LOS ANGELES — The LA Galaxy are nearing must-win territory this week with their match against Toronto FC. As the season winds down, points are becoming more and more valuable to clubs searching for a coveted playoff spot. For this match, both teams are on the outside looking in, and a loss could prove to be the end of their playoff hopes.
Here are some key points you should know about the Galaxy this week:
- The biggest Galaxy news this week is the announcement of head coach Sigi Schmid’s resignation Monday morning. Assistant coach Dominic Kinnear took over as interim head coach for the remaining six matches this season.
- In their last match, the Galaxy were handily defeated by Real Salt Lake 6-2 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. Los Angeles took an lead early, with a 2nd-minute goal from Jonathan Dos Santos, but, besides the appearance of the duck, the game was all downhill from there. Romain Alessandrini, who was coming off an injury, subbed into the match in the 62nd minute and bagged a goal in the 63rd, but it just wasn’t enough to spark a comeback for the Galaxy.
- Heading into the match, the Galaxy sit in eighth place in the Western Conference standings, with 38 points from 28 matches, just three points out of the playoff picture. After this weekend’s match against Toronto, all five of the Galaxy’s remaining matches will be against Western Conference opponents, essentially making them all “six-point games” with great impact on the playoff race.
- Defender Michael Ciani is just one yellow card caution away from a suspension due to accumulation. Jørgen Skjelvik, Chris Pontius and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are each two cards away from suspension, as well.
- Both players who were away on international duty, midfielder Jonathan Dos Santos and defender Rolf Feltscher, made the trip to Toronto for this match.
- Midfielders Giovani Dos Santos and Sebastian Lletget did not make the trip with the team, nor did either player train in full this week due to injury, according to club sources.
- Ibrahimovic is still only one goal shy of 500 goals in his career.
- If it makes Galaxy fans feel any better, Toronto FC is having a worse season than the Galaxy. Toronto has a 7-14-6 record so far this season and is ninth in the Eastern Conference standings, nine points out of a playoff spot.
- The center official for the match is Nima Saghafi, and the assistant referees are Jason White and Andrew Bigelow. Silviu Petrescu is the 4th official, and Guido Gonzales is on video assistant referee.