Galaxy coach Greg Vanney called Wednesday’s loss against Austin FC a “missed opportunity.”
When you factor in that a trip to LAFC was next on the schedule, that loss takes on added weight as the Galaxy try to put together a late-season climb up the Western Conference standings.
“When we live in this moderate intensity space we’re vulnerable,” Vanney said. “So hopefully it’s a reminder again that you can’t go to LAFC and be in the middle ground intensity-wise. You got to show up with maximum intensity. Everybody knows that and looks forward to this game. They know what’s at stake.
“Guys have to shake it off and turn around. Doesn’t matter what happened yesterday or what’s going to happen tomorrow. It’s going to be about Saturday and that 90 minutes. Our guys been around long enough to know that.”
Another big obstacle facing the Galaxy (3-14-6, 15 points) is their inability to win at BMO Stadium. The Galaxy are winless in their last six MLS games in downtown L.A. (0-5-1) and they will be facing a surging LAFC team (10-5-5, 35 points) that has recorded three consecutive shutout wins.
“It’s a tough place … you have to take your (scoring) opportunities,” Vanney said. “I always felt like that’s been our biggest challenge there. Being really efficient about punishing them when we get the chances and then managing their transitions and managing the things that they’re obviously very good at.
“When you get there, you want to try to get on top of the game. You don’t want to be chasing the game. They’re very good at sitting in a block and protecting their goal, especially if they get up and then they play in the transition. For everybody, I think it’s a tough place to play, but I think for us, it’s always been about us finishing when we do get those opportunities. You don’t necessarily get a ton of them when you’re on the road, especially against a team like that, so you have to take advantage of your moments.”
In the first meeting this season, on May 18 in Carson, the Galaxy rallied for a 2-2 draw thanks to a late goal from Marco Reus.
“I liked our start to that game a lot,” Vanney said. “We took the first goal early, but I felt like we got off to a good start to the game. Then we had sort of a middle section that maybe wasn’t as strong as we wanted to be. Later, we started to get a little bit more proactive, a little bit more aggressive and I felt like we started to take over and dictate sort of the balance of power in the game and we were able to create some opportunities. I liked our aggression and our positive approach in the second half and at the beginning.”
To replicate that in the second meeting, the Galaxy will need something from Gabriel Pec. His inability to finish continued Wednesday, despite finding his way into good spots in attack.
“He’s getting to some good spots and getting some good looks,” Vanney said of last year’s MLS Newcomer of the Year. “A little bit unfortunate, the last game when he hits off the inside of the post and catches a little bit of a deflection. If it doesn’t deflect, I think he tucks it in. … There’s some moments where I feel like he’s just not hitting the ball clean. We have to continue to encourage him to do things at speed and not to be afraid to go right sometimes, to open up the left, but to show defenders that you’ll go either direction.
“The other thing for Joe (Joseph Paintsil) and Gabe, both of them, is that each of them only have one assist. They also need to be helping us set up other guys. Sometimes it’s decision making and sometimes it’s just execution. But I feel like they, Gabe, specifically, he’s carrying this burden of feeling like he needs to get one to get going and sometimes I think that affects your decision-making and maybe it even tightens you up a little bit when you get into that final moment.”
GALAXY AT LAFC
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: BMO Stadium
TV/Radio: Apple TV+/980 AM, 710 AM
