The LA Galaxy, coming off a 2-2 draw with Chicago Fire, will land at Red Bull Arena on Sunday for a matchup against the New York Red Bulls.
Head Coach Jesse Marsch said that he thought the Galaxy’s second half against Chicago, which they scored two goals to earn a draw at home, was their best half of the season.
“They’re going to come here with confidence,” Marsch said. “I think that they want to prove that they can be a good team with what they have and we’ll be ready for that. We’ll be ready for a team that’s desperate, hasn’t been great on the road and is going to be desperate to come here and find a way to get a result.”
Overall, the Galaxy are 2-5-2 (8 points), with a 1-2-0 record on the road. Meanwhile, New York boasts the best home record in MLS since opening Red Bull Arena.
Red Bulls midfielder Felipe said that returning home will be a boost to the team, who are 4-0-1 at home this season.
“We need to play the way we expect us to play and what Jesse asks of us everyday in training,” Felipe said.
The Galaxy will be without midfielder Jermaine Jones, who has a knee sprain and will miss 3-4 weeks. The LA Galaxy will still have Giovani Dos Santos, who Marsch said is one of the best Mexican players to ever play in MLS.
“I think last year he had a great year. It hasn’t been as easy this year, which is because their team hasn’t been good so its always – you know – when you look at big players and when things aren’t going well, is it because the team’s not playing well, or is it because that player’s not playing quite as well?” Marsch said. “It’s probably a little bit of both, but the reality is that you know with players like that that they can break out at any moment and have special, magical plays. So our job is to make sure that it’s not going to happen this Sunday.”
Felipe said the Red Bulls are preparing for a Galaxy team that has a lot of talent up front, despite their record this season.
“We’ll be ready for still a team that’s desperate, hasn’t been great on the road and is going to be desperate to come here and find a way to get a result,” Marsch said.
