LA Galaxy

Starting XI presented by Modelo: Sporting Kansas City vs. LA Galaxy | October 27, 2021

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Lineup Notes:

  • Starting in goal is Jonathan Bond. The Englishman was named to the MLS Team of the Week for Week 31 after posting seven saves in the 3-0 shutout road win over Houston Dynamo FC on Oct. 20. 
  • Julian Araujo returns to the starting lineup after missing last week due to yellow card suspension. Araujo ranks first on the Galaxy in assists (6). 
  • Playing in the heart of defense is SĂ©ga Coulibaly, who makes his first start for the Galaxy since starting and playing 77 minutes against LAFC on Oct. 3. Coulibaly has made 18 appearances (16 starts) for LA in his first season with the club. 
  • Next to Coulibaly is* Derrick Williams*, who makes his third consecutive start for the Galaxy dating back to a 2-1 win over Portland on Oct. 16. Williams has tallied three assists in 18 games played (17 starts) for LA in 2021. 
  • Playing at left back is Niko Hämäläinen, who has made 12 appearances (11 starts) for the Galaxy since joining on loan from Queens Park Rangers. 
  • Captaining the Galaxy is Jonathan dos Santos, who became the 30th player in team history to make 100 regular-season appearances for the Galaxy in their draw against Dallas on 
  • Next to Dos Santos is Rayan Raveloson, who ranks tied for second on the team in goals scored (5) in 19 games played (19 starts) this year. 
  • Appearing on the right wing is Samuel Grandsir,who tallied the game-tying assist in LA’s 2-2 draw against Dallas on Oct. 23. Grandsir has posted three goals and five assists in a team-high 31 games played in 2021. 
  • Playing as the attacking midfielder is Victor Vázquez, who leads the team with 57 chances created in 25 games played (19 starts) in his first season in LA. 
  • Playing on the left wing is Sebastian Lletget, who notched the game-tying goal in the 2-2 draw against Dallas on Oct. 23. Lletget has registered two goals and four assists in 23 games played (18 starts) in his seventh season with the Galaxy. 
  • Making his 14th appearance (6th start) of the year is DejanJoveljić, who has tallied two goals and two assists since joining the Galaxy at the end of the summer transfer window. 

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Game Notes:*

  • The LA Galaxy (13-11-7, 46 points, -2 GD) sit in fifth place, level on points with the fourth-place Portland Timbers (14-13-4, 46 points, -3 GD) and one point ahead of sixth-place Minnesota United FC (12-10-9, 45 points, -2 GD). 
  • Since going winless in nine games, the Galaxy are unbeaten in their last four games played (2-0-2) dating back to a 1-1 draw against LAFC on Oct. 3. 
  • Wednesday’s match marks the 66th MLS regular-season meeting between LA and Sporting KC, with the Galaxy leading the series 26-24-15. 
  • In the last two meetings between LA and Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Park dating back to Oct. 6, 2018, the Galaxy hold an unbeaten record of 1-0-1. 
  • In 33 road contests against Sporting KC, LA holds a 9-16-8 record.
  • The Galaxy rank 10th in the league in goals scored (46). 
  • As a team, the Galaxy have scored six headed goals. 
  • LA has tallied three goals from outside the box. 
  • The Galaxy have registered 43 goals scored inside the box this season. 
  • Dating back to the beginning of the 2015 MLS regular season, Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney ranks first amongst all MLS head coaches in wins (98). Sporting KC’s Peter Vermes ranks second (95), while Philadelphia’s Jim Curtain ranks third (90). Orlando’s Oscar Pareja (85) ranks fourth, while Seattle’s Brian Schmetzer (84) rounds out the top five. 
  • With the win over Houston Dynamo FC on Oct. 20, Vanney became the 12th coach in MLS history to win 100 regular-season matches. 
  • Vanney has an 0-3-3 record in six MLS regular-season games managed against Kansas City during his time as a manager in MLS (2014-Present). 
  • Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez ranks tied for seventh in MLS in goals scored (14) in 19 appearances during the 2021 campaign. 
  • Chicharito ranks third in MLS in goals per 90 minutes played (0.81) with a minimum of 600 minutes played, behind only D.C. United’s Ola Kamara (0.97) and LAFC’s Cristian Arango (0.95). 
  • In nine games played at home during the 2021 campaign, Chicharito has tallied eight goals. 
  • Chicharito has notched six goals in 10 road games played during the 2021 season. 
  • Julian Araujo has appeared in a career-high 28 games played (28 starts) for LA, ranking first on the team in assists (6), interceptions (54) and ranking sixth in the league in tackles won (48) during the 2021 campaign. 
  • Victor Vazquez leads the team with 57 chances created in 25 games played (19 starts).
  • Dejan Joveljić has notched two goals and two assists in 13 regular-season games played (5 starts) in his first season with LA. 
  • Sebastian Lletget is the club’s active leader with 155 regular-season games played (128 starts), adding 22 goals and 26 assists for the Galaxy. 
  • Jonathan dos Santos became the 30th player in team history to appear in 100 MLS regular-season games for the Galaxy in the 2-2 draw to FC Dallas on Oct. 23.  
  • KĂ©vin Cabral, who tallied a goal in a 3-0 win over Houston on Oct. 20, ranks tied for second on the team with five goals and one assist in 25 games played (22 starts) for LA in his first season with the club. 
  • Rayan Raveloson’s ranks tied for sixth in the league in headed goals (3) this year. 
  • Jonathan Bond, who tallied six saves in the draw against Dallas on Saturday, ranks second in the league in saves (118) during the 2021 campaign. 
  • Samuel Grandsir, who has tallied three goals and ranks tied for second on the team in assists (5) in 2021, is the only player on the roster to appear in every match this season (31). 
  • In 23 games played (15 starts), Efrain Alvarez has tallied two goals and three assists.
  • Sacha Kljestan ranks tied for second on the team in goals scored (5) tied for fourth in assists (4) in 28 games played (13 starts) in his second season in LA. 
  • Kljestan ranks tied for third in the league in penalty-kick goals (4). 
  • Daniel Steres has tallied eight goals and four assists in 150 games played (137 starts) in his career across all competitions for LA. 
  • In his first season with the Galaxy, Sega Coulibaly has played in 18 games (16 starts) during the 2021 campaign. 
  • Seventeen different players have made their Galaxy debut this season under Head Coach Greg Vanney. 

Storylines:

  • Can the Galaxy continue their current four-match unbeaten run (2-0-2) and their push to the MLS Cup Playoffs?
  • Can LA earn a third-straight result at Sporting dating back to Oct. 6, 2018? 
  • Julian Araujo is available for the match against SKC after missing the last game due to yellow-card accumulation suspension. 
  • Nick DePuy will miss the match against Sporting KC due to yellow card accumulation.  

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