Verdict: LA Galaxy win
Best odds: 10/11
Bookmaker: Unibet
Two teams fighting at opposite ends of the table, the LA Galaxy will welcome Dallas to Dignity Health Sports Park in the early hours of Thursday morning.
THE Galaxy
Starting with the hosts, while LA Galaxy may have enjoyed a captivating end of June, the Whites are back with their feet on the ground last time around. Putting into what has been a toothless display and their worst since returning from a national break, the former MLS champions were hit with a 2-0 defeat to Sporting KC. Losing some ground in the hunt for the Western Conference title and now chasing a five-point bearing for the Kansas leaders, head coach Greg Vanney will be desperate to prove that the defeat was just a small mistake. While Galaxy may still find itself looking for much-needed stability, the former Toronto manager has still seen his new team make a number of improvements after last season. Failing to secure a spot in the Final Series last year, Los Angeles now hopes to end their recent home turf blip. Including a 2-0 defeat to Sporting last time around, the hosts on Thursday suffered consecutive losses at Dignity Health Sports Park for the first time since opening in 2021.
Team news
After a hamstring injury against Seattle last month, defender Daniel Steres will miss once again mid-week.
Other defender Derrick Williams, who continues to serve a suspension, will also miss on Thursday.
Dallas
As for the visitors, managing to come from behind and grabbing a point in extremis at home against Vancouver last time around, Dallas is another MLS team that is really looking for some stability. While they may have stunned many across America when they picked up a 2-1 win over a high-flying New England on June 28, this is still the only win the Toros have recorded in their last eight attempts. Despite taking a place in the Final Series last season, Head Coach Luchi Gonzalez finds his team fighting at the foot of the Western Conference. Faced with what could be another severe test when they travel to Carson in the middle of the week, it should be noted that Dallas has earned a reputation for their rather noticeable problems on the road. Last seen outside Toyota Stadium, hit by a 2-0 loss at the hands of LAFC, Toronto has lost each of MLS’s last four away games by an aggregate score of 9-1.
Team news
Dallas still has a real headache in his hands this week, as number one goalkeeper Kyle Zobeck and defender Matt Hedges will miss yet again on Thursday.
Starlets Thomas Roberts and Beni Redzic will also be missing mid-week.
Key factors to consider
- When Thursday’s opponents last met, the LA Galaxy claimed a 2-0 home win.
- However, the Whites lost two consecutive games to Carson, their worst run in 2021.
- Likewise, Dallas have lost each of their last four away games with an aggregate score of 9-1.
- Seven of the last eight meetings between LA Galaxy and Dallas in Carson have ended with over 1.5 goals.
- The hosts on Thursday recorded only a single clean sheet in their last six MLS matchups.
Conclusion
While LA Galaxy may be in the midst of their worst home run in 2021, the Whites should smell a golden opportunity to immediately return to victory mid-week. Looking to bounce back from that defeat to Sporting KC last time around, the hosts on Thursday still managed to make a number of improvements after losing a spot in the Final Series last season. Winning 2-0 the last time they faced Dallas, it should also be noted that the Toros continued to show a number of problems on the road. Losing their last four away games at the halfway point with an overall score of 9-1, we are claiming a home win here.
Verdict: LA Galaxy win
Best odds: 10/11
Bookmaker: Unibet
