CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy’s Robbie Keane has missed the last five games, a streak in which the team has gone 2-0-3, and it’s been killing him.
But he may get a much-needed solution for his frustration by seeing game action in Sunday’s match against the New England Revolution (12:30 p.m., ESPN) at StubHub Center.
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Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena remained noncommittal regarding the Republic of Ireland captain’s status, despite the fact the 35-year-old said he felt “ready to go” after missing more than a month because of knee surgery.
Keane, in fact, insisted he could have played in last Sunday’s 1-1 tie with Sporting Kansas City.
“I’m ready, of course,” he told reporters. “It’s been a good few weeks of training, a lot of fitness. But if you’re not playing, it’s different from match fitness. In terms of normal fitness I’m fine and ready to go.”
Keane admitted he’s been growing frustrated at not being able to play, but he said the inactivity has gotten a little easier to handle as he grows older. He turns 36 this summer.
“As you get older, you get more understanding of it,” he said. “Maybe a little bit easier, but at the same time frustrating because as you know me I like to play all the time. It can be frustrating at times, but without being mentally strong and getting back sooner than expected, that’s obviously been the case with me.
“I’ve always been like that as a player. If someone gives me a long time, I always try to cut it in half and that’s been the case. I definitely could have been involved on Sunday (in Kansas City). I’m obviously ready for this game. I’m back a lot quicker than expected.”
The Galaxy (4-1-3, 15 points) will take on the Revolution (1-2-7, 10 points) in the first meeting between the teams at StubHub Center since the 2014 MLS Cup final, a 2-1 Galaxy win.
A number of Galaxy players don’t recall much of that game – “You know me, I don’t like to dwell on the past,” Keane said – but defender A.J. DeLaGarza vividly remembers one play in particular. He matched New England’s Charlie Davies stride for stride in a sprint that covered almost half of the field before DeLaGarza knocked the ball away from Davies deep in the Galaxy’s penalty area.
“Yeah, I remember that,” DeLaGarza said with a laugh. “That’s when I had a bad hamstring. I missed the game before, and that was the first real test.
“I felt good. From then on it was a pretty good day for myself.”
Davies and DeLaGarza, however, won’t be renewing acquaintances Sunday. Davies is out with a right adductor strain. So is Chris Tierney (strained left hamstring), who scored the Revolution’s lone goal two years ago. The Galaxy will be without left back Ashley Cole, who was ejected last weekend in Kansas City after picking up two yellow cards. And Steven Gerrard remains iffy with a groin injury despite having recently returned to full training.
The five-time MLS Cup champions expect nothing but a difficult test this weekend, despite the fact the Revolution have won once in the last six games (1-1-4).
“They’re always a tough challenge,” midfielder Baggio Husidic said.
Said Arena, “They’ve been a little unlucky. They have an unusual number of draws at this time, and that tells you they’re in a lot of games.
“Our experience with them is they’re always hard to play against.
LA Galaxy vs. New England Revolution
The StubHub Center, Carson, California
MAY 8, 2016 (WEEK 10, MLS GAME #95)
12:30 pm PT (ESPN, MLS LIVE)
The renewal of the only three-time matchup for MLS Cup is ahead when the LA Galaxy play host to the New England Revolution on Sunday afternoon at StubHub Center before an ESPN audience. The Galaxy are undefeated in their last six matches, returning home off of a 1-1 draw at Sporting Kansas City last weekend. The Revolution have played to seven draws in their 10 outings thus far, reaching another deadlock last weekend in a 2-2 result with Orlando City SC at Gillette Stadium.
- Giovani dos Santos scored his fourth goal over the last three matches and the LA Galaxy stretched their undefeated streak to six games with a third draw in that time, reaching a 1-1 result at Sporting Kansas City on Sunday evening.
- The Revolution had their winless streak extended to five games with a fourth draw in that time, Orlando City hitting for a late equalizer to leave the teams in a 2-2 draw Saturday evening at Gillette Stadium.
- The teams reached a 2-2 draw in their lone meeting a year ago, May 31 at Gillette Stadium. Each team hit for five goals in consecutive regular season matches the two years previous, the Galaxy rolling to a 5-1 win July 16, 2014 at StubHub Center, and the Revolution taking a 5-0 win June 2, 2013 at Gillette Stadium.
REFEREE: Hilario Grajeda. AR1 (bench): James Conlee; AR2 (opposite): Anthony Vasoli; 4th: Juan Guzman
MLS Career: 125 games; FC/gm: 24.2; Y/gm: 3.56; R: 22; pens: 21
SUSPENDED: LA: Ashley Cole (through May 8)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: LA: Jelle Van Damme
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: LA: Daniel Steres -- NE: Gershon Koffie
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (39 meetings): Galaxy 17 wins (2 shootout), 62 goals -- Revolution 15 wins (1 shootout), 58 goals -- Ties 7
AT LA (20 meetings): Galaxy 11 wins (0 shootout), 35 goals -- Revolution 5 wins (0 shootout), 22 goals -- Ties 4
LAST YEAR (MLS):
5/31: NE 2, LA 2 (Bunbury 5; Fagundez 37 - Maganto 18; Zardes 27)
- This is the only league meeting between the teams this season.
- The teams have met three times in the MLS Cup final, the Galaxy winning all three, all in extra time (2002 at Gillette Stadium; 2005 in Frisco, Texas; 2014 at StubHub Center).
- Coaches record: Jay Heaps vs. LA: P4 W2 L1 T1 -- Bruce Arena vs. NE: P28 W14 L10 T4
