Lineup Notes:
- The LA Galaxy are once against in action on the road, this time against the San Jose Earthquake in this season’s first edition of the California Clasico.
- Guillermo Barros Schelotto will trot out the same XI players Saturday against San Jose as he did a week ago in Cincinnati.
- Goalkeeper David Bingham starts his 52nd straight MLS game in the net since joining the Galaxy. He is coming off a shutout performance vs. Cincy, his sixth of the year.
- On the right once again is youngster Julian Araujo, who gets his fifth MLS start of the season since he signed with the club ahead of the start of this year. After recently returned from a trip with the U.S. U-20 World Cup squad, he slotted into the XI last weekend.
- Daniel Steres makes his 18th start this year. In addition to his stellar play along the backline, Steres has racked up three goals on the year, which remains the second most on the team.
- Alongside Steres in the center is the horse-loving Uruguayan Diego Polenta. This year, Polenta has made 14 appearances, all starts, in his first year with the Galaxy.
- Out wide on the left for the second game in a row, Dave Romney, the versatile defender who has played every position along the backline. It will mark his 63rd MLS start of his career.
- Completing the midfield mix is Joe Corona, the 28-year-old U.S. Men’s National team veteran who was signed to the Galaxy through the use of Target Allocation Money on March 6. Corona is set to make his 16h start in MLS this season.
- Midfielder Perry Kitchen makes just his third start of the MLS season Saturday night after missing the first part of the year due to injury. Kitchen, who was named to MLS Team of the Week, will be a key component in the absence of Jonathan dos Santos.
- Making his 17th-straight MLS start of 2019 is midfielder Sebastian Lletget, who will make the 81th start of his MLS career. In all, he has 12 goals and 14 assists.
- Favio Alvarez is slated to make his sixth-straight MLS start for the Galaxy since signing earlier this year. Alvarez, who notched a goal and an assist last weekend, has provided a key spark to the Galaxy offense since joining.
- Out wide is Emmanuel Boateng, who will make his 64th MLS start for the Galaxy following his first goal of the season last Saturday. Boateng will be the fastest player on the field Saturday.
- Zlatan Ibrahimović also starts. He plays soccer well!
Game Notes:
- The Galaxy are 31-22-15 all time against their Northern California counterparts.
- This year on the road, LA have gone 4-3-1.
- On the road, the Galaxy have scored 10 goals while conceding 8 goals.
- The Galaxy are 9-0-0 this season when scoring the game’s opening goal, and 1-6-0 when conceding first.
- When leading at halftime, LA are 6-0-0. They are 4-2-0 when tied at halftime.
Storylines:
- Can the Galaxy make it a second-straight win?
- Will the annual Stanford Stadium matchup provide more fireworks on the field?
- Can Zlatan return to the score sheet?
- Will the Galaxy midfield put in another strong shift Saturday?
- Can the backline shut down SJ’s attack?
- How will the team with the absence of Jonathan dos Santos, Uriel Antuna, Rolf Feltscher and Giancarlo Gonzalez?
Beach Boys Lyrics – California
Girls
Games
Well East coast games are hip
I really dig those styles they wear
And the Southern games with the way they talk
They knock me out when I'm down there
The Mid-West farmer's soccer games really make you feel alright
And the Northern games with the way they cheer
They keep their boyfriends warm at night
I wish they all could be California games
I wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California games
The West coast has the sunshine
And the games all get so tanned
I dig a french winger on the right side of the soccer field
By a palm tree in the sand
I been all around this great big world
And I seen all kinds of games
Yeah, but I couldn't wait to get back in the States
Back to the cutest games in the world
I wish they all could be California games
I wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California games
