San Jose Earthquakes are set to host Los Angeles Galaxy at PayPal Park on Saturday in an MLS Western Conference clash that could be pivotal for the visitors' Supporters Shield ambitions.
The home side are last with 11 points in both their conference and the Supporters Shield table, while the visitors have 37 points and are third in their conference and fifth in the Supporters Shield.
Match preview
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After 19 games, San Jose are averaging just 0.58 points per game, currently their worst ever record in MLS.
Last campaign, they accumulated 44 points and finished the season with a goal difference of minus four.
However, this term they already have a goal difference of minus 22, the worst figure in either conference, with the second-worst record of minus 15 belonging to CF Montreal.
To add to this, San Jose have conceded 51 times, and extrapolated over the course of the 34 game season, this would see them ship roughly 91 goals.
It should therefore be of little surprise that manager Luchi Gonzalez's tenure at the club was cut short on June 24.
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He was replaced on an interim basis by his assistant and former Quakes player Ian Russell, who is embarking on his second such spell at the helm after previously doing so in 2014.
Russel is yet to take charge of a game, but he presides over a team that have failed to win any of their last seven MLS matches and have lost on six of these occasions.
Contrastingly, opponents LA Galaxy have won five of their last six league games, including their last three.
The away side should comfortably qualify for the MLS Cup given they are 10 points clear of eighth-placed Austin, who occupy the Western Conference's first MLS Cup playoff spot.
In the Supporters Shield table, Galaxy are level on points with fourth-placed Real Salt Lake and third-placed Los Angeles FC and are only four from first-placed Inter Miami.
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Manager Greg Vanney played for LA Galaxy from 1996 to 2001 and retired at the club after a second spell in 2008.
Vanney has been in charge since January 2021, and in his three full seasons he has led his side to 15th, eighth and 26th-placed finishes in the Supporters Shield.
Under his leadership this MLS term, Galaxy have scored 38 goals and conceded 27 times, and these figures are the joint second and sixth-best records in the Western Conference respectively.
Team News
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The hosts will be without goalkeepers Daniel de Sousa Britto and James Marcinkowski, as well as defender Bruno Wilson, although all three should return next month.
Elsewhere, defender Jamar Ricketts is out until early next month, while midfielder Carlos Akapo is also expected to be absent until late July as a result of a hip injury.
Midfielder Carlos Gruezo is currently away on international duty with Ecuador at Copa America.
As for the visitors, they come into the game without midfielder Gaston Brugman due to a knee injury that could sideline him until mid-July.
Meanwhile, midfielders Jonathan Perez and Ricard Puig are out with hamstring and groin injuries respectively and are also expected back in mid-July.
Defender Martin Caceres was forced off last time out on June 23 against Real Salt Lake with a head injury, but he should be cleared to play on Sunday.
San Jose Earthquakes possible starting lineup:
Jackson; Marie, Munie, Rodrigues, Costa; Yueill, Tsakiris; Espinoza, Munoz, Pellegrino; Ebobisse
Los Angeles Galaxy possible starting lineup:
McCarthy; Yamane, Caceres, Yoshida, Nelson; Lepley, Cerrillo; Pec, Fagundez, Paintsil; Joveljic
We say: San Jose Earthquakes 0-4 Los Angeles Galaxy
Although San Jose interim boss Ian Russell will be hoping for a new manager bounce, it is difficult to ignore his side's poor defensive record.
Additionally, LA Galaxy will be keen to try and close the gap to Inter Miami in the Supporters Shield and could look to boost their goal difference on Sunday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
