Carson, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - The Los Angeles Galaxy is heading in the wrong direction as the regular season enters its final month, but the club will at least have a great chance to right the ship against rival Chivas USA at the StubHub Center on Sunday.
The Galaxy is carrying a season-high four-game winless streak into the match, and with Bruce Arena's team sitting level with Colorado and just one point clear of San Jose for the final playoff spot, three points on Sunday is a must.
Los Angeles lost 1-0 at Portland last weekend to fall four points back of the third-place Timbers despite having control of the match for long stretches.
And while a defeat like that can sometimes have a negative effect on a team, forward Landon Donovan isn't too concerned about how his side will respond.
"We'll rebound easily. Games like this happen. There's not many teams that come here and dominate possession, dominate chances, and dominate the game," Donovan said. "That being said, we still lost. They had one half-chance all night and they scored a goal. We had a few OK chances and we didn't get the goal. That's how soccer is, that's how the game is. Overall, I think we played well and we're not overly worried about it."
One reason for the Galaxy to be confident ahead of Sunday's match is the fact that the team has beaten Chivas nine of the last 11 times that the two sides have gotten together.
The Galaxy will be without Arena for Sunday's game as he serves a one-match ban for leaving his technical area and entering the field of play in the closing minutes of last weekend's match in Portland.
Sunday's game also marks the first of three straight home matches for the Galaxy, which must take advantage by picking up maximum points to ensure themselves a place in the postseason.
Chivas has claimed one point from its last three games and will certainly be pleased once the season comes to an end.
The Goats have three games remaining and each match is against a playoff contender in the Western Conference, so there is not much time for head coach Jose Luis Real to end the campaign on a positive note.
Chivas has managed just three goals in its last five matches and has no chance of escaping the Western Conference cellar.
But Real is hopeful of at least ending the season with a few good performances to take into next year.
"We have very little time for this season to end, but I'm not putting my hands down, I'm not giving up and I hope I have the opportunity that they tell me [before this season ends] that the team has a good combination of play in its verticality, intensity, effort and fight with a more elaborated style of play," the boss said.
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