CARSON, Calif. – Sunday’s game between the LA Galaxy and New York Red Bulls at StubHub Center (6:30 p.m., Fox Sports 1) has all the makings of an attractive matchup. At least on paper anyway.
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There is, for example, New York’s No. 2-ranked offense going up against a Galaxy defense that trails only Colorado in goals allowed. There also are the contrasting unbeaten streaks; New York hasn’t lost in five games while the Galaxy’s spotless run has reached seven in a row.
But a New York-LA rivalry? You won’t find it in these parts, as far as the five-time MLS Cup champions are concerned.
“It’s pretty far away, no?” Galaxy defender Jelle Van Damme joked about any potential East Coast-West Coast showdown.
Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., also downplayed such talk.
“I don’t spend any time worrying about it,” he said. “I think in any sport teams in your conference are more of a rival than a team across the country in another conference.
“Rivalry makes absolutely no sense. You guys put that tag on every team we play anyway, but this is as absurd as most of them.”
The Galaxy’s Robbie Keane said he doesn’t think much of it, either.
“For me it’s just another game,” he said. “Every game is the same, regardless of who we’re playing. It’s just the next game and the next step in the direction we want to go.”
The Galaxy will be facing a Red Bulls team that is 2-0-3 in their last five games and led by Bradley Wright-Phillips, who is tied for second in the league in goals scored with 12. Sacha Kljestan leads MLS with 12 assists, including five game-winners, and also has five goals.
New York, however, will be missing midfielder Dax McCarty, who is out with a tibial plateau fracture.
“He’s kind of their general in the middle,” the Galaxy’s A.J. DeLaGarza said, “but I’m sure they can fill in just fine.
“It’s a team that’s really coming together. I think they struggled at the beginning of the year like we have and now we’re two teams that are firing on all cylinders.”
Arena said he is anticipating a spirited battle this weekend.
“It’s going to be a good game,” he said. “I think you have two teams in the league that will go out and play. We’ll have a great crowd, great weather conditions, a great field … so there’s no excuse as to why we can’t produce a real good game.”
Keane said he’s been impressed by the Galaxy’s recent play of late. But he and his teammates are from satisfied.
“We’re doing well obviously,” he said. “We’ve had tough games away from home … Portland and Seattle twice in the month of July, which is always difficult. We did very, very well.
“Now it’s just a matter of being consistent and continuing to do that.”
LA GALAXY vs. NEW YORK RED BULLS
STUBHUB CENTER | Carson, Calif.
August 7, 2016 | Week 22 | MLS Game #228
6:30 pm PT (FS1, MLS LIVE IN CANADA)
- The Galaxy saw their four-game winning streak put to an end, but still extended their overall undefeated run to seven matches as Sebastien Lletget scored a late equalizer for a 1-1 draw.
- The Red Bulls extended their undefeated streak to five games with a third draw in that time, Bradley Wright-Phillips netting a late equalizer in a 2-2 draw with the Chicago Fire on Sunday evening at Toyota Park. It was the third goal for Wright-Phillips over the last two matches; he is tied for second in the MLS Golden Boot standings with 12 goals this season, all coming over the last 16 matches.
- The teams played to a 1-1 draw last April 26 at Red Bull Arena, the only meeting between the clubs. The Red Bulls are undefeated in their last three home meetings with the Galaxy, after the LA defeated New York 1-0 on Aug. 14, 2010, the first meeting ever between the clubs in Harrison.
- The Galaxy took the last meeting between the teams at StubHub Center, a 4-0 victory Sept. 28, 2014, which was their first victory vs. the Red Bulls since 2010. New York had won four of the five meetings in between, with one draw, including 1-0 wins in the only meeting in 2012 and 2013.
