MINNESOTA UNITED GAMEDAY
Gameday preview: Minnesota United vs. LA Galaxy
The Loons, unbeaten in their past seven home matches, face a Galaxy team contending for the MLS West lead.
August 14, 2021 at 4:05AM
5 p.m. vs. L.A. Galaxy at Allianz Field • Ch. 9, 1500-AM
Loons update: The Loons (7-5-5) and Galaxy (10-6-2) are meeting for the first time since the first round of the 2019 playoffs. The Loons, who have won three consecutive home matches and are unbeaten in their past seven matches at Allianz Field, have never beaten the Galaxy. The Galaxy is the only MLS team the Loons have faced more than three times without a victory. ... In their past seven home matches, the Loons have outscored their opponents 11-3. ... The Loons have lost just once in their past 13 games (7-1-5) to move into fifth place in the Western Conference standings. They have allowed just 11 goals in that stretch. They are tied with Colorado (in 12 games) for the fewest goals allowed since May 12.
Galaxy update: The Galaxy is in third place in the Western Conference, two points behind conference-leading Sporting Kansas City. The Galaxy is 3-4-1 in road matches this season. ... F Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez and D Julian Araujo have been selected to play in the MLS All-Star Game. Chicharito has scored 10 goals in 10 matches. In 2020, his first season with the Galaxy, he scored just twice in 12 games.
Injuries: Loons F Franco Fragapane (thigh) is out and D Michael Boxall (thigh) is questionable. For the Galaxy, F Ethan Zubak (health and safety protocols) is out, while Hernandez (undisclosed) and MF Victor Vazquez (undisclosed) are questionable.
JOEL RIPPEL
Minnesota started only two strikers against Seattle, leaving Sang Bin Jeong and Joseph Rosales to provide the width behind Teemu Pukki and Kelvin Yeboah.
