Our prediction for this MLS match:
There will be fireworks when Houston Dynamo and LA Galaxy take on each other at BBVA Compass Stadium on Thursday morning. Houston quickly bounced back from a 4-2 loss to Sporting Kansas City, with the team beating Seattle Sounders 2-1 in their last league match. The Dynamo, though, have little to play for in the season finale as they are 11 points behind the playoffs berth. Both Lemoine and Lundqvist miss out with injuries for the home team.
LA Galaxy, on the other hand, aim to build on a 2-1 win over Portland Timbers. The visitors are fighting hard to secure a top-seven finish, and seeing that Sunday’s triumph gave them a confidence boost, away win should be considered. As always, a man to keep an eye on in the away side will be Javier Hernandez Chicharito, who scored his 13th goal of the season at the weekend. Defender Jorge Villafana should be the only absentee in the away side.
Highlighted Player (Mauro Manotas):
Born in Sabanalarga, Colombia on July 15, 1995, Mauro Manotas is a 178-cm tall attacker who plays for Houston Dynamo in MLS. Manotas is a product of the Uniautonoma football school, and he made 25 appearances for the club at senior level.
He made his Uniautonoma debut in a 3-2 win over Valledupar FC on May 29, 2013. Manotas scored his first goal for the club on August 13, 2014 in a Copa Colombia loss to Valledupar. In 2015 he decided to take a step forward in his career, with the Colombia international joining the Major League Soccer side Houston Dynamo.
Mauro Manotas made his MLS debut in a 2-0 loss to Dallas on June 27, 2015, while scoring his first goal in the league in a 2-2 draw with Minnesota United on April 16, 2017. Manotas has yet to receive a call-up for the Colombia national football team, but he has three caps with the U20 team. He scored his first international goal in a 2-1 loss to Brazil on January 23, 2015.
Highlighted Team (Los Angeles Galaxy):
Los Angeles Galaxy are probably the most famous American soccer club. The club have been participating in the MLS since 1996 and San Jose Earthquakes are considered their bitterest rivals. A number of top-class players were part of the team in the past, but, no doubt, David Beckham is the club’s most significant star. The former Manchester United star played for LA Galaxy from 2007 to 2012 and he scored 18 goals in 98 appearances in the league for the club.
Fellow England international Steven Gerrard is yet another Premier League ace who joined LA Galaxy. Stevie G signed a $9 million deal with the club in June, 2015. One year before he arrived to Los Angeles, the Galaxy won their fifth MLS Cup, with the team beating New England Revolution (2-1) in the final of the tournament, but winning the CONCACAF Champions League in 2000 is considered the club’s biggest success. The MLS outfit outplayed Olimpia of Honduras in the title game, with Ezra Hendrickson scoring the winning goal ten minutes before the final whistle.
Los Angeles Galaxy play their home games at StubHub Center, the stadium that was opened on June 1, 2003. The capacity of the venue is 27.000.