Charlotte Independence will host their first ever MLS match when Los Angeles Galaxy visit the Bank of America Stadium on Saturday evening.
The hosts began their maiden campaign with a heavy defeat, whilst the visitors got their season off to a strong start by recording a narrow victory.
Match preview
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After having to wait to make their MLS debut due to COVID-19, Charlotte eventually got their maiden campaign started when they visited DC United last weekend.
However, it was not the dream start that Miguel Angel Ramirez's team had hoped for, after they were downed 3-0 by last season's eighth-placed side in the Eastern Conference.
The scoreline certainly flattered the hosts against the MLS newcomers, who had their chances throughout the game, but it was a harsh lesson to learn when it comes to taking your chances in soccer matches.
There were certainly positives for Ramirez to take from the encounter though, and there were few signs of his side failing to gel in what was their first competitive match alongside each other.
A huge home crowd will be set to welcome them for their first-ever MLS match at the Bank of America Stadium on Saturday, in what should be a party atmosphere behind the Charlotte team.
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Meanwhile, LA Galaxy will be looking to spoil the party and silence the crowd when they become the first visiting team at the weekend.
Unlike their hosts, the second-most successful MLS side of all time began the 2022 campaign with an impressive victory last weekend, as they defeated MLS title holders New York City FC by a 1-0 scoreline.
An even encounter between two of the favourites for success this year looked to be heading towards a goalless draw, until Javier Hernandez popped up with a goal for Galaxy in the final minute to send the Los Angeles crowd wild.
After missing out on last year's playoffs courtesy of fewer wins than Real Salt Lake in the Eastern Conference, Greg Vanney's side will be hoping for a much-improved season this time around.
Beginning with a win over the champions could not have been a much better start to rectifying last year's disappointments, and the visitors will be looking to make it back-to-back victories when they head to Charlotte.
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Team News
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Charlotte lined up with a defensive 5-4-1 setup in their debut MLS match last weekend, and it is difficult to gauge whether Ramirez will be flexible with his tactics when playing on home soil.
Anton Walkes could be key to their defensive performances this season, but the former Atlanta United man remains doubtful after missing the opener with a lower body injury.
There is much excitement around Karol Swiderski when it comes to an attacking sense, but the forward's availability remains to be seen due to his ongoing visa issues, which also saw him miss out.
Former Leicester City defender and Premier League winner, Christian Fuchs, should be handed his second start after captaining the newcomers against DC United.
As for the visitors, Adam Saldana is the only injury concern as things stand, with the midfielder unlikely to feature due to an ankle injury.
Therefore, Vanney is likely to name an unchanged starting 11 from the one that impressed against New York City.
Former Bayern Munich and Juventus winger Douglas Costa should therefore start once more, with the experienced Victor Vazquez providing support to former Manchester United striker Chicharito as well.
Charlotte Independence possible starting lineup:
Kahlina; Lindsey, Corujo, Makoun, Fuchs, Mora; Gaines, Bronico, Franco, Reyna; Ortiz
Los Angeles Galaxy possible starting lineup:
Bond; Araujo, Coulibaly, DePuy, Edwards; Costa, Delgado, Raveloson, Cabral; Hernandez, Vazquez
We say: Charlotte Independence 1-1 Los Angeles Galaxy
With just one game to judge Charlotte by so far, it is difficult to predict how they will perform in their first home match.
The hosts could well become overawed in the atmosphere, or thrive off it instead, but we cannot see the Galaxy losing it with the quality and experience that they possess in their ranks, so a draw seems a likely outcome.
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Los Angeles Galaxy win with a probability of 73.17%. A draw had a probability of 15.9% and a win for Charlotte Independence had a probability of 10.92%.
The most likely scoreline for a Los Angeles Galaxy win was 0-2 with a probability of 10.55%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 1-2 (9.3%) and 0-3 (8.91%). The likeliest drawn scoreline was 1-1 (7.35%), while for a Charlotte Independence win it was 2-1 (3.24%). The actual scoreline of 0-1 was predicted with an 8.3% likelihood. Our data analysis correctly predicted that Los Angeles Galaxy would win this match.
