LA Galaxy will be pushing to lift their sixth MLS Cup when they square up against Eastern Conference playoff winners New York Red Bulls.
For the first team in almost a decade, LA Galaxy have made it to the MLS Cup finals, and they are gearing up to face New York Red Bulls who have become the lowest-seeded MLS team to reach this far in the competition. The Dignity Health Sports Park is all set to play host to the iconic fixture.
LA Galaxy are all set to feature in the 10th MLS Cup finals in their 29-year history. They have already won the cup five times and are looking to make it six this time out. They got the better of the Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference final to get this far in the competition.
An 85th-minute strike by Dejan Joveljic helped them secure a 1-0 win. While Joveljic was the one with the strike, Riqui Puig stole the show as he bagged an assist with a torn ACL to help his team go through.
Heading into the playoffs no one saw New York Red Bulls going this far as they had only won one out of their last 11 games. But, they have turned things around and now find themselves in the cup final thanks to a 1-0 win over Orlando City.
They are the lowest-seeded team (7th in their conference) to make it to the final and now they are looking to clinch the title having lost 3-1 against Columbus Crew back in 2008 which was their only other appearance in the final. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
LA Galaxy
LA Galaxy’s win over Seattle Sounders came at a massive cost as Riqui Puig tore his ACL and is now going to be on the sidelines for a while. While Marco Reus’s availability of also a doubt after he was subbed off at half-time, he is expected to be back in time to be involved in this all-important final. Meanwhile, Martin Caceres will be unavailable because of an injury.
LA Galaxy will line up in a 4-3-3 formation against New York Red Bulls, with John McCarthy in goal. Miki Yamane and John Nelson will be the full-backs, while Carlos Emiro Garces will partner Maya Yoshida in the heart of the defence.
Edwin Cerrillo will be the defensive midfielder, with Marco Delgado and Diego Fagundez in his support. They will look to control the tempo and ensure they do not miss Puig. In attack, Gabriel Pec and Joseph Paintsil will provide the width, while Dejan Joveljic will lead the line for LA Galaxy against New York Red Bulls.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): McCarthy; Yamane, Garces, Yoshida, Nelson; Delgado, Cerrillo, Fagundez; Pec, Joveljic, Paintsil
New York Red Bulls
Roald Mitchell and Kyle Duncan are both out injured, while Felipe Carballo is a major doubt for this fixture. The underdogs New York Red Bulls will line up in a 3-4-1-2 formation, where Carlos Coronel will take charge in between the sticks.
The back three will consist of Dylan Nealis, Andres Reyes and Sean Nealis. They will look for a clean sheet and will receive significant support from Cameron Harper and John Tolkin, who will feature as wing-backs.
In the centre of the park, Daniel Edelman will partner Peter Stroud. The duo will try and control the tempo and ensure they have the majority of the ball. Emil Forsberg will be seen in the number ten role, while Dante Vanzeir and Lewis Morgan will feature up top in attack.
Probable Lineup (3-2-3-1): Coronel; Dylan Nealis, Reyes, Sean Nealis; Harper, Edelman, Stroud, Tolkin; Forsberg; Vanzeir, Morgan
Ways to Watch
Key Stats
- LA Galaxy have won the MLS Cup five times, and they are now pushing for their sixth title.
- The winners of the Western Conference are all set to feature in their 10th MLS Cup finals.
- New York Red Bulls have become the lowest-seeded team (7th in their conference) to make it to the final.
- The team from New York have won two out of their last three matches against LA Galaxy.
- NY Red Bulls’ only other cup final appearance came back in 2008 as they lost 3-1 to Columbus Crew.
Player to Watch
Emil Forsberg
All eyes will be on skipper Emil Forsberg, who has been the go-to man for the New York Red Bulls this season. He has featured in a total of 23 matches and has contributed towards 14 goals (11 goals, 3 assists). The Swede can create as well as score making him a massive threat to the opposition. If the Bulls are to script history, he has to step up and get the job done.
Prediction
LA Galaxy 1-2 New York Red Bulls
LA Galaxy will be the favourites heading into this fixture as they are one of the most successful franchises in the MLS. But, it still won’t be easy for them to go up against New York Red Bulls who have punched above their weight to make it this far in the competition. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the team from New York in this cup final.
