Just like he ended the 2021 season, LA Galaxy striker Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez is firmly in the Golden Boot presented by Audi race.
The Mexican star’s five goals through six games are tied for the league’s early lead, presenting task No. 1 for Chicago Fire FC in what’s become a marquee game Saturday evening at Soldier Field (8 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+) between two teams that missed the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs a year ago.
“He’s a top-class player, and we know he's very good, especially in the box, the 18-yard box,” Chicago head coach Ezra Hendrickson said midweek. “He's someone that we have to be aware of in the run of play, knowing exactly where he's at all times.”
Chicharito had 17 goals in 21 matches last season, putting him two behind NYCFC forward Taty Castellanos’ 19 tallies for Golden Boot honors. Had the now-33-year-old avoided a nagging calf injury and maintained that pace across the 34-game campaign, he would have been the runaway winner at a 27-28 goal clip.
But could LA be too dependent on the Designated Player’s precision in the penalty area, finishing off early-season chances from left back Raheem Edwards, winger Samuel Grandsir and others? Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney isn’t quite buying that argument, though acknowledged another scoring ace would certainly be welcome.
“He's not having to create these worldies; that would make me more concerned,” Vanney said. “If we were relying on Javy to have to beat three guys and pin something in the upper corner from 25 yards out, I would tell you I'm really concerned about things.
“But these are team goals where he's scoring because of the work of the team and getting the ball in great spots and allowing him to make the moves that he's making. That's a positive thing for the team.”
One possible option there is DP winger Douglas Costa, the former Brazil international who arrived in the offseason with experience at Bayern Munich, Juventus and elsewhere. He’s already scored once from a deflected free kick, though the left-footed attacker is still adjusting to MLS.
You can count Chicago DP midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri as someone who’s highly vigilant of the 31-year-old’s threat, having played for the same German Bundesliga club. Shaqiri, signed in the offseason for a club-record $7.5 million from France’s Lyon, has been out with a calf injury. Hendrickson described his status as “day to day” as the No. 10 recovers.
“LA Galaxy, as everybody knows, they have very good players,” Shaqiri said. “They have a lot of Latin players with Chicharito, with Douglas Costa. And with Douglas Costa, a new player, but Chicharito is already two years there. They have also pressure to win things, and they want to win trophies.”
If any team could challenge LA’s dynamic attack, perhaps it’s Chicago. Their two goals against are tied with the Philadelphia Union for the fewest in MLS, with 17-year-old goalkeeping prodigy Gaga Slonina already posting four sheets. The Fire’s efforts should be boosted by the return of center back Rafael Czichos, who missed their last two matches due to health and safety protocols.
Then again, Chicharito’s in a rich vein of form and there’s sure to be a sizable Windy City crowd coming to see El Tri’s all-time leading scorer, even if he doesn’t seem firmly in manager Tata Martino’s Qatar 2022 plans during a World Cup year. Home to one of the United States’ largest Mexican expat populations, the Fire have featured stars like Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Pavel Pardo and Jorge Campos in years past.
Chicharito plans on putting on a show, too, coming off a 2-1 rivalry win over LAFC in El Trafico. LA also fully recognize how Chicago have lost just once this year, a 1-0 defeat at Orlando City SC last weekend.
“If you want to be a champion and you want to lift trophies, you need to play every single game like the one we just played against El Trafico,” he said. “Of course it has a special feeling, emotion and everything, but it's just an extra kind of thing.
“The standard should be as high as that game. We need to respect every single team here in MLS regardless if we're playing at home or away. We need to win every single game. Every single game is a final.”
