The LA Galaxy are hosting Nashville for the second MLS Playoff game of the day. I have been ragging on LA a bit this week and even throwing around the word fraudulent. I think I may have been a little aggressive with that, as LA has only lost one match outright in their last ten games. The thing is, LA Galaxy have really struggled at home this year and Nashville have had much more success on the road. LA is 8-4-5 in their building. Nashville is 7-5-5 on the road. Draws are not an option today and someone has to win the game. We will play Extra Time and go to a PK shootout if needed.
LA Galaxy missed out on the playoffs last year and were on the outside looking in for a good chunk of this season. They managed to look a lot better in the final third of the season. I think a lot of that has to do with getting Riqui Puig from Barcelona. Since coming over to LA in early August, he has played ten games. I don’t think it is a coincidence that LA has only one loss in their last ten games. Puig has contributed three goals and five assists in that ten game span. He really makes this offense go. Combined with Chicharito, this offense has put up 26 goals since Puig’s arrival. That's the most in the MLS West over the last ten games.