Galaxy hope for more fireworks on offense in Fourth of July meeting with D.C. United

In his previous two coaching stops, Sigi Schmid usually missed out on experiencing fireworks on the Fourth of July. But for the Galaxy, the Fourth means playing at StubHub Center and hosting a postgame fireworks show. This will be the 23rd year in a row the Galaxy will celebrate the holiday with a fireworks display.

Schmid coached six of those games in his first spell with the Galaxy from 1999-2004. Wednesday night’s meeting with D.C. United will be the first since he returned to the Galaxy in 2017.

“It’s been a while since I’ve played a Fourth of July game, coaching a team,” Schmid said. “We had Fourth of July games when I was here before but we really didn’t have that many when I was in Seattle. I never get to see the fireworks so that’s less special, but it’s usually an engaged crowd and a rambunctious crowd, so that always makes it a great game.”

There were offensive fireworks in the Galaxy’s last game on June 30 in the “Cali Clasico” with the San Jose Earthquakes, in the form of three goals in the opening 25 minutes, including a volley from Zlatan Ibrahimovic within the first minute. But defensively, the team couldn’t do enough to hold on to a 3-1 lead, as the Earthquakes came back to tie 3-3. Schmid said his team needs to move on and make sure it takes care of business at home.

“Our focus is we want to win games at home, which is really important to us,” Schmid said. “We have to continue to build and winning the home games is important. We got a point on the road, we’re disappointed, but we want to get three points at home every time. We’ve got two home games this week and two wins would put us in a good place.”

The Galaxy (6-7-3) are tied for seventh in the Western Conference. D.C. United sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, five points behind second-from-bottom Toronto FC, with the fewest points in MLS. But with only 13 games played while every other team in the East has played between 16 and 19, coach Ben Olsen’s team remain in the playoff hunt.

Wayne Rooney, D.C.’s marquee summer signing and England’s leading international goal scorer, will not be available as the transfer window remains closed until Monday.

alaxy and D.C. United will kick off at Stubhub Center at 7:30 p.m.