Los Angeles vs LA Galaxy – News and Probable Lineups

Los Angeles FC can secure their spot in the MLS Cup playoffs with a win against the Los Angeles Galaxy at BMO Stadium in the final El Trafico derby of the regular season this Sunday.

Currently, the Black and Gold are positioned sixth in the Eastern Conference after a 1-1 draw with New York City FC, while the Galaxy sit four points behind in eighth place due to a 2-2 draw with San Diego.

Match overview

Overall, this season has not met the high expectations typically associated with LAFC, but it appears that they are on track to reach the playoffs.

Since Marc Dos Santos was let go at the end of September, the team has remained unbeaten under interim head coach Xavi Tamarit.

A victory on Sunday would not only secure a playoff spot but also extend their unbeaten streak at BMO Stadium to five matches in this competition.

If they win their final two matches of the regular season at home, the Black and Gold will equal their total of home victories from the previous season (11).

In 2026, they rank among the teams conceding the least goals per game in the league, averaging 1.1, and have achieved eight clean sheets at home this year.
LAFC have recorded points in six consecutive league matches against the Galaxy when playing at home and remain unbeaten in their last three clashes against their local rivals overall.

After a disappointing start to the domestic season, the Galaxy have shown significant improvement over the past couple of months.

Greg Vanney’s squad managed to secure just one win from their initial six league matches, yet since early September, they have only missed out on points twice in the league.
Heading into this fixture, the Galaxy are positioned four points above the playoff line in the Western Conference, but only two points separate them from the Seattle Sounders, who are currently in seventh, thus vying for a guaranteed spot in the first playoff round.

To equal their total of away victories from the 2024 league season (six), the Galaxy will need to win their last two away matches of the regular season.
As visiting opponents this season, LA have occasionally appeared shaky defensively, allowing multiple goals in nine matches.
A win on Sunday would mark their first at BMO Stadium since defeating LAFC 2-0 in the round of 16 of the 2023 US Open Cup.

Team News

Timothy Tillman may miss the match due to a pelvic injury, while Jeremy Ebobisse and Cabral Carter are both doubtful owing to lower body issues.

Leo Walta scored the sole goal for LAFC last Saturday; that was his first of the season, as Hugo Lloris managed to save three out of four shots faced to keep his team competitive.

On the Galaxy’s side, Isaiah Parente has a sore ankle, and there are doubts regarding Hirving Lozano and Kyogo Furuhashi as they recover from thigh injuries.

Klauss and Erik Thommy netted first-half goals during their home fixture against San Diego, with Klauss surpassing Marco Reus as the team’s leading scorer with his ninth of the MLS season.

Los Angeles FC probable starting XI:

Lloris; Hollingshead, Long, Tafari, Cheberko; Delgado, Jesus; Choiniere, Heung-min, Schaffelburg; Bouanga

Los Angeles Galaxy probable starting XI:

Marcinkowski; Miller, Haak, Garces, Nelson; Ruiz, Reus, Roberto; Paintsil, Klauss, Thommy

When these arch-rivals clash, intensity is the norm, and most encounters are closely contested, with 17 of their 27 historical meetings decided by a solitary goal or less.

With both sides having significant stakes in the outcome, we anticipate a fiercely competitive match where neither team will want to come away empty-handed.