Carson, CA (My Sportsbook) - The Los Angeles Galaxy will be making their first Major League Soccer playoff appearance in five years when they square off against their L.A. neighbors, Chivas USA, on Sunday night at The Home Depot Center in their Western Conference Semifinal Series.

The meeting will be the first-ever in the playoffs between the rivals, ratcheting up the intensity in the already heated derby.

"To play two games with that much at stake, I think it's great," L.A. defender Gregg Berhalter said. "If you look at all the playoff match-ups, there are some interesting ones in the first round. In our case, add to the fact we're in the same stadium, the same city, we're big rivals ...it's great."

Chivas USA has failed to make it out of the first round of their previous two playoff appearances the past two seasons, mainly because of injury concerns on the front line. But heading into the match-up with the Galaxy, the Goats are relatively healthy up top.

"We've never been out of the first round," Chivas USA defender Jonathan Bornstein said. "What we need to take out of that is that we need to score some goals. Every second leg [of our previous playoff series], we dominated the play of the game but we just couldn't score goals and ultimately, that's what killed us."

Goats forward Justin Braun is hoping the competition for playing time brings out the best in the Chivas USA attackers.

"It's definitely good when you have all the guys out there fighting for a spot," he said. "It makes good competition in the team and helps everyone increase their level of play."

The Galaxy will be counting on a pair of rookie defenders - Omar Gonzalez and A.J. DeLa Garza - to help slow down the Chivas USA attack and allow them to play their possession oriented game.

"We've told [the rookies] it's another level," L.A. defender Todd Dunivant said. "Everyone picks it up, it's another step up in intensity. It's going to be a physical game and you have to match that intensity. In the postseason the biggest part is defense, and that's been our strength all year. If we can keep that going, we'll be a tough team to beat."

The rest of the back line will be key for the Galaxy as well.

"That's the recipe of success in this league," L.A. attacker Landon Donovan said. "Being compact and good defensively is huge. [Goalkeeper] Donovan [Ricketts] has been great and our back four has been consistently good. We always know we're going to make chances going the other way."

Chivas USA will be without defender Jim Curtin, midfielders Kevin Harmse, Jesse Marsch, Bojan Stepanovic and Sasha Victorine, and forward Ante Razov, while defender Claudio Suarez is questionable, and defender Bornstein and midfielder Paulo Nagamura are probable, all with injuries.

The Galaxy will be without defender Julian Valentin and forward Alecko Eskandarian, while midfielder Stefani Miglioranzi is questionable.