- LAFC leads the Western Conference
- LA Galaxy is fourth in the West
- The teams come in on the back of differing results
[June 7, 2022] Los Angeles FC will take on the Los Angeles Galaxy in a Major League Soccer matchup between two Western Conference teams affectionately known as El Traffico. Check the LAFC vs LA Galaxy Odds below.
The inner-city rivalry has created some of the most intense and memorable moments in the league over recent seasons and is sure to provide top-tier entertainment once again.
LAFC vs. LA Galaxy Odds
According to Major League Soccer odds, LAFC is favored to win the game at -135, while the Galaxy is down at +290. There are also +290 odds of a draw.
The former has been the better team throughout the campaign and has enjoyed the top spot in the MLS standings nearly wire-to-wire, while the Galaxy has remained competitive with the top power in the league. The Galaxy also won the reverse fixture 2-1 and defeated LAFC in the United States Open Cup to boot.
LAFC vs. LA Galaxy Information
The match will kick off Friday at 10:00 p.m. ET inside Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, California. It will be shown on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
LAFC
LAFC leads the league with 36 points, two above second-place Austin FC and nine above the Galaxy. They head into the match, having lost their most recent outing against the Vancouver Whitecaps 1-0 but with an impressive five-game undefeated streak in the league before that.
This team is considered to be the overall best in the league, and they have made good on Vegas’ early prognostications that made them the odds-on favorite to win the title.
Cristian Arango and Carlos Vela are tied for the team lead with six goals apiece, while Kwadwo Opuku and Ryan Hollingshead are next with four each. The team as a whole has found the back of the net a joint-league-best 35 times, which is level only with their closest challenger, Austin.
On top of their attacking brilliance, LAFC has the best defensive record in the West, conceding just 19 goals, giving them a league-best goal differential of +16.
LAFC tends to set up in a 4-3-3, although they experimented with a 3-5-2 their last time out. Their standard 4-3-3 is reminiscent of Liverpool’s style. They are constantly looking to press high up the pitch, win the ball back, and create clear-cut goal-scoring opportunities, even if they do not dominate the possession battle nor finish with an extreme amount of chances created.
They are the most effective team in the league when it comes to executing their philosophy, which is why they are so highly favored in MLS predictions.
Here is how the team lined up in its last match, where it experimented with a 3-5-2: Maxime Crepeau, Sebastien Ibeagha, Mamadou Fall, Jesus Murillo, Francisco Genella, Latif Blessing, Kellyn Acosta, Ryan Hollingshead, Franco Escobar, Daniel Musovsky, Cristian Arango.
Erik Duenas will be held out from the action as he recovers from a knee injury.
LA Galaxy
The Galaxy is tied with two other teams in the West at 27 points on the back of an 8-3-6 record; they won their most recent match against CF Montreal 4-0, making a statement ahead of their inner-city clash with LAFC.
This team gets up for big games despite suffering lapses in concentration at random times and will be looking for their third victory in three tries this season against their familiar opponent.
Javier Hernandez tops the team chart with seven goals in 17 appearances, with forward Dejan Jovelic checking in next with six goals in 15 games. The team’s total of 24 goals does not amaze, but it is serviceable, especially with their defensive record that equals that of LAFC, having conceded only 19 goals.
They are one of six teams with a positive goal difference in the West and will look to ride that into the playoffs, where they could make some noise.
The Galaxy tends to use a 4-2-3-1 to provide the most possible balance across the pitch, foregoing dominance in one particular area to instead have a hand in every metaphorical pot.
They are not dominant in possession but create a ton of chances and are willing to press the issue if they feel that they can score a breakthrough, only to fall back on their stingy defense after.
Here is the team that played in their last game: Jonathan Bond, Derrick Williams, Sega Coulibaly, Raheem Edwards, Julian Araujo, Rayan Raveloson, Marky Delgado, Samuel Grandsir, Efrain Alvarez, Dejan Jovelic, Javier Hernandez.
LAFC vs. LA Galaxy Pick and Prediction
The Galaxy has dominated the matchup this year, but it is incredibly hard to beat a team three times in a row, especially when that team is better than yours.
LAFC will feel a sense of urgency after their recent loss and will pull out all of the stops to halt their rival when they square off this weekend. Our soccer picks have us ride with LAFC to extend its league lead with a hard-fought victory.
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