90min
·5 May 2024
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Yahoo sports90min
·5 May 2024
LA Galaxy will hope to return to winning ways Sunday afternoon when they square off against Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field.
The Galaxy came up short last time out on the road against Austin FC, falling 2-0 at Q2 Stadium last Saturday. Greg Vanney's side were unable to put away the chances they created and were punished by an Austin team that had something to prove against one of the top teams in MLS.
Vanney will look to remain with his preferred 4-3-3 system and will be without his first-choice striker Dejan Joveljic, who will miss the second straight game with a thigh injury and is out of action until late May. Miguel Berry is expected to step up and take on the bulk of the minutes up front while Joveljic remains sidelined.
Star midfielder Riqui Puig will start in the middle of the park, but the former Barcelona player is sitting on four yellow cards and faces a one-game suspension if he's shown one more yellow card -- meaning Vanney might substitute him out of the game in the second half if the Galaxy have the three points secured.
Here's how the Gs could lineup in their Western Conference clash against Seattle.
Jalen Neal starts in defense / Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
GK: John McCarthy - The former LAFC shot-stopper starts in between the sticks for the Galaxy and will look to keep his second clean sheet of the season.
RB: Miki Yamane - Yamane continues to settle in to the LA squad in his first season in Major League Soccer.
CB: Maya Yoshida - The veteran defender leads the Galaxy defense alongside his fellow Japan international Yamane.
CB: Jalen Neal - With Martin Caceres' poor showing against Austin, the young Neal gets a chance to cement himself back into the XI for the first time this term.
LB: Julian Aude - The young Argentinian remains the Galaxy's best option at left-back and has been solid in 2024 thus far.
CM: Marco Delgado - Delgado patrols the midfield alongside Brugman to make sure the Galaxy are in check and not exposed during counter-attacks and similar situations.
CM: Gaston Brugman - Brugman keeps everything ticking in the middle of the park and allows Puig to roam freely in the attacking third.
CM: Riqui Puig - LA's best player starts in the midfield but will have to be careful not to pick up a yellow card against the strong midfield of Albert Rusnak and Josh Atencio.
RW: Gabriel Pec - The former Vasco da Gama figure hopes to add to his three goals on the season against a middle-of-the-pack Seattle defense.
ST: Miguel Berry - Berry is given another start up front due to Joveljic's injury, and Diego Fagundez could see minutes in the center-forward role should Berry prove to be ineffective.
LW: Joseph Paintsil - One of the league's most exciting players gets the nod at left-wing.