Fansided

Galaxy starlet Uriel Antuna has opportunity with El Tri

By Jahir M. Martinez

COLUMBUS, OH - MAY 08: Los Angeles Galaxy forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic (9) and Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Uriel Antuna (18) react after Columbus Crew SC midfielder Hector Jimenez (not pictured) scored a goal in the MLS regular season game between the Columbus Crew SC and the Los Angelas Galaxy on May 8, 2019 at Mapfre Stadium in Columbus, OH. (Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - MAY 08: Los Angeles Galaxy forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic (9) and Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Uriel Antuna (18) react after Columbus Crew SC midfielder Hector Jimenez (not pictured) scored a goal in the MLS regular season game between the Columbus Crew SC and the Los Angelas Galaxy on May 8, 2019 at Mapfre Stadium in Columbus, OH. (Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The 21-year-old attacking midfielder is attracting attention ahead of this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup.

Uriel Antuna joined the Los Angeles Galaxy at the start of the 2019 season on loan from Manchester City, after spending the past two seasons in the Netherlands with FC Groningen. Antuna did not see much action and watched many Eredivisie matches cfrom the bench. The transition to the MLS has actually been quite good for the Durango native.

Through 15 games in the MLS this season, Antuna has been a regular starter and has already played more than 1,200 minutes. In that time, he has scored two goals and handed out three assists.

Having Mexico teammate Jonathan dos Santos on the Galaxy roster has been a stabilizing influence on the young midfielder, but the remarkable thing is how quickly he has formed a partnership with superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Antuna and Zlatan have become a dual threat as a result of the chemistry they have developed. The Galaxy is currently in second place in the Western Conference halfway through the season, with 28 points from its 9-1-5 record and in the running for the top seed out West.

With several top-line players missing from the Team Mexico training camp (Javier Hernandez, Hector Herrera, Jesus Corona, Carlos Vela, Javier Aquino, Hirving Lozano and Miguel Layun) ahead of the Gold Cup tournament, Antuna has a great opportunity to make a statement. This is especially true since manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino was quoted as saying that he had been “closely monitoring” Antuna’s performance with the Galaxy.

Putting Uriel Antuna alongside Raul Jimenez and Rodolfo Pizarro as El Tri’s attacking trident could prove to be productive. We can be hopeful that such a formation will make us forget about the absences of “Chicharito” Hernandez and ” Tecatito” Corona.

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