB | Justin Rasmussen RB | José Van Rankin CB | Dario Župarić CB | Larrys Mabiala MF | Yimmi Chará MF | George Fochive MF | Cristhian Paredes CF | Tega Ikoba F | Dairon Asprilla F | Nathan Fogaça The three-week wait is finally over, and it is now time to return to the Major League Soccer campaign, with the Los Angeles Galaxy vs the Portland Timbers this Sunday, June 19, 5 AM (PST). The matchup will be hosted in Portland’s home stadium, the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. So far, LA Galaxy has been holding up their own this season with seven wins, two draws, and five losses, racking up a total of 23 points. Despite heavily relying on Center Forward Chicharito last season, the team has grown to be more balanced since then. Previously, they had shown their offensive prowess by defeating Austin FC with a 4-1 score, moving them up to fifth place in the Western Conference, just above Nashville. Furthermore, they truly showcased their talents last May when they carried a 3-1 victory against arch-rivals LAFC in Round 16 of the U.S. Open Cup. This is due to the talented rooster that they have built up for themselves. Players that the Timbers should watch out for in this game are team lead scorers Hernández, Joveljic, and Álvarez. Samuel Grandsir and Raheem Edwards are both team-lead assists with three. Unfortunately, the Galaxy has a handful of players out due to injuries, including Adam Saldana, Jorge Villafana, Sacha Kljestan, Sega Coulibaly, Douglas Costa, and Eriq Zavaleta. Over on Portland's side, the team has not been doing so well and is currently holding 12th place in the Western Conference with only three wins, three draws, and a disappointing six losses. So far, it is looking like it will take a whole lot of willpower from the Timbers if they want to advance to the level of Galaxy and possibly beat them in this series. According to manager Savarese, Portland is lacking in its defensive position and playstyle as they have left many spaces open for attack and conceded many goals. Unfortunately, Portland has only won once this year away from home, and hopefully this game, the home field, could give them the advantage. In terms of injuries from the Portland Timbers, players: Williamson, David Bingham, Blake Bodily, Claudio Bravo, George Fochive, Diego Gutierrez, and Jaroslaw Niezgoda are all sitting out this game. Overall, the upcoming matchup seems to be a no-brainer as the Portland Timbers have had a terribly rocky start and are unable to get back on their feet thus far while the LA Galaxy has been able to keep a steady rhythm and pace with winning their games. Therefore, the odds are in favor of the LA Galaxy for this game. 5:00 AM (PST), Wednesday, June 19, 2022. Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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