Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez is set to make a return to the field against the Houston Dynamo on Saturday, after spending the entire 2023 Major League Soccer season on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
The Mexican figure picked up the strain in a preseason training session with the Galaxy, ruling him out for the first six weeks of the campaign. But head coach Greg Vanney revealed he’s now expected to feature for the Western Conference giants against the Dynamo, after recovering accordingly.
“He’s ready to go to Houston. Now it’s just [about] building up his match minutes, 11-v-11, and covering territory, repetition. Playing for five minutes is different from playing 90 minutes. So it’s just doing some of that. But he looks sharp, he looks good, getting repetitions in front of goal now because when you have a hamstring injury you can’t do a lot of things obviously in front of goal at intensity and high speed,” Vanney said on Wednesday.
“So now it’s just repetition and getting him ready. But he’ll certainly train full all week, he’s trained partially in some last sessions, so he’s got enough under his belt and his fitness level is good. So now it’s just, again, match fitness.”
It’s perfect timing for the LA Galaxy, as the team desperately needs an offensive boost on the field. When healthy, Chicharito has proven to be one of the most efficient strikers in Major League Soccer. He’s managed 35 goals in his last 53 games since 2021, propelling the Galaxy to success.
Since being sidelined, Vanney’s side has struggled to find the back of the net, resulting in just three goals in five matches to sit in 12th place on the table with a record of 0W-3D-2L. The game against the Dynamo may make all the difference.
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