The final matchday of the MLS weekend will see the winless Los Angeles Galaxy host Los Angeles FC on Sunday at Dignity Health Sports Park in the first instalment of El Trafico this year.
Earlier this week, the Galaxy suffered a narrow 3-2 loss to the Philadelphia Union, while the Black and Gold crushed the Seattle Sounders 4-0.
Match preview
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Just when it looked like the reigning MLS Cup champions' lengthy winless run was finally coming to an end, they crumbled in the latter stages once again.
Wednesday was only the second time domestically in 2025 that the Galaxy had drawn first blood in a game, and in both instances, they lost, with LA squandering a two-goal lead versus Philly.
Greg Vanney's men have lost five successive MLS encounters, their longest stretch without a point in this competition since September-October 2020 (six games).
Defensively, this side have been a disaster in this competition, conceding a league-high 31 goals, 15 combined, in their last four matches.
After going unbeaten at Dignity Health Sports Park in 2024, they have just one point in five MLS home contests this year, failing to score on two occasions.
The Galaxy have won two of their previous three El Trafico outings on home soil versus LAFC, beating them 4-2 in Carson a season ago.
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Their CONCACAF Champions Cup exit seems to have lit a spark in Los Angeles FC, who have gone unbeaten in their last six domestic affairs since Inter Miami knocked them out of that competition.
Steve Cherundolo's men have had some highly entertaining affairs since then, with four or more goals being scored in four of their previous five league games.
While this team have shown plenty of consistency over the past few weeks, Cherundolo would surely like to see them improve their away form, as their next two MLS affairs take place outside BMO Stadium.
So far this year, the Black and Gold have just one win in six matches played as the visitors in this competition, conceding 14 of their 18 goals this season away from home.
A victory on Sunday could move them from fifth in the Western Conference to second, with only two points currently separating them from San Diego.
LAFC have lost their last two MLS away matches versus California-based sides, including a 3-2 defeat at San Diego earlier in the campaign.
Team News
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A knee injury kept the Galaxy's Riqui Puig off the field again on Wednesday, while Gabriel Pec was sidelined with a sore hip and Joseph Paintsil was dealing with a thigh strain.
Mauricio Cuevas put them in front against the Union just beyond the half-hour mark, with Diego Fagundez doubling the lead six minutes later, only for them to let it slip away by conceding three times in the final 45 minutes.
The only concern on the LAFC side is the status of Maxime Chanot, who missed their mid-week affair against Seattle with a head injury and is unlikely to feature this weekend.
Cengiz Under netted the winner in that match after 26 minutes, with Jeremy Ebobisse, Denis Bouanga and Yaw Yeboah scoring in the second half.
Los Angeles Galaxy possible starting lineup:
McCarthy; Yamane, Garces, Yoshida, Nelson; Wynder, Sanabria, Parente; Ramirez, Reus, Fagundez
Los Angeles FC possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Hollingshead, Marlon, Long, Smolyakov; Delgado, Jesus, Amaya; Yeboah, Giroud, Bouanga
We say: Los Angeles Galaxy 2-3 Los Angeles FC
This rivalry always seems to be intense and high-scoring, and we do not believe right now that the Galaxy have the personnel to keep up with such a well-rounded LAFC side.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
