LA Galaxy vs Colorado Rapids, 2016 MLS: Match Preview

Just four days after another heartbreaking defeat, the LA Galaxy return to StubHub Center to take on the Colorado Rapids.

For the Galaxy, it's becoming something of a habit to play well on the road and lose games near the end, as evidenced again on Saturday versus Toronto FC. But at home, the Galaxy remain unbeaten, earning 15 points out of 21 possible so far this season. In that regard, the Galaxy will look at this midweek game as the perfect setting to break their scoring duck. Bruce Arena's side has been shutout in consecutive games, and as they have found out to their cost, the absences of Gyasi Zardes and Robbie Keane have posed a heavy challenge to their squad.

To give Bruce Arena his due, though, he has built an enviable team with the elements capable of rolling with the circumstances to get results. As such, you get the sense the team wasn't far off from earning something positive in Toronto.

Of course, injuries have also piled up and the statuses of Giovani dos Santos, Steven Gerrard, and Robbie Rogers remain questionable after the trio missed Saturday's game through injury.

The Colorado Rapids, meanwhile, remain the top team in the league. Following their 2-1 win over the Chicago Fire, Pablo Mastroeni's men reached a league best 10 games unbeaten, which marks the club's longest streak without a defeat in its history.

Like the Galaxy, however, they will be without influential midfielders Jermaine Jones and Shkëlzen Gashi, who are both out on international duty. That doesn't make the Galaxy's task any easier, but it should be rendered as relevant by the context.

There is also the fact that the Galaxy travel to northern California for the Cali Clasico over the weekend. While wholesale changes are not expected, that will be something on Bruce Arena's mind come Wednesday. For now, it is all about getting a good result against the league leaders.

LAST MEETING

Colorado Rapids 1-0 LA Galaxy - March 12, 2016 - MLS

When the match looked headed for a goalless draw, Marco Pappa scored at the death to inflict the LA Galaxy their first defeat of the 2016 MLS season.

LIKELY LINE-UPS

LA Galaxy (4-4-2): Rowe; DeLaGarza, Steres, Van Damme, Cole; Hustidic, De Jong, Larentowicz, Magee; Lletget, Gordon

Colorado Rapids (4-2-3-1): MacMath; Burch, Sjoberg, Miller, Mekeil Williams; Azira, Cronin; Solignac, Powers, Hairston; Doyle