After their only bye-week of the season, FC Dallas returns to action on Saturday night against LA Galaxy at Toyota Stadium. The Galaxy currently sit second in the Western Conference with 40 points and a record of 11-7-7 in 25 games played. FCD is right behind LA in third place with 38 points and a record of 11-6-5 in 22 games played.
Home-Field Advantage
Despite a stumble two weeks ago in Chicago, FC Dallas has remained one of the hottest teams in MLS over the last two months. The team returns home to Frisco where they’ve dominated in 2015 – winners of five straight and boasting a 8-1-2 home record. Los Angeles will visit Toyota Stadium for the second time this season after a 2-1 loss on May 9, with Tesho Akindele scoring the game-winner in the 86th minute. The Galaxy have struggled away from StubHub Center this season with a road record of 1-6-5, but are coming off the heels of their first road win of their season two weeks ago in Colorado.
Key Player for Los Angeles
Sebastian Lletget – Despite DP-mania in Hollywood, the rookie has racked up quite a case for MLS Rookie of the Year. Lletget has started eight of LA’s last nine league matches, and has started each of the last seven. The 22-year-old has registered six goals and an assist on the year including three goals in the last five games.
Key Matchups
Matt Hedges vs. Robbie Keane – It’ll be captain vs. captain on Saturday as LA’s leading scorer goes head-to-head with FCD’s leading defender in minutes played. In 15 league games, Keane has eleven goals and five assists, and when you add in newly-acquired Gio dos Santos, the Galaxy forward tandem is dangerous – each scoring a goal and assisting on the other’s tally last week. Hedges and Loyd will both have to shine to maintain Dallas’ streak of allowing only two goals at home in the last three months alive.
Mauro Diaz vs. Omar Gonzalez – The last time the two sides faced each other, The Magician was out in full force. One needs to look no further for a prime example of Diaz’s footwork than what he did to set up Blas Perez’s game-tying goal – scooping the ball over Gonzalez and the Galaxy defense. Diaz also notched an assist on Akindele’s game-winner – crossing a ball to Tesho near the top of the area, which he curled past then-Galaxy keeper Jaime Penedo.
Projected Lineup
Goalkeeper: Donovan Ricketts; Defenders: Robbie Rogers, Leonardo, Omar Gonzalez, A.J. DeLaGarza; Midfielders: Sebastian Lletget, Steven Gerrard, Juninho, Gyasi Zardes; Forwards: Robbie Keane, Giovani dos Santos.
Keys to three points
The heavyweight bout on Saturday is undoubtedly going to be one of the best games of the season thus far all things considered. Despite the star-power that the Galaxy bring to town, FC Dallas has played its best soccer against strong teams in 2015 – not to mention the dominance at home vs. LA’s struggles on the road. If Dallas can continue to feed off of the Toyota Stadium crowd, they can take down Galaxy and leap past them in the West.
