LA GALAXY vs FC DALLAS
THE HOME DEPOT CENTER, Carson, Calif.
April 28, 2012 (WEEK 8, MLS Game #73)
7:30 p.m. PT (KDOC/KWHY; lagalaxy.com/gamedaylive)
The LA Galaxy look to continue their turnaround when they play host to FC Dallas on Saturday evening at The Home Depot Center. The Galaxy are coming off back-to-back wins, last a 2-1 win at the Colorado Rapids last weekend. FC Dallas are back on the road after returning home for a midweek contest, reaching a 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake.
REFEREE: Ricardo Salazar. SAR (bench): Peter Manikowski; JAR (opposite): Mike Kampmeinert; 4th: Alejandro Mariscal
MLS Career: 149 games; FC/gm: 27.0; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 42; pens: 55
DOWNLOAD FULL GAME GUIDE (PDF)
INJURY REPORT:
- LA GALAXY - OUT: DF Omar Gonzalez (L knee surgery); DF Leonardo (R knee surgery); GK Brian Perk (sports hernia surgery); QUESTIONABLE: MF David Beckham (back spasms); MF Mike Magee (L quad contusion)
- FC DALLAS - OUT: MF David Ferreira (R foot surgery); MF Ricardo Villar (R foot strain); MF Andrew Wiedeman (sports hernia repair); QUESTIONABLE: MF Andrew Jacobson (R hamstring strain); GK Kevin Hartman (lower back spasms); Bryan Leyva (L ankle sprain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: none
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (54 meetings): Galaxy 26 wins (1 shootout), 98 goals ... FC Dallas 19 wins (1 shootout), 75 goals ... Ties 9
AT FC DALLAS (27 meetings): Galaxy 19 wins (1 shootout), 57 goals ... FC Dallas 5 wins (1 shootout), 28 goals ... Ties 3
RETURN MATCHES: 7/28: FC Dallas vs. LA Galaxy, 7 p.m. CT (NBC SN); 8/26: LA Galaxy vs. FC Dallas, 4 p.m. PT (NBC SN)
LAST YEAR (MLS):
5/1: DAL 2, LA 1 (Castillo 47; Shea 88 - Donovan 51)
8/6: LA 3, DAL 1 (Gonzalez 32; Juninho 62; Magee 81 - Chavez 9)
- The teams split their two meetings last year, FC Dallas winning 2-1 at home in May, and the Galaxy winning 3-1 in Carson in August. They were the first meetings since FC Dallas' 3-0 win against LA in the 2010 Western Conference Championship at The Home Depot Center.
- Coaches record: Bruce Arena vs. DAL: P18 W9 L7 D2 ... Schellas Hyndman vs. LA: P8 W3 L3 D2
LA GALAXY
The LA Galaxy won their second game in as many starts, holding on for a 2-1 win against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday evening at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The Galaxy are in a three-way tie for sixth place in the Western Conference with 9 points from 6 games.
HIGHLIGHTS: Galaxy get back on track in Colorado
LAST MATCH
- The Galaxy took the lead in the 21st minute. David Beckham's pinpoint free kick found an unmarked Mike Magee to the left of goal, and he headed the ball back toward the center. Rapids defender Marvell Wynne nodded the ball inside the far post of his own goal. WATCH
- In the 39th minute, the Galaxy doubled their lead. Robbie Keane's through ball found Landon Donovan steaming into the left side of the area, and the U.S. international made no mistake on a classy angled finish inside the far post. WATCH
- But in the 63rd minute, Omar Cummings fended off David Junior Lopes for 15 yards to run onto a loose ball before hammering a rising blast past goalkeeper Josh Saunders.
- Then in stoppage time, Rapids substitute Andre Akpan went down under a challenge by Lopes, and referee Ramon Hernandez pointed to the spot. But on the ensuing penalty, Saunders guessed correctly by diving left and parrying away Cummings' attempt. WATCH
- Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena made two changes to the team that came from behind for a 3-1 win against the Portland Timbers at The Home Depot Center. A.J. DeLaGarza came back into the back four for Tommy Meyer, and Edson Buddle started up top for Chad Barrett.
- LA GALAXY (4-4-2): Josh Saunders - Sean Franklin, David Junior Lopes, A.J. DeLaGarza, Todd Dunivant - Landon Donovan, Juninho (Michael Stephens 89), David Beckham, Mike Magee (Pat Noonan 81) - Edson Buddle (Chad Barrett 72), Robbie Keane.
TEAM NEWS
Galaxy preview Dallas showdown
- The Galaxy won for a second consecutive game after back-to-back losses, and won on the road in their second trip in league play away from The Home Depot Center.
- "These points at this time of year are important, especially in conference games so we're thankful we got out of [there] with three points," Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said. "We haven't started real well, so it's important we piece some wins together."
- READ: Galaxy's Beckham: Would've been "travesty" to not win
- Said Galaxy midfielder David Beckham: "It's a big win. It's just a stepping stone to obviously what we want to achieve. We didn't start the season off well but the last two games have been better, not just because we won the games but because we played as a team and we've done well."
- LA Galaxy goalkeeper Josh Saunders saved a penalty kick from Omar Cummings in stoppage time to preserve the 2-1 win in Colorado. It was his first penalty save in MLS.
- "You try to intimidate as much as you can, stand tall and go big when you can," Saunders said. "Honestly I don't even know statistically what odds would be. It's just what you make of it. If you're confident and ready to go for it, you can make the save."
- For the second time in as many games, a Robbie Keane pass set up a Landon Donovan goal, providing the ultimate deciding goal in the victory against Colorado.
- READ: Another win, more momentum for suddenly stable Galaxy
- "I should have scored a really easy one early on," Donovan said. "But we did a good job of using the ball well and on that play, I started on my right and got it into Robbie. Myself, Edson [Buddle] and him took off and Edson did a good job dragging a few defenders away and Robbie got it to me and I just wanted to hit the target hard from there and it went in."
- A year after tying the all-time MLS record with 17 shutouts and conceding just 28 goals in 34 games (tied for fourth-fewest in league history), the Galaxy still have yet to keep a clean sheet this season.
- "It's reflective of not playing as well as we can on the defensive end of the field," Arena said. "If you don't have a shutout, it means you're not playing great defensively. ... We haven't been as good as we need to be, but we'll get there."
- Donovan has 17 goals and 12 assists in 29 career regular-season games vs. Dallas - his highest output against a single opponent.
FC DALLAS
FC Dallas maintained their long undefeated streak vs. Real Salt Lake at home, but weren't able to hold on for a victory, the teams playing to a 1-1 draw Wednesday evening in Frisco. FCD is tied for third place in the Western Conference with 11 points from 8 matches.
HIGHLIGHTS: Dallas drop points at home to RSL
LAST MATCH
- FC Dallas took the lead just before halftime. RSL defender Tony Beltran was called for a handball in the box by referee Geoff Gamble, and Brek Shea drilled home the penalty kick.
- But Real Salt Lake answered back in the 72nd minute. Just three minutes after coming on as a substitute, Emiliano Bonfigli finished off a spell of possession for the visitors, collecting Will Johnson's chipped through ball, taking one touch in the area and finishing with a low shot past FCD goalkeeper Chris Seitz.
- FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman made two changes to the team that went down to a 1-0 defeat by Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place. Jair Benitez and Scott Sealy came into the side for Bruno Guarda and the suspended Blas Perez.
- FC DALLAS (4-4-2): Chris Seitz - Zach Loyd, George John, Ugo Ihemelu, Jair Benitez - Carlos Rodriguez (Jackson 56), Daniel Hernandez, Bobby Warshaw (Hernan Pertuz 80), Brek Shea - Fabian Castillo, Scott Sealy (Jonathan Top 68).
TEAM NEWS
FC Dallas preview LA Galaxy matchup
- Heading into the game, Hyndman had a real injury crisis on his hands with midfielders Ricardo Villar, Andrew Jacobson and David Ferreira all ruled out through injury. Then in the days leading up to the match, striker Blas Perez was suspended for the contest in a ruling by the MLS Disciplinary Committee.
- "You can call it an emergency," Hyndman said. "I think when you go without four starters; it's becoming a bit of an emergency."
- Things got even worse when Carlos Rodriguez suffered what Hyndman said was a dislocation of his elbow early in the second half that forced him off the field. Jackson made his first appearance after his return from his loan to Cruzeiro EC in Brazil.
- "I was hoping to get Jackson on the field for the last 15 minutes. If we didn't need him, then I probably wouldn't have even put him on the field, but I felt that we needed to get something on the field that was at least going to be a threat," Hyndman said.
- Striker Scott Sealy was able to make his first start of the season, after coming on as a substitute the weekend before. Jair Benitez also made his return to the lineup following a three-match absence.
- "I think every coach gets frustrated with the injuries," Hyndman said. "Unfortunately, it's part of the game and sometimes, it doesn't seem like it's fair. As soon as you get one person healthy, we get Scott Sealy healthy and then we pick up another injury with Jair [Ben"tez]. Now that he's back, Carlos is out."
- Goalkeeper Kevin Hartman was again unable to figure, after being scratched from the Vancouver match with back spasms after warmups. Chris Seitz was credited with four saves.
- "Chris is a solid ëkeeper. As you know, a couple of years ago, he started for Philadelphia and I think it might have been the wrong place for him, an expansion team, giving up a lot of goals. I think, mentally, he was shot. We were able to pick him up and I think he finally has confidence," said Hyndman. "Last week when he went in, he wasn't prepared. Kevin got hurt in the warmups, so (Seitz) really wasn't nervous or scared, he just went in. So I was very interested to see how he would respond in this game, being able to sleep on it and prepare himself mentally and I think that he had a good game."
- Brek Shea has scored the last two goals for FC Dallas, converting the penalty kick just before the interval for his second goal this season. "It's good to get a goal. Doesn't matter how you get it. I am glad that I was able to covert it and help the team," he said.
- Home Grown Player Jonathan Top made his full professional debut, coming on for the final quarter of the match.
- "It means a lot for any of the younger guys to get playing time. Whenever one of us gets time, we are all happy for one another. We've worked hard for it and we are always pushing each other. We just need to be ready whenever that time comes," Top said.
