After remaining unbeaten with a 0-0 draw at home against Toronto FC on Saturday night, the LA Galaxy will hit the road for a game against FC Dallas on Thursday night at Pizza Hut Park. The game is the first of a five-game stretch that will see the Galaxy play four games away from The Home Depot Center. LA has opened the season with a 3-0-1 mark on the road and has kept a clean sheet in all four of those games, giving them five straight shutouts on the road in the regular season dating back to last October.
Fox Sports West will broadcast Thursday’s game on tape delay starting with the Galaxy Live pregame show at 8:30 p.m. while ESPN Deportes Radio 1330 AM will carry the game live in Spanish starting with their pregame show at 5 p.m. The game will also be available in English online at www.lagalaxy.com starting with the pregame show at 5:15 p.m.
Following Thursday’s game in Dallas, the Galaxy will return to Southern California for an international friendly against South American giants Boca Juniors. Galaxy season ticket holders will use their Bonus Game B ticket for this game, which will see the Galaxy take on the 23-time Argentine champions for the first time ever. This game will kick off at 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 23 at The Home Depot Center.
THE
WEEK THAT WAS
Saturday,
May 15, 2010; Galaxy U-16’s 4 – Chivas USA U-16’s 0 – The Home Depot
Center
Neil Ignacio scored twice and Juan Mendoza and Dyllan Stevens each added goals as the Galaxy U-16’s claimed their biggest win of the season, defeating Chivas USA 4-0. The Galaxy led 3-0 at the half and then added one more after the break to finish off the game. Josh McNeely went the distance in goal for the Galaxy, who grabbed their second win in their last three games.
Saturday,
May 15, 2010; Galaxy U-18’s 2 – Chivas USA U-18’s 3 – The Home Depot
Center
Riley Wolfe and Ruben Valencia scored in the first half but Chivas USA twice came back to tie the score before getting a late goal five minutes before the end to snap the Galaxy’s two-game winning streak. Wolfe put LA up 1-0 in the 5th minute and Valencia put his team back in front in the 31st minute before getting sent off late in the opening 45 minutes.
Saturday,
May 15, 2010; Galaxy 0 – Toronto FC 0 – The
Home
Depot Center – Attendance:
20,007
Josh Saunders made his first start of the season and kept a clean sheet as the Galaxy remained unbeaten with a 0-0 draw. Edson Buddle, playing his final game with the club before traveling to New Jersey with the U.S. National Team, hit the post midway through the second half as the Galaxy fired 11 shots at the Toronto goal in hopes of breaking the deadlock. The draw snapped the Galaxy’s seven-game regular season winning streak at home dating back to September 2009 but kept the club 10 points clear at the top of the Western Conference.
INJURY
REPORT
OUT – None
DOUBTFUL – None
QUESTIONABLE – A.J. DeLaGarza (Back Spasms), Sean Franklin (Left Ankle – Sprain), Alan Gordon (Right Quad – Strain), Bryan Jordan (Right Hamstring – Strain), Dema Kovalenko (Right Hamstring – Strain), Leonardo (Right Quad – Strain), Eddie Lewis (Left Foot – Contusion), Donovan Ricketts (Right Elbow – Strain)
PROBABLE - None
TEAM
NOTES
UNBEATEN STREAK REACHES 12: With the 0-0 draw with Toronto FC on Saturday night, the Galaxy stretched their unbeaten streak to nine games to the start of the season and 12 regular season games overall dating back to the end of the 2009 season. The Galaxy are now 7-0-2 for an MLS-best 23 points on the season, leaving them 10 points ahead of Colorado, Houston, Real Salt Lake and San Jose, who are all tied with 13 points, in the Western Conference standings. Against those four teams, the Galaxy are 3-0-0 this season, winning at Colorado and Houston and at home against Real Salt Lake.
Dating back to the end of the 2009 regular season, the Galaxy are unbeaten in their last 12 games, going 9-0-3 in that time and taking 30 of a possible 36 points. LA has kept a clean sheet in 10 of those 12 games and have not trailed in any of them. This is the fifth unbeaten streak of 10 games or more in Galaxy history and matches the second longest unbeaten streak in club history at 12 games, a mark that was first set in 1996 when the club won the first 12 games in their history.
From September 7, 1997 until May 17, 1998, the Galaxy won 15 straight games, with all but one of those wins being settled in regulation, as opposed to a shootout, which was used to decide tie games from 1996-1999. That streak is the second longest in MLS history, four games shorter than the Columbus Crew’s MLS record 19-game unbeaten streak that began in July 2004 and was ended in April 2005.
The last time the Galaxy lost was on September 26, 2009 when they fell 2-0 to the Columbus Crew, who are the only other undefeated team in the league this season.
BUDDLE AND DONOVAN DEPART FOR TRAINING CAMP: Following Saturday’s game against Toronto FC, Galaxy forwards Edson Buddle and Landon Donovan departed for training camp with the U.S. National Team at Princeton University in New Jersey. Both players were included in the U.S. National Team’s 30-man preliminary roster for this summer’s 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Both players will miss a minimum of two games (May 20 at FC Dallas and May 29 at Columbus) with the Galaxy while in training camp and will miss a minimum of two more (June 5 vs. Houston and June 9 at Real Salt Lake) if they are included in the final 23-man squad.
For the first time in league history, Major League Soccer will take a two week break during the opening round of the World Cup, with the Galaxy not scheduled to play any league games between June 9 and June 26.
SAUNDERS STARTS: Josh Saunders made his first start of the season on Saturday night, replacing the injured Donovan Ricketts for the scoreless draw with Toronto FC. The 29-year-old veteran made one save to earn the clean sheet and extend the Galaxy’s streak of not allowing a goal to 276 minutes. Saunders and Ricketts have combined to allow just two goals in nine games this season. With another clean sheet on Thursday night at Dallas, the Galaxy will tie the MLS record for the most clean sheets in the opening 10 games of the season and set a new record for the fewest goals allowed in the opening 10 games of the season with two, two fewer than the current record that was set by the 2000 Kansas City Wizards.
Dating back to last season, Saunders has not allowed a goal in any of his last six regular season or postseason games for the Galaxy for a stretch of 397 consecutive minutes without allowing a goal. If Saunders can play his next 58 minutes in the regular season without allowing a goal, he will become the 10th goalkeeper in MLS history to play 400 consecutive minutes in the regular season without allowing a goal.
ANOTHER NEW LOOK: With Saunders replacing Donovan Ricketts in the starting lineup on Saturday night, the Galaxy used their eighth different lineup of the season. Only six players – Chris Birchall, Edson Buddle, Landon Donovan, Todd Dunivant, Omar Gonzalez and Michael Stephens have appeared in all nine games for LA this season, with only Buddle, Donovan, Dunivant and Gonzalez starting all nine.
Through the first nine games of the MLS season, the Galaxy have started 21 of the 25 players on the club’s roster. Only Tristan Bowen, Clint Mathis, Yohance Marshall – who has been on loan to the Austin Aztex of the USSF Division 2 for most of the season and David Beckham – who is not eligible to be added to the club’s 24-man roster until the transfer window re-opens in July, have not started a game for the club this season. Of that group, Mathis has appeared in each of the Galaxy’s last four games while Bowen has made two appearances off the bench this season, meaning that only Beckham and Marshall have not played in a game for LA this season.
ARENA TO HEAD TO SPAIN FOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL: Following Thursday’s game against FC Dallas, Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena will fly to Madrid, Spain where he will serve as an analyst for FOX Sports’ pre and postgame shows, as well as at halftime of the match. Arena will be joined at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, the home of Real Madrid, by host Curt Menefee and fellow analyst Eric Wynalda.
The 2010 UEFA Champions League Final will be played on Saturday, May 22 between Bayern Munich and Inter Milan and will be shown live on FOX at 11 a.m. (PT).
Arena will return to Los Angeles on Sunday for the Galaxy’s friendly against Boca Juniors.
THIRD INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY OF THE YEAR ON SUNDAY: For the first time in club history, the Galaxy will host 23-time Argentine champion Boca Juniors at The Home Depot Center on Sunday evening at 5 p.m. The Galaxy are 1-0-1 against international opponents this season, defeating Costa Rican side Puntarenas FC 1-0 at Titan Stadium on March 10 and playing CD Aguila of El Salvador to a 0-0 draw at The Home Depot Center on March 21.
All-time, the Galaxy are 35-19-24 against international competition, including 1-0-1 against Argentine clubs, with both of those games being played in March 2000 when the Galaxy spent part of their preseason training in Cordoba, Argentina.
While many great seats remain for this exciting match, all general admission tickets are now sold out. Tickets are on sale now starting at just $20 by calling 1-877-3GALAXY (342-5299) or by visiting www.lagalaxy.com and at all Ticketmaster locations. For fans of Boca Juniors, additional supporters sections have been added for the visiting club. Fans wishing to sit with fellow Boca Juniors fans are asked to request tickets in these sections when purchasing their seats.
MARK ROGONDINO SITS DOWN FOR CUP OF JOE: Tune-in to the Galaxy's weekly live web show, Cup of Joe, with radio play-by-play announcer Joe Tutino. On Thursday afternoon FOX Sports West color analyst Mark Rogondino will sit down with Tutino to discuss his preparations for a broadcast, his responsibilities in the booth during a game and much more about his thoughts on the team’s impressive start to the 2010 season. The show will air live at 12:30 p.m. on the Galaxy’s website, www.lagalaxy.com.
Fans can participate asking by questions either beforehand or live during the chat. Start submitting questions for Dave now to socialmedia@lagalaxy.com.
YOUTH ACADEMY
GALAXY ACADEMY TEAMS FACE LAFC CHELSEA ON SATURDAY: After splitting their games with Chivas USA last weekend, the LA Galaxy Youth Academy teams are back in action on Saturday afternoon when they head north to La Canada to take on LAFC Chelsea at La Canada High School.
The two sides first met in mid-March, with the Galaxy U-16’s falling 2-0 and the U-18’s earning a 1-1 draw that started a five-game unbeaten streak for the club. Last season, the U-16’s went 0-1-1 against LAFC Chelsea while the U-18’s were 1-1-0
Both Galaxy teams have three divisional games remaining on their schedules as well as three games at the annual Spring Showcase in Sarasota, Fla. later this month. With their win over Chivas USA last weekend, the Galaxy U-16’s currently sit seven points out of second place in the Division standings and a guaranteed playoff spot while the U-18’s are now four points out of second place, though they have two games in hand on second place Chivas USA.
RILEY WOLFE GETS U-18 NATIONAL TEAM CALL: Galaxy U-18 midfielder Riley Wolfe has been included in the U.S. Under-18 squad that will travel to Portugal for the Lisbon International Tournament later this month. A native of Manhattan Beach, Calif., Wolfe has played in 18 games with the Galaxy U-18’s this season, scoring five goals. He will miss this weekend’s game against LAFC Chelsea as well as next week’s Spring Showcase before returning for his team’s final three games of the season.
Mike Matkovich’s team will travel to Portugal on May 21 for the start of a 10-day trip. While in Lisbon, Wolfe and the rest of the U.S. Under-18’s will face Norway (May 27), Romania (May 28) and Portugal (May 30) before returning home on May 31.
IN THE
COMMUNITY
GALAXY FOUNDATION SHOT OF THE WEEK: At each LA Galaxy home game, fans are invited to visit the Galaxy Foundation Booth to place your bid on the Galaxy Foundation's Shot of the Week presented by MoraPhotography.com. Each photo will be signed by the player or players featured. All proceeds benefit the Los Angeles Galaxy Foundation.
NEED TO
KNOW
LOOKING FOR MORE UPDATES?: If you are looking for continuous updates from the Galaxy all week long, be sure to visit the club’s official websites www.lagalaxy.com and www.lagalaxyfutbol.com, or the club’s official blog at www.thelagalaxy.blogspot.com for all the latest news from the club. The Galaxy can also be followed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/lagalaxy and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lagalaxy.
