MLS
LA Galaxy draw with Sporting KC in MLS 2023: when will ‘Chicharito’ be back?
After playing out a goalless draw with Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, Los Angeles Galaxy are still waiting for their first win of the 2023 MLS campaign.
One of the franchises that urgently needs to regain prominence in North American football is Los Angeles Galaxy, who are winless after two games in the 2023 MLS season and are badly missing their chief star, Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández. After beginning their campaign with defeat at FC Dallas last week, the Galaxy drew 0-0 away to Sporting Kansas City on Saturday.
Galaxy fail to shine in attack
With Hernández still unavailable up front, Greg Vanney’s men gave a weak attacking display on matchday three of the new season, mustering just two shots on target.
Despite starting with a team that included players like Martín Cáceres, Riqui Puig, Gastón Brugman, Efraín Álvarez and Dejan Joveljic, the Galaxy suffered from the lack of a more complete roster compared to Western Conference rivals like Los Angeles FC, Seattle Sounders and Austin FC. In addition to the absence of ‘Chicharito’, they cannot call on Douglas Costa either.
Vanney introduced the likes of Uri Rosell, Tyler Boyd and Chris Mavinga in the second half, but his substitutions were not enough to change the face of a team that depends too heavily on what Puig can create. Álvarez needs to have a far greater influence on the Galaxy’s play.
LA Galaxy’s next MLS game
This week, the Galaxy received a visit from Iker Casillas and in a video shared by the franchise, Hernández confirmed to his former Real Madrid teammate that his recovery continues. All the indications are that he will miss his side’s home MLS opener against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday 18 March.
The Galaxy are currently in 12th in the West and, unless they want to have another campaign in which they struggle to make the playoffs, they will need to get back to winning ways against the Canadians. The five-time MLS champions are helped by the fact the Whitecaps must negotiate a trip to Honduras this week, in the last 16 of the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League.