Galaxy’s Déjà Vu in the Roud of 16
Los Angeles set to face Portland in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup again
The 2019 campaign could not be going any more differently for the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Portland Timbers as 14 points separate the two sides in the MLS Western Conference. After opening the season 0–5–1, Portland has shown recent improvement in form and could prove a complicated match for Los Angeles tonight in the Round of 16 of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Since its 3–1 win over Colombus, the Timbers have accumulated five wins, two losses and a tie (in all competitions), which also includes a 3–1 win over Eastern Conference leader, Philadelphia Union.
Portland has scored 15 goals in its last 8 games and no two players have been more involved with the Timbers’ recent success than former MLS MVP Diego Valeri and midfielder Sebastian Blanco. The two creative midfielders have been a part of 18 of the Timbers goals this season. Valeri has scored three times and has set the table seven times, and Blanco has scored twice and tallied six assists.
The Galaxy, on the other hand, have recently been average. Prior to a 3–0 victory over Orange County FC, the Galaxy have a 2–3 record in its previous five games which include two losses to two of the worst teams in the league in Colorado and the New England Revolution. In addition to its poor form, Los Angeles will also be without two key players, midfielders Uriel Antuna and Jonathan dos Santos, who will be on international duty for the Gold Cup.
Antuna has proven to be a consistent attacking threat for the Galaxy not named Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Atuna has played in all 16 games this season and has shown his confidence on goal as he is second on the team in total shots and third in shots on target. His two goals may seem minuscule compared to the rest of the league but his absence will make the Galaxy a bit more one dimensional in the final third, well more than they already are.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with Ibrahimovic being your primary target because outside of LAFC’s Carlos Vela, he’s the second biggest threat in the league and that’s undoubtedly better than anything the Timbers have.
But the problem will be consistently getting Swedish striker on the ball in dangerous spots and will become considerably more difficult without dos Santos who has played well so far this year mostly due to his ability to stay healthy.
Unlike his first two seasons, dos Santos has managed to stay healthy an available for the Galaxy. He has already started and played in 15 of 16 matches so far this season which exceeds last year’s total through 16 games. While Dos Santos only has two goals and an assist so far this year, his short and long range passing has been a positive for the Galaxy’s ball progression.
If the Galaxy have one sure thing going for it in this possible “trap” game, it is the defense. The back four has made a complete turn around from where it was a year ago. Los Angeles has given up the sixth fewest goals in the league and a stout defense is something that comes in handy especially in US Open Cup matches that can get complicated quickly.
