Pre-match Preview: California trip concludes with match against LA Galaxy

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Matrix Midwest) - St. Louis CITY SC will wrap up its road trip in California with a match against reigning MLS Cup Champions, LA Galaxy.

Following another 0-0 draw last week against newcomers San Diego FC, St. Louis will look to close out the road trip with its first win of the 2025 campaign.

Last Time Out

In a sold-out Snapdragon Stadium, anxiously waiting for San Diego FC’s first-ever home match win, St. Louis CITY SC spoiled the party.

Despite a seemingly lackluster offensive output, St. Louis once again displayed phenomenal defensive composure. Goalkeeper Roman Bürki recorded his seventeenth career MLS clean sheet, and only one of San Diego’s 16 shots was on target.

It was also the fourth time in club history that CITY SC earned back-to-back clean sheets.

“We played really good defensively, and that’s not just the defense, the whole team, also the strikers,” Bürki said after the match. “I think there was just a good fighting performance from our side.”

After coming in as a sub against Colorado the week prior, Conrad Wallem made his first start for St. Louis CITY SC, displaying some promising ability as a wingback.

And the return many fans had long awaited finally came late in the match - Celio Pompeu subbed in for Marcel Hartel in the 86th minute.

St. Louis finished with two shots, both on target. A lack of possession (34 percent) and a low number of es (285) kept CITY’s midfield and attack dormant through most of the night, but another strong performance by center back Henry Kessler and the entire backline awarded the club with shared points.

“Our quality on the ball needs to be better to win a game like that,” Head Coach Olof Mellberg said at training Tuesday. “But, credit to our defending because we conceded very few clear chances.”

As CITY prepares for its next bout, Coach Mellberg may have to make some changes to the lineup following a match that saw five players receive yellow cards.

What’s Next

St. Louis will now head north to face the reigning MLS Cup Champions, LA Galaxy, wrapping up its California road trip.

After a fantastic season last year, the Galaxy are off to a slow start in 2025. With two losses to start the season, LA is second to last in the Western Conference.

LA Galaxy Breakdown

In its last regular season match against the Vancouver Whitecaps, the Galaxy lost 2-1. Gabriel Pec scored the club’s first and only goal of the season, coming off an assist by Miguel Berry.

Thus far, LA ranks in the middle of the pack for goals allowed and shots against.

With several players out, including Riqui Puig and Joseph Paintsil, the club has had its struggles offensively. A 1.37 xG (Expected Goals) puts them in the bottom five of MLS teams, and their 13 scoring opportunities is the lowest of any club in the league.

A strength for this club, as it’s been for years, lies in their ability to move the ball. The Galaxy are top 10 in es completed, with an 89.2 completion percentage that ranks third among all clubs. Maya Yoshida deserves much of the credit for these numbers. The senior defender is fifth among all players in completed es (156) and sixth among all players in accurate long balls (11).

CITY SC Breakdown

As of Tuesday’s training, Coach Mellberg said Joakim Nilsson wouldn’t train this week, and his knee will be re-evaluated Friday. Rasmus Alm, Jayden Reid, and Jake Girdwood-Reich were all seen in the weight room but not practicing on the field.

Timo Baumgartl was reportedly out last match due to illness but could suit up for the first time this weekend.

According to MLS, St. Louis CITY SC is the only club to have scored and allowed zero goals thus far. They rank towards the bottom half of the league in shots on target (7), scoring attempts (20), and xG (1.91).

St. Louis has also struggled with midfield play in its first two matches, ranking in the bottom half of the league in key es (13), as well as third-to-last in completed es (622) and percentage (77.7).

The strongest area of the field for this club has been its defensive third.

Along with being one of three clubs to have not allowed a goal this season, CITY SC has only given up one shot on goal, which ranks first in MLS. In addition, St. Louis’s 66.7 aerial duel percentage is among the top three in the league.

Center-back Henry Kessler is currently tied for first in MLS in clearances and second in blocks. Kessler is playing his first full season for CITY and is showing strong signs of leadership as the team converts its game plan to hold a stronger focus on defense.

But, with LA spending much of its time fending off opponents in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the match Sunday will be a good opportunity for St. Louis to find similar success in its attack.

Kick-off is set for 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 9, at Dignity Health Sports Park.

For more on St. Louis CITY SC, click here.

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