Welcome to Storylines, where the Loons welcome the Los Angeles Galaxy to Allianz Field for a Wednesday night battle with several players meeting their former teams, some for the very first time.

Stats and Notes

• MNUFC and LA Galaxy have met nine times in the regular season, with the Loons winning just once; however, that once was the last time the Galaxy came to Allianz Field, a dominant 3-0 victory by the Loons in September 2021.
• In those nine regular season meetings, there has never been a repeat scoreline, nor has either team scored more than three goals, meaning nine of a possible sixteen scores featuring three or fewer goals for each team have happened without a repeat.
• The teams’ lone playoff matchup was in the first round of the 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs, with the Galaxy winning 2-1 at Allianz Field.
• Historically, the Loons have been the better second half team; the Galaxy win the combined first halves 9-4, but Minnesota gets an 8-8 stalemate from the combined second halves.
• The Galaxy sit fourth in the West with 19 points, but have scored just 12 goals on the season; only Real Salt Lake has as many points with so few goals scored.
• Minnesota dropped to 10th in the West after Sunday’s result, but remains just four points back of Los Angeles; the Loons have also scored 12 goals on the season.
• The Galaxy are one of the best passing teams in the league; their 84.8% passing mark is second in MLS while they attempt the fifth-most passes in the league; only Atlanta is better in each category.
• They don’t just pass it around the back, either; they’ve attempted almost 200 more passes in their opponent’s half than any other team in MLS.
• However, they are also one of just four teams in the league whose shots are on goal less than 30% of the time (Chicago, Vancouver, Columbus).
• With his goal against Seattle on Sunday afternoon, Robin Lod moved within one goal of Minnesota’s regular season career record of 21, shared between Darwin Quintero, Christian Ramirez and Kevin Molino.
• Dayne St. Clair’s next save will be his 100th career save, and his next clean sheet will be his tenth of his career.
• Former Loon Raheem Edwards is one of just nine players in the league with five or more assists.

Minnesota Connections

• Oniel Fisher played on the other side of the field the last time these teams met, having played for the Galaxy in 2021.
• On the other side, Raheem Edwards played for Minnesota in 2020, and now plays for the Galaxy.
• And most recently, of course, Chase Gasper was traded from Minnesota to Los Angeles just weeks ago.
• Rayan Raveloson plays with Romain Metanire for the Madagascar national team.
• Séga Coulibaly and Adrien Hunou were both members of Ligue 2 side Rennes II from 2013–2016. They also overlapped at Rennes from 2016–2017, although Coulibaly spent both his seasons on loan.
• Jorge Villafaña was with the Portland Timbers in 2014 and 2015 when MNUFC Assistant Coach Sean McAuley and Senior Video Analyst Cameron Knowles were on the coaching staff.

MATCH INFO

Minnesota United FC vs. Los Angeles Galaxy
Allianz Field | St Paul, MN
05.18.22 | MLS Game No. 12
7:00 pm CT (MLS LIVE on ESPN+, Bally Sports North, 1500 ESPN)