March 11 – Visa issues for Mount Pleasant are overshadowing this round of 16 Champions Cup tie as they head to Southern California where LA Galaxy will host the Jamaican champions in the first leg of their two-game series.
Ten players from the Jamaican Premier League side may be missing as they have so far been unable to obtain the required entry permits, giving head coach Theodore Whitmore a big headache.
With so much uncertainty surrounding the team, the advantage should be squarely in the home team’s corner. However, head coach Greg Vanney still finds himself under huge pressure after an underwhelming performance in the 1st round against Panama’s Sporting San Miguelito.
Vanney will be looking for the likes of Jakob Glesnes and Joseph Paintsil to show their undoubted class, while Marco Reus will again be the driving force for a Galaxy team that is still trying to find its true identity.
Mount Pleasant have built a reputation for organised defending and quick transitions, and they’ll be looking for that key away goal at Dignity Health. Discipline and patience will be the factors for the away side, and one can only hope the politicians can get the visa issues sorted in time, as the tie will be devalued if Whitmore is forced to play academy products.
For the Galaxy, however, the mission is straightforward. Use their MLS experience and attacking quality to build a decisive advantage before the series shifts to Jamaica.
Leg 1: March 11 at 9:30 pm ET – Dignity Health Sports Park
Leg 2: March 19 at 7 pm ET – National Stadium, Kingston, Jamaica
Winner faces: San Diego FC or Toluca FC (Mexico)