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Union out to turn home form around vs. L.A.

May 14, 2013 - 10:32 PM Chester, PA (Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Union have enjoyed an impressive start to the season, claiming 15 points from the club's opening 10 matches to occupy a playoff spot through the first few months.

But that solid spell has not been a product of the club's home form.

Three of Philadelphia's four wins have come on the road as the club has produced a rather indifferent record of 1-1-2 PPL Park so far.

The Union will hope to claim their first home victory in nearly two months when they host the Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday.

In order to get a vital home victory, Philadelphia must get another strong performance out of Jack McInerney.

The Union striker has set the league ablaze with an MLS-high seven goals this term, the most recent of which proved to be the difference in Philadelphia's 1-0 victory over the Chicago Fire on Saturday.

"He's playing at a very high level right now and the thing that I'm most pleased with is that he continues to try to play the game the same way," said Union head coach John Hackworth. "He hasn't let anything affect him and he's had a lot of attention in the last month. Good for him that he's keeping his feet on the ground and continuing week-in and week-out to play well."

While the Union will be eager to ignite their home form, they will have put down a Galaxy team that is motivated to extinguish a two-game slide.

Los Angeles was edged by the Houston Dynamo at The Home Depot Center on May 5 before falling to Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place on Saturday, a loss that dropped the club to fifth place in the Western Conference.

The Galaxy have managed just one goal in their last two matches and appear to be lamenting the absence of striker Robbie Keane.

In order to compensate for the loss of the Ireland international, head coach Bruce Arena deployed Landon Donovan in an out-and-out striker's role as opposed to his usual place on the wing.

"We don't have enough aggressive players on the ball in the last third of the field. It showed tonight ..." Arena said following Saturday's loss to Vancouver. "Landon can be more aggressive on the ball. [Mike] Magee didn't have a particularly good game in the last part of the field, either. Those are guys we're counting on."

One bright spot for the Galaxy came in the form of Homegrown Player Gyasi Zardes, who scored his first professional goal in the loss to the Whitecaps in what was just his third appearance for the club.

With Keane still not ready to return from an ankle injury, Zardes could be the Galaxy's main point of attack at PPL Park on Wednesday.