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Hot on the heels of our 0-2 loss against New York City FC, Orlando City SC face a testing road trip to California to take on Sigi Schmid’s LA Galaxy.
Currently fifth in the Western Conference, the StubHub Center-based side are enjoying a good season following a horror 2017 and can now call on the abilities of little known star Zlatan Ibrahimovic too!
With the legendary Swede currently on 12 goals in his first ever Major League Soccer campaign, containing this extraordinary 36-year-old will be some task.
While Zlatan Ibrahimovic has quite rightly taken many plaudits so far this season, LA Galaxy have truly spread the assists around with Ashley Cole, Emmanuel Boateng and Romain Alessandrini sharing 16 assists between them.
Long billed as the power club within MLS, Sigi Schmid had a lot to prove this season after LA Galaxy surprisingly finished bottom of the Western Conference last season with just 32 points.
The first time the Carson-based club had failed to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs since 2008, LA Galaxy are starting to write those wrongs with their talent stuffed 2018 roster.
Adding experienced pieces such as Jonathan dos Santos, Perry Kitchen and Ola Kamara since Orlando City SC last faced Galaxy back in April 2017, this game will undoubtedly prove a stiff test for James O’Connor‘s troops.
2015/17 head-to-head stats
Being a Western Conference side, games between LA Galaxy and Orlando City SC are extremely few and far between with just one head-to-head a season.
Remembering the last time the sides faced each other, you have to cast mind back to April 2017 when the Lions were sweeping aside everybody in their path in a scintillating start to life at Orlando City Stadium.
Taking maximum points from our first five games in our new surroundings, we narrowly overcame LA Galaxy 2-1 thanks to a last gasp stoppage time strike from Cyle Larin.
Considering Romain Alessandrini had equalised in the 83rd minute, this was an amazing end to a boiling hot spring day in The City Beautiful.
Orlando City SC 2 LA Galaxy 1 – Highlights – April 15, 2017 (Credit: LA Galaxy)
With TWO victories to LA Galaxy’s ONE, Orlando City SC have won both of the MLS head-to-heads played in Central Florida so far.
Losing the other game 4-2 at StubHub Center in September 2016, the Lions had initially taken the lead through a Kevin Molino goal in the 20th minute.
Unfortunately, this only served as a wake up call to LA Galaxy who came out fighting before the half with two goals from Giovani dos Santos and a strike from Alan Gordon turning the game on its head.
With Robbie Keane adding insult to injury with a fourth for Galaxy in the second-half, Brek Shea‘s stoppage time consolation was a wonder strike but unfortunately it counted for nothing more than this.
LA Galaxy 4 Orlando City SC 2 – Highlights – September 11, 2016 (Credit: LA Galaxy)
Whenever LA Galaxy and Orlando City SC face off, we get goals and plenty of them!
With THREE OR MORE goals being scored in all THREE head-to-heads contested so far, Orlando City SC supporters’ heart rates have been going into overdrive.
Make no mistake, LA Galaxy can be a formidable force at home with their firepower so the Lions’ defence will have to work tirelessly to keep this game 0-0 for as long as possible before carefully choosing when to break on Sigi Schmid’s side.
LA Galaxy form
He needs no introduction. After all, he’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic!
The veteran Swede has taken to Major League Soccer like a duck to water and is currently on 12 goals for the 2018 campaign.
Scoring in each of LA Galaxy’s last FOUR consecutive home games at StubHub Center, the 36-year-old notched braces against both FC Dallas (2-3) and Real Salt Lake (3-0).
LA Galaxy 3 Real Salt Lake 0 – Highlights – June 9, 2018 (Credit: LA Galaxy)
Orlando City SC form
Keeping the ball out of the net regularly enough has been a problem marring our entire MLS existence, let alone this season.
All too often giving ourselves way too much to do, Orlando City SC have conceded AT LEAST 3 GOALS in our last SIX away fixtures in Major League Soccer.
Although Columbus Crew’s recent 3-2 comeback was very much referee assisted, keeping the defence tight has been proving problematic.
Admittedly, we’ve had to contend with a spate of defensive injuries so far this season, particularly to Lamine Sané, Scott Sutter and Jonathan Spector who have all endured long spells out of the team.
Constantly having to alter the back four with R. J. Allen, Donny Toia, Chris Schuler, Will Johnson, Tony Rocha and Shane O’Neill having to often deputise, defensive chemistry has been an issue all season long.