MLS

Angel City now has three Japanese players on its roster, most in the league, while the Galaxy won the MLS Cup last winter with two Japanese playing key roles.

Sean Franklin played at Highland High in Palmdale then won two MLS Cups, two Supporters’ Shield, was named the MLS rookie of the year and made an all-star team with the Galaxy.

He is the only coach in MLS history to win the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup in his first season.

But others have managed to overcome that too: Three teams in the last eight seasons have won the MLS Cup one season and made it back to the final the next year.

Giroud, in his second season in MLS, has yet to score a goal in league play and has started just once in the last six weeks.