Match Preview Presented by O4 Water: Galaxy host Western Conference rivals Sporting Kansas City

CARSON, Calif. – Last Saturday’s hard-earned 1-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders wasn’t the LA Galaxy’s best performance by any means, but the defending MLS Cup champions will take it heading into Saturday’s Western Conference clash with Sporting Kansas City at StubHub Center (7:30 p.m., Time Warner Cable SportsNet, Time Warner Cable Deportes).

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Such an understated view was how the Galaxy (2-2-2) chose to take that victory throughout training this week. Robbie Keane, who could return to Saturday’s starting XI after missing last weekend’s game with a strained groin, said he thought the team did “OK” in his absence.

“It certainly wasn’t a perfect game,” Keane said. “They had a few chances in the first 15, 20 minutes of the game. If Seattle scored, it probably would have been a little bit different.

“Full credit to the goalkeeper (Jaime Penedo, named MLS Player of the Week for his brilliant, 10-save performance) and everybody. We plugged in, got the goal by Gordo (Alan Gordon), kind of controlled the game a little bit. I thought Rafa (Garcia) did very well when he came in.

“There’s certainly room for improvement, there’s no question.”

Galaxy defender A.J. DeLaGarza said he was impressed with the Galaxy’s grit, but not much else.

“We battled,” he said. “The effort was there for 90-plus minutes. It wasn’t our best game but a game that at the end of the day you come out with three points. Unlike the game in D.C. (a 1-0 loss on March 28) where we played well and lost.

“I’d rather play bad and win and get these points against a Western Conference team. The goal this week is to put it all together, play well and get a good result.”

Last Saturday’s victory did break a two-game losing streak – not to mention a two-game scoreless streak – and was welcome news for a Galaxy side struggling through another of their customary slow starts to the season.

“It gets the lads’ confidence going into this game on Saturday,” Keane said.

The overall mood this week was optimistic, thanks in part to the impending return of Keane along with the improved health of central defender Leonardo, midfielder Mika Vayrynen, midfielder Jose Villarreal and striker Edson Buddle, all of whom have been battling injuries and could see playing time.

“That makes for a good week,” head coach Bruce Arena said.

The Galaxy will take on a Sporting Kansas City (2-1-3) side that is dealing with its own injuries, including a costly one to central defender Ike Opara. Opara suffered a ruptured left Achilles’ tendon in last weekend’s scoreless draw with Real Salt Lake – Sporting Kansas City’s third shutout of the season, by the way – and likely is out for the season.

Arena and the Galaxy still expect a difficult test despite having not lost to Sporting Kansas City at StubHub Center since 2010.

“They have a good team,” Arena said. “They’ve had a fairly good start to the season and we know any time you play them they’re a tough team to play against. They’ll press and come after us and it will be very competitive.”

Now a critical match for Western Conference placing, the LA Galaxy and Sporting Kansas City meet for the first time this season when the clubs face off Saturday evening at StubHub Center. The Galaxy put an end to their two-game losing slide last weekend, winning for the first time since the season opener in a 1-0 home win against Seattle Sounders FC. Sporting took their undefeated run to four matches, reaching a scoreless draw with Real Salt Lake in Kansas City.

• Goalkeeper Jaime Penedo recorded 10 saves – tied for second-most in a single game in LA Galaxy history – backstopping the 1-0 win against Seattle Sounders FC on Sunday evening which snapped a two-game losing streak and a four-game winless run. The Galaxy club record is 11 saves, recorded by Kevin Hartman in the 2003 season.
• Sporting extended their undefeated run to four games with their third shutout of the season, a scoreless draw with Real Salt Lake on Saturday evening in Kansas City.
• Sporting won 2-1 last year at Sporting Park on July 19 in the only meeting between the teams; the Galaxy won 2-0 in 2013 in Carson in the only meeting between the teams that season.
• The Galaxy have not in Kansas City since 2007; Sporting have won three of their six home games since, with three draws. Sporting’s last win against the Galaxy in Carson came in 2010; the Galaxy have won their last two home meetings with KC.

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REFEREE: Alan Kelly. AR1 (bench): Felisha Mariscal; AR2 (opposite): Mike Kampmeinert; 4th: Juan Guzman
MLS Career: 17 games; FC/gm: 26.6; Y/gm: 2.9; R: 7; pens: 5

SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: none
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: none
DISABLED LIST: LA: Brian Perk (season-ending injury)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (53 meetings): Galaxy 23 wins (0 shootout), 81 goals … Sporting 19 wins (2 shootout), 63 goals … Ties 11
AT LA (26 meetings): Galaxy 15 wins (0 shootout), 46 goals … Sporting 5 wins (1 shootout), 25 goals … Ties 6

RETURN MATCH: 10/25: Sporting Kansas City vs. LA Galaxy, tbd

LAST YEAR (MLS)
7/19: KC 2, LA 1 (Feilhaber 10; Olum 61 - Keane 79)

• Sporting won 2-1 last year at Sporting Park on July 19 in the only meeting between the teams; the Galaxy won 2-0 in 2013 in Carson in the only meeting between the teams that season.
• The Galaxy have not won in Kansas City since 2007; Sporting have won three of their six home games since, with three draws. Sportingís last win against the Galaxy in Carson came in 2010; the Galaxy have won their last two home meetings with KC.
• Coaches record: Bruce Arena vs. KC: P23 W7 L10 D6 … Peter Vermes vs. LA: P7 W3 L2 D2

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