Right then, step one of two is done. Austin FC was taken out midweek in dramatic fashion, with DP Sergio Cordova finally opening his tally for the team. The Vancouver Whitecaps dispatched a red-hot Texan side, but their final opponent prior to the month-long league break, the LA Galaxy, are on a winning streak of their own.

Overall, the Galaxy have been one of the worst teams in MLS this season, but the past week has been a turn of fortunes for the Californian team. A historic win for the Galaxy at the Rose Bowl over their rivals LAFC showed how dangerous their side can be with their fans at their back. They repeated the feat midweek against Philadelphia, with the same key players finding the score-sheet.

With Chicharito all but retired, the spotlight turns toward the young Riqui Puig. A Barcelona academy graduate who enjoyed some time with the first team, LA’s acquisition of the midfielder looked to be a statement of intent from the traditional flagship franchise. Last season, Puig looked better than most MLS youngsters, but wasn’t quite reaching the levels that were promised. This season started as more of the same, given LA’s position in the league standings, but within the last month, Puig has turned up the heat. He is going to be the key player to keep an eye on come Saturday night at BC Place.

The Whitecaps’ formation on Wednesday was certainly a bit odd, but it ended up working in their favour. Given LA’s strengths on the ball, loading up the midfield will once again be the path to take for this Vancouver side. The Whitecaps are amongst the top half of home teams in the MLS, with only two losses so far this season. Attribute it to fan backing or the magic in the Vancouver air, but the ‘Caps have built this decent season of the back of their home record. The Galaxy on the other hand, have only won once outside of LA, making this, on paper, an straightforward match for Vancouver. But as we know, it almost never is.

This game is going to be an interesting one with the added angle of Leagues Cup coming up. Both teams will be fighting for three points, but at the same time, be testing each other for the reverse fixture come July 29th. Vancouver will have to unlock what makes LA tick, as they won’t have the backing of the Southsiders when they head to Carson later this month.

I see Puig going into superstar form and causing the Whitecaps a 2-1 loss. But I do think we’ll see some magic in the Leagues Cup. What do you think? Sound off below.