Gareth Bale set to make his first MLS start against Seattle
The Welshman scored his first goal in Major League Soccer in Los Angeles FC’s 2-0 road win against Sporting Kansas City in his second appearance.
Gareth Bale is adapting quickly to Major League Soccer and made a statement in his second appearances with Los Angeles FC. The Welshman scored his first goal in LAFC’s 2-0 road win against Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night after coming in as a substitute in the 65th minute of the match.
“Obviously I think the most important thing is that we won the game first and foremost. We all knew the first half was not good enough but the manager had another great team talk to get us going and a great finish from Chicho [Arango]. It was nice to come on and grab a goal to help the team and get the three points. In a personal point of view it’s nice to get off the mark but most importantly to get the three points,” said Gareth Bale.
Bale ready to start a game
The 33-year-old has played a total of 43 minutes after coming on as a substitute in the last two games. LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo is managing Bale’s time on the pitch until he reaches full fitness but the Welshman is expected to make his first start when LAFC hosts the Seattle Sounders on 29 July at the Banc of California stadium.
“The transition has been normal like I expected and it is going to take some time. Obviously I would be in pre-season in Europe so yeah I am trying to get my fitness back quickly and the club is doing an amazing job to not push too quickly. So yeah, I am starting to feel better as each training session goes on,” added the former Real Madrid player.
If Gareth Bale makes his first start in Major League Soccer next Friday, it is expected that he plays a total of 60 minutes. Los Angeles FC is currently in first place in the Western Conference and are the front runners to win the Supporters’ Shield at the end of the regular season with 13 games left.