NFL Previews 
MLB Previews 
NBA Previews 
NHL Previews 
Soccer Previews 
Prediction 
Odds 
Last Recap 
Game Picks 
Top Handicapper 
A Stoppable Force Meets a Movable Object as Galaxy Host Austin FC
It is one of the most fascinating tactical and statistical matchups of the Major League Soccer season. On Wednesday night in Carson, California, something has to give. The visiting Austin FC, a team that has scored the fewest goals in the entire league, will test their anemic attack against the porous defense of the LA Galaxy, a club that has surrendered the most goals in MLS. It is the ultimate “stoppable force versus movable object,” a crucial mid-week clash between two Western Conference teams desperately trying to overcome their most glaring weaknesses.
The Galaxy’s Great Turnaround
For the LA Galaxy, the 2025 season has been a tale of two vastly different chapters. The first was a historic nightmare. As the defending MLS Cup champions, they began the season with the worst start in league history, going a stunning 16 matches without a victory (0-12-4). It was a complete and utter collapse for one of the league’s marquee franchises. The second chapter, however, has been one of resurgence and renewed hope. The Galaxy are finally playing their best soccer of the season, earning points in four of their last five matches and winning their last two games, including three straight at home.
Their most recent outing, a convincing 3-0 victory over a strong Vancouver Whitecaps side, was a clear sign that their confidence is returning. “The confidence is good and our spirits are high,” said Galaxy coach Greg Vanney. “The emotion comes off the results we’re not getting, but our thought process on where we are as a team have progressively been getting better. The guys are confident as we’re starting to see games out.” The turnaround has been led by key offensive players like Riqui Puig and the emerging Matheus Nascimento, who has five goal contributions in his last six appearances.
Austin’s Offensive Enigma
While the Galaxy have struggled to prevent goals, Austin FC has struggled mightily to score them. With a league-low 15 goals in 21 matches, their attack has been almost completely dormant for long stretches of the season. Their last match, a scoreless draw at home against New England, was a perfect example of their frustration. Austin generated numerous high-quality chances, accumulating nearly two “expected goals” (xG), a metric that measures the quality of a shot and the likelihood of it resulting in a goal. To create that many good chances and still not score is a sign of either incredibly bad luck or incredibly poor finishing.
“It’s a game that if you play 10 times, nine you win,” a frustrated Austin coach Nico Estevez said. “The chances that we have is right in the goalkeeper. It is what it is, you know. We are unlucky.” This disconnect between creating chances and actually scoring is the central problem that has plagued Austin all season and has them hovering outside the playoff picture.
The Savior in Goal: Brad Stuver
The only reason Austin FC is not further down the standings is the heroic performance of their goalkeeper, Brad Stuver. The All-Star keeper has been sensational this season, single-handedly keeping his team in games. He currently has eight clean sheets on the year, and his eight-save performance in the scoreless draw against New England was another masterclass. While his offense has been unable to provide support, Stuver has been a rock, a reliable last line of defense who gives his team a chance to win every single night.
Your Play-by-Play Starts Here
Register Now!
The Tactical Battle: Weakness vs. Weakness
Wednesday’s matchup presents a fascinating tactical question: can a historically bad offense finally find its footing against a historically bad defense? The scores and odds will be difficult to set for such a strange matchup. The Galaxy’s leaky defense, which has conceded a league-high 43 goals, should, in theory, be the perfect remedy for Austin’s anemic attack. However, Austin’s inability to finish even high-quality chances could give the Galaxy the confidence they need to play on the front foot at home. Analyzing these kinds of weakness-on-weakness matchups is a key focus of our expert betting guide.
The Playoff Picture
Despite their recent success, the Galaxy remain at the bottom of the West table and know they need to string together a long winning streak to have any hope of defending their title. For Austin, every point is crucial as they try to stay in the hunt for a wild-card spot. To see who our experts are backing in this unique clash, check out our daily soccer picks.
