LA Galaxy v Vancouver Whitecaps Preview

KEY PLAYERS

Attacking

After missing some games due to international duty Russell Teibert returns to the Whitecaps for the match against the Galaxy. It was the game against L.A. in early May that Teibert broke through with his two goal performance. Look for him to return to the right side where he will make his runs at the net as well as providing service to his teammates.

Due to international duty the Caps avoided having to deal with the scoring ability of Robbie Keane in the last match. The Irishman is an injury doubt for this one but if he plays, he will be LA's key player. In the three regular season trips to LA the striker has two goals and two assists against Vancouver. In his last four games this season Keane has two goals and four assists and has become more of a facilitator as he has almost matched his assist totals from last year.

Defence

After a couple of average outings and an extended break from an Eastern trip, Y.P. Lee regained the form that is expected from the world class player. There wasn't a player from the Fire that could break him down defensively and he got forward for a couple of chances. With Teibert returning from the national team, the two will look to pick up where they left off in late June.

Another key player who was missing from their first matchup this season was left back Todd Dunivant who has been dealing with a couple of injuries. The 2003 first round pick is a solid defender being named to the best XI of 2011 and a three time winner of the MLS Cup. He is also a threat going forward where he is able to send in some good crosses and make dangerous runs into the box.

WHO?S ON FORM

After an off game against Seattle, Camilo returned back to form with two great individual plays that led to his brace. In his last nine games the Brazilian has scored ten times and assisted on three others and he is now in the top spot for the Golden Boot race. He has already matched his totals from 2011 when he led the team in goals and has done it in half the games played.

Normally a provider, central midfielder Marcelo Sarvas has become a goal scorer of late with three goals in his last four starts. It has moved him to become the second in the team for scoring and has also doubled his totals from last season.

PROJECTED LINEUP

Vancouver Whitecaps (4-3-3) Brad Knighton; Lee Young-Pyo, Brad Rusin, Johnny Leveron, Jordan Harvey; Jun Marques Davidson, Gershon Koffie, Nigel Reo-Coker; Russell Teibert, Kenny Miller, Camilo Sanvezzo

Los Angeles Galaxy (4-4-2) Carlo Cudicini; Sean Franklin, Omar Gonzalez, A.J. DeLaGarza, Todd Dunivant; Hector Jimenez, Juninho, Marcelo Sarvas, Robbie Rogers; Robbie Keane, Gyasi Zardes

2013 RECORD

Vancouver Whitecaps:
9W-5D-5L-32P
3rd in Western Conference
Last Match: 3-1 Win v Chicago Fire

Los Angeles:
9W-3D-8L-30P
5th in Western Conference
Last Match: 2-1 Loss at Portland Timbers

OVERVIEW

After a couple of games at home, Vancouver Whitecaps return to the road as they travel to Southern California to face Los Angeles Galaxy. This will be their second meeting of the season as the Caps, led by a Russell Teibert brace, finally beat the Galaxy 3-1 at B.C. Place.

Prior to that match the Caps had never beaten the 'cornerstone' franchise in MLS. In their three regular season trips to the newly named StubHub Center the Caps hadn't scored a goal before Darren Mattocks tallied one in their first round match of last year?s playoffs but the home win in May has led to a resurgence and new found self belief against teams like LA and away from home in general.

The Whitecaps will start Brad Knighton in goal once again. He was a few seconds away from picking up his third clean sheet in four matches last week before letting his anger show in conceding a stoppage time goal. The two full backs on the backline will be Lee Young-Pyo and Jordan Harvey. There had been a hope that Andy O?Brien would be fit enough to return but he is still not ready and Brad Rusin will continue to partner Johnny Leveron in the middle.

The midfield will remain the same. Jun Marques Davidson returns as the holding mid with Gershon Koffie and Nigel Reo-Coker in front of him. If fit, Russell Teibert should get straight back into the starting eleven and play alongside Camilo and Kenny Miller up front. The trio hope to quickly reform the dangerous attack force that they were before the Gold Cup.

The Galaxy have had a tough start to the season with the retirement of David Beckham and Landon Donovan missing for the beginning of the season but the biggest loss occurred when they traded Mike Magee after ten games. While they are one of the top scoring teams in MLS, since the trade of Magee for Rogers their totals have dropped.

In their first ten games the Galaxy had scored 17 goals while after the transaction they have scored 13 times in the same number of games. When it comes to points, the results have been the same as L.A. have picked up 13 of their 30 points after the trade.

While they are relatively healthy, the defending champs are without captain Landon Donovan, who is with the US on international duty for the Gold Cup. It was looking like their best defender Omar Gonzalez would also be away but unfortunately for the Caps, he has been allowed to stay behind for this match. Robbie Keane is also a serious injury concern after coming off last week amid concerned faces.

While the Whitecaps' previous form in LA will probably still see them going into this match as underdogs, they are one of the hottest teams in MLS, picking up 23 out of their last 30 points. Included in that run were two road wins against New York and D.C. United but they have yet to win one away from home in the West.

The Caps will attempt to keep their rise trending upwards in the Western Conference with another result against a tough team. Despite the struggles of L.A. this season they still have the champion's mentality as the defending MLS Cup holders so the Caps must carry their momentum on the road.

Source: http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?4798-LA-Galaxy-v-Vancouver-Whitecaps-Preview

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