Pre-match Preview: CITY SC hosting last-place LA Galaxy

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Matrix Midwest) - St. Louis CITY SC will be hosting LA Galaxy this weekend, looking for its second consecutive win at home.

Last Sunday, St. Louis fell 2-1 to Portland Timbers FC in MLS Sunday Night Soccer.

On a sweltering day in Portland that saw record-high temperatures, St. Louis was dominant in its first 45 minutes of action.

After multiple missed opportunities to pull ahead, CITY SC’s Akil Watts bagged a goal early in the second half to give the club a 1-0 lead.

It only took five minutes for Portland to respond. And, with the match looking like it was going to end with shared points, the Timbers capitalized on a late corner kick to steal a win.

“The result didn’t go our way today,” CITY SC Caretaker Manager David Critchley said to the press after the match.

“We obviously had a moment where we conceded late in the game. But I told the guys, my message was very clear to them that my emotions in this game were not disappointment, was not anger, was not frustration. My emotions are proud and excited for the very near future for this team.”

St. Louis finished with 18 shots, eight on target, and 48 percent possession.

Must-Win Match

There’s only one non-top-10 conference opponent CITY will face this month, and it just so happens to also be the worst team in MLS.

LA Galaxy are at a league-low seven points on the year. And nearly half of those came from its win against Real Salt Lake last week.

Galaxy (1-12-4) is last in the Western Conference. The former MLS Cup champions are averaging .41 points per game and has a -21 goal differential.

When on the road, as the club will be this Saturday, LA averages .22 points per game and has posted a -14 goal differential - a significant portion of its overall figure.

The phrase ‘delivered on a silver platter’ doesn’t even come close to how set up St. Louis is for this match. CITY’s .82 points per game average is aided significantly by its home results (1.13). And even if fans are worried about the club’s 1.68 xG at Energizer Park, it may be comforting to know that the Galaxy allow an average of nearly two and a half goals in road matches.

The last time these two sides met, St. Louis secured its most lopsided victory of the season. And that was on the road. With Energizer Park being the match venue and LA’s struggles away from home, there is no option other than a win for St. Louis.

It doesn’t have to be high-scoring, embarrassing, or thrilling. But, it has to be a win. There are few, if any, clubs that will provide a similar ‘easy points’ vibe to Galaxy’s.

The match kicks off at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 14, at Energizer Park.

For more on St. Louis CITY SC, click here.

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