Returning Stars
Real Salt Lake celebrated the returns of Joao Plata and Javier Morales on Saturday in a 2-0 win over New York City FC. Similarly, Robbie Keane played 34 minutes in the LA Galaxy’s 1-0 win last Friday over the Houston Dynamo, marking his first appearance since April 4. Those three players combined for 41 goals and 32 assists last season and proved to be equally vital cogs in the offensive machines of their respective clubs in their brief appearances over the weekend.
Just how much any of them play is still to be determined as rushing players back from injury is rarely the most beneficial long-term solution. However, with both teams in the middle of the pack in the Western Conference, the points become so much more important and both coaches may feel pressed to act with their star attackers.
Squad Rotation
Both teams are playing three games in about a week, with RSL’s schedule providing three games in eight days while the LA Galaxy will play three in 10 days. With games coming hot and heavy like that, it’s difficult to run out the same lineup every time, so look for both Jeff Cassar and Bruce Arena to mix and match their lineups over the course of the three games and that could mean very different looking lineups on Wednesday.
Just where that rotation occurs will go a long way in dictating the game in different stretches.
Scene of the Crime
Last year in the MLS Cup playoffs, Real Salt Lake played one of its more forgettable games in falling 5-0 to the LA Galaxy at the StubHub Center. This is the club’s first return trip to the Carson, Calif., stadium and while the roster may have a different look than it did back in November, there are still many for whom that result is still fresh on their minds.
Exorcising the demons of that match would be a confidence boost for RSL, particularly as they work to find their identity in the 2015 season.
We Meet Again
This is the second meeting between Real Salt Lake and the LA Galaxy in the last three weeks. In the first match, Nick Rimando stopped a stoppage-time penalty off the boot of Juninho to preserve a scoreless draw at Rio Tinto Stadium on May 6. Already the teams look different. Outside of the three aforementioned stars for both sides, the Galaxy has also added midfielder Sebastian Lletget to its core.
Even though very little time has passed since their last matchup, this match stands to take on a very different personality as both teams look to carry momentum from wins over the weekend.
