MLS Playoffs | Regular Season

May 24, 2025 at 9.45pm UK

San Diego vs LA Galaxy

Match preview

So far, so good for San Diego in their inaugural Major League Soccer campaign, with Mikey Varas's team sitting third in the Western Conference and seventh overall.

The team's goalscoring efficiency has contributed to this strong start, with SDFC's 25 goals surpassed only by the San Jose Earthquakes' 29 in their section as they head into the next round of fixtures.

The California-based team are comfortably in the top seven spots on 24 points, six ahead of eighth-placed San Jose on 18. This means they are guaranteed to end the imminent gameweek in the playoff places, regardless of this weekend's result.

Supporters can be confident in San Diego's prospects ahead of Saturday's match, given that the team has claimed three wins and a draw in the previous four rounds, scoring nine goals and conceding just one.

Having already beaten the underwhelming Galacticos in LA in the opening round of fixtures, Varas's team will be confident of extending the Galaxy's miserable start to the 2025 campaign.

After last season's successful domestic and playoff run, which culminated in the LA-based outfit claiming the MLS Cup after a decade-long wait, few — possibly nobody — would have predicted Greg Vanney's team's struggles this term.

However, the six-time MLS Cup champions have suffered defeat after defeat this term, losing 10 out of 14 matches and remaining winless ahead of this weekend's trip to San Diego.

The Galaxy have conceded 33 goals after 14 matches this year, which is 17 more than they let in after 34 games in the 2024 regular season, and surpasses last year's eight losses.

Vanney's team have yet to keep a clean sheet in 2025, emphasising their ongoing struggles. Failure to secure a point in their previous five away matches highlights Los Galacticos' difficulties.

While they could take some positives from scoring twice in their last match against the Philadelphia Union after failing to score against Real Salt Lake (2–0), Austin (1–0), Sporting Kansas City (1–0) and the New York Red Bulls (7–0), losing 3–2 in Philadelphia after blowing that advantage was a further setback.

Having shown some resilience to avoid a sixth consecutive loss against LAFC last time, travelling supporters will be hoping for another Marco Reus-inspired performance to help the bottom-placed Western Conference side against their in-form opponents.

Recent Performance

San Diego MLS form:LLWWWD

Los Angeles Galaxy MLS form:LLLLLD

Team News

San Diego are expected to be without the injured trio of Hamady Diop, Marcus Ingvartsen and Andrés Reyes, while Franco Negri and Jeppe Tverskov are one booking away from a one-match suspension.

Anders Dreyer, who scored twice in the reverse fixture in LA in February, tops the scoring charts for the hosts and will be looking to add to his six MLS goals on Saturday.

Although no LA Galaxy players are suspended, Emiro Garces will be if he receives a yellow card in Gameweek 15.

Riqui Puig is the only player unavailable for the away side this weekend due to injury, with the former Barcelona player sidelined by a severe knee issue.

Having scored twice in the draw with LAFC in round 14, Reus aims to add to his three goals in 2025, sharing the attacking burden with the four-goal Christian Ramirez.

Possible starting lineup

San Diego possible starting lineup:

Santos; Verhoeven, McVey, McNair, Bombino; Godoy, Tverskov, Torre; Mighten, Dreyer, Lozano

Los Angeles Galaxy possible starting lineup:

McCarthy; Yamane, Garces, Yoshida, Nelson; Cerrillo, Sanabria; Pec, Reus, Fagundez; Ramirez