Starting XI

Brian Rowe; Bradley Diallo, Daniel Steres, Jelle Van Damme ©, Ashley Cole; João Pedro, Baggio Husidic; Romain Alessandrini, Giovani dos Santos, Ema Boateng; Gyasi Zardes.

Bench: Jon Kempin, Dave Romney, Rafael Garcia, Jack McInerney, Jack McBean, Ari Lassiter, Jaime Villarreal

Lineup notes

• The LA Galaxy play the first of four straight road matches when they take on New York Red Bulls at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 14 at Red Bull Arena. They’ll face Minnesota United (5/21), San Jose Earthquakes (5/27) and D.C. United (6/3) before returning home to StubHub Center on June 17 against Houston.
• Head Coach Curt Onalfo will play a 4-2-3-1 formation on Sunday, brining Ema Boateng into the Starting XI with Jermaine Jones missing the next handful of games to injury. This week’s lineup will see Gyasi Zardes as the Galaxy’s front man in place of Dos Santos, who started up front for the Galaxy against Chicago on May 6.
• In net, goalkeeper Brian Rowe will make his 50^th appearance for the Galaxy and fourth-straight start as Clement Diop recovers from a hip injury sustained against Orlando City SC. Last year, he was among MLS’ best in goal, going 12-5-14 with a 1.07 GAA.
• On the right, Onalfo will again the give the start to Bradley Diallo. Diallo was one of LA Galaxy II’s best defenders in previous seasons before signing with the first team this offseason. He’s emerged as Onalfo’s latest preference in the position, with Diallo now starting there for three straight matches.
• In the center of defense, the unfathomably consistent Daniel Steres will make his tenth start of the 2017 season. One of three players to start every game this season, Steres has become one of the team’s ironmen after featuring in 30 games last season. His header ignited the Galaxy’s comeback last week against Chicago.
• Big, bald, beautiful, Belgian. Jelle Van Damme, the LA Galaxy captain, will continue to lead the Galaxy from his spot in central defense. The 2016 MLS All-Star and MLS Best XI defender has made a name for himself as one of the league’s most intense defenders. The Galaxy allowed only 39 goals on the season in 2016, tied for the second-fewest of all MLS sides.
• On the left, world football legend Ashley Cole makes his seventh straight start after missing the first few games of the year. Not many goals have come from the left side of the pitch against the Galaxy, a credit to Cole’s reliable quality.
• In the central midfielder role, Baggio Husidic makes his third straight start. One of the team’s best passers, Husidic is a big player in the possession battle.
• Alongside Husidic is Portuguese midfielder João Pedro, who has started each game of the 2017 season. Pedro and Husidic will continue to develop their playing partnership on Sunday, this time with Jermaine Jones. Likely without Jones for the series of road games, this partnership is key to the Galaxy’s success during the stretch.
• On the left side of the midfield and faster than a New York minute, Ema Boateng gets the nod to make his 7^th start of the season. Boateng and Alessandrini shared a special partnership in the early onsets of the season, one that saw them connect on goals in three straight games in March and April. He’s appeared in every game for the Galaxy this season.
• Playing an attacking role in the center of the field, Giovani dos Santos returns to the spot after playing as the lone forward a week ago against Chicago. After scoring the team’s equalizer in that match, he’ll be bringing confidence with him to New York, ready to set the groundwork for another campaign like last: 14 goals and 12 assists on the way to being named MLS Best XI.
• On the right side of the midfield, one of Major League Soccer’s best players in the earlygoings of 2017, the Frenchman Romain Alessandrini is set to make his tenth start. He leads the Galaxy in goals (4) and assists (4). In three road matches this season, he’s recorded three goals and two assists. He returns to the pitch after earning his second multi-assist game of the season against Chicago.
• Up top, Gyasi Zardes will lead the way for the Galaxy as the lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation. After a broken foot ended his 2016 season in August and a knee injury sidelined him for the first few games of the 2017 season, Zardes is looking to turn his run of recent health into one of production for the Galaxy.

Additional notes:

• Sebastian Lletget is just passed one month into his estimated 4-6 months out after sustaining a Lisfranc injury in USMNT’s World Cup Qualifier against Honduras on 3/24.
• Clement Diop has returned to training, but is still recovering from a hip injury sustained on 4/15 against Orlando City SC.
• It was announced this week that Jermaine Jones would be out for three to four weeks with a grade 2 MCL sprain in his right knee, sustained during the team’s 2-2 draw with Chicago Fire on 5/6.
• Robbie Rogers was placed on the Season-Ending Injury List with nerve damage to his left ankle sustained this offseason.

Game notes

• All time, the Galaxy have gone 16-18-8 against the Red Bulls, while going 7-12-3 against them in New York.
• Romain Alessandrini has tallied three goals and two assists in three road matches this season, scoring or assisting in each road game so far this season.
• Only six MLS players have tallied at least four goals and four assists this season: David Villa (6/4), Diego Valeri (5/4), Chris Wondolowski (4/5), Federico Higuain (4/4), Justin Meram (4/4) and Romain Alessandrini (4/4).
• In his first nine games in a Galaxy shirt, Alessandrini recorded four goals and four assists. Here’s how a few other Galaxy players fared in their first 10:
  • Keane: 5 goals/3 assists
  • Dos Santos: 3 goals/5 assists
  • Donovan: 6 goals/4 assists
• Alessandrini, Steres and Pedro are the only players to have started each game of the 2017 season.

Storylines

• How will the Galaxy begin their four-game road stretch?
• Will Romain Alessandrini continue his All-Star-level play that we saw from him in April?
• Will Giovani dos Santos thrive in his role playing under Zardes?
• How will the absence of Jermaine Jones affect the Galaxy?
• We know JP and Alexi’s thoughts on Minnesota United’s logo, what about the Galaxy’s logo?

"Strangers Soccer In The Night" – Frank Sinatra (1966)

Soccer in the night exchanging glances

Wond'ring in the night what were the chances

We'd be scoring goals before the night was through

Something about the pitch was so inviting

Something about the game was so exciting

Something in my heart told me I must have you

Soccer in the night

Two lonely players, we were playing soccer in the night

Up to the moment when heard that first whistle little did we know

Soccer was just a glance away, a warm embracing dance away

and

Ever since that night we've been together

Lovers at first sight, in love forever

It turned out so right for soccer in the night

[instrumental-first three lines of chorus]

Goals were just a glance away, a warm embracing dance away

Ever since that night we've been together

Soccer at first sight, in love forever

It turned out so right for soccer in the night

[Dooby-doooby-doo and other scat to end]