After dropping a pair of games last week, the LA Galaxy will look to get back to their winning ways when they return to action against D.C. United in Washington D.C. This will be the final of three consecutive road games that the club will play before returning home next week.
After conducting just two training sessions last week, the club will train four times this week, including three times at The Home Depot Center before travelling to the nation’s capital.
Sunday’s game will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Español, starting with the MLS Saturday on FSC pregame show at 4 p.m., while KTLK 1150 AM and ESPN Deportes Radio 1330 AM will also carry the game live locally on the radio in English and Spanish respectively.
The Galaxy drew both of their meetings with D.C. United in 2009, including a 0-0 draw at RFK Stadium on August 21. LA is 1-0-2 in their last three meetings with United and are 8-8-2 at RFK Stadium all time.
THE
WEEK THAT WAS
Wednesday,
July 7, 2010; Galaxy 0 – Seattle Sounders FC 2 –
U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals –
Starfire Sports Complex
The Galaxy were eliminated from the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as Nate Jaqua scored twice to lead Seattle to a 2-0 victory. Bruce Arena made 10 changes to the team that beat Seattle on July 4, but the new faces were not able to earn a win and send LA to the Open Cup Semifinals for the seventh time in club history.
Wednesday,
July 7, 2010; Galaxy U-20’s 1 – SUSA – Everton U-20’s 1 – UC –
Riverside
Gyasi Zardes scored the Galaxy’s only goal as they stretched their unbeaten streak to six games with a 1-1 draw at division co-leaders, SUSA – Everton.
Friday,
July 9, 2010; Galaxy U-20’s 1 – Poway Vaqueros U-20’s 0 – Poway High
School
The Galaxy U-20’s moved to the verge of their first USL Super-20 Pacific Southern California Division title since 2008 with a 1-0 road win at Poway on Friday. The Galaxy now need just a draw in their final game of the season on Tuesday night against Southern California Seahorses at Biola University in La Mirada.
Saturday,
July 10, 2010; Galaxy 0 – New England
Revolution 2 – Gillette Stadium – Attendance:
20,000
The Galaxy suffered just their second loss of the season and allowed more than one goal for the first time all year with a 2-0 loss to New England on Saturday night. Marko Perovic and Sainey Nyassi scored seven minutes apart in the second half to snap LA’s four-game unbeaten streak against the Revolution.
INJURY
REPORT
Galaxy
Injury Report
OUT – Mike Magee (Bilateral Sports Hernia – Surgery)
DOUBTFUL – None
QUESTIONABLE – Dema Kovalenko (Right Hamstring – Strain)
PROBABLE - None
TEAM
NOTES
FIRST LOSS AGAINST THE EAST: The 2-0 loss at New England on Saturday ended the Galaxy’s seven-game unbeaten streak against the Eastern Conference dating back to September 2009. Since a 2-0 loss at Columbus last year, the Galaxy had gone 4-0-3 against the Eastern Conference, keeping six clean sheets in those games and outscoring their opponents 7-1.
Dating back to the start of last season, the Galaxy have lost just twice in 21 regular season games against the East, going 11-2-8, with the only other loss coming at Columbus on September 26, 2009. LA have recorded 11 clean sheets in those 21 games and allowed more than one goal just three times.
CONSECUTIVE DEFEATS: Having lost twice last week, first in the Open Cup to Seattle and then in the league to New England, the Galaxy enter their first two-game losing streak in all competition since June 2009, when they lost a league games at home against Real Salt Lake and then at San Jose. That was also the first time that the Galaxy allowed two or more goals in consecutive games.
The last time LA lost three straight games in a row was in August 2007, when they lost 5-4 in a league game at New York, 3-0 in a league game against Chivas USA and 3-0 at Colorado.
OUT OF THE OPEN CUP: The Galaxy were knocked out of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at the Quarterfinal stage on Wednesday with a 2-0 defeat to Seattle Sounders FC in Tukwila, Wash. This was the first time LA had been knocked out at this stage of the competition since 1999 after advancing to the semifinals in each of their last six trips to the quarterfinals.
Since the Open Cup Final was moved to within the MLS season in 2003, the Galaxy are now 1-3-3 in their first league game after being eliminated from the Open Cup. The only time since 2003 the Galaxy won a game after being eliminated from the Open Cup was in 2006 when LA beat Chivas USA 3-0 three days after falling 3-1 to the Chicago Fire in the Open Cup Final. From 1996-2002, the U.S. Open Cup Final was played after the MLS Cup Final.
ALL-STARS TO BE ANNOUNCED ON TUESDAY: With the best record in MLS, as well as the league leader in many of the primary statistical categories, the LA Galaxy could see multiple players named to the MLS All-Star team. The All-Star First XI will be announced on Tuesday at 12:40 p.m. (PT) live on ESPN News.
Next week, Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena, who was named the head coach of the MLS All-Star Team late last month, will name his 10 coaches selections while MLS Commissioner Don Garber will name two additional All-Stars with his Commissioner’s Picks to complete the 23-man MLS All-Star Team.
The Galaxy have never had fewer than two players named to the All-Star Team, with Landon Donovan and Donovan Ricketts each earning the honor in 2009. Cobi Jones has a record nine All-Star appearances as a member of the Galaxy.
ESPY AWARDS TO BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY: Galaxy captain Landon Donovan will discover on Wednesday night if he has won the fifth ESPY Award of his career, when Seth Meyers hosts the 2010 ESPY Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. The show will be aired live on ESPN that night at 6 p.m. (PT).
Donovan has been nominated in the “Best MLS Player” category award every year since its inception in 2006, winning it in 2006, 2007 and 2009 while missing out to teammate David Beckham in 2008. In 2002, 2003 and 2004 Donovan was nominated in the “Best Male Soccer Player” category, winning the ESPY in 2002. In 2005, he was nominated in the “Best Soccer Player” category.
Fans can still vote for Donovan and all other ESPY nominees at http://espn.go.com/espys/#/home.
YOUTH ACADEMY
GALAXY U-20’S LOOK TO CLINCH DIVISION TITLE TUESDAY: After taking seven of a possible nine points last week, the LA Galaxy U-20’s are on the verge of winning their second USL Super-20 Pacific Southern California Division title in three years.
The Galaxy beat Chivas USA and the Poway Vaqueros last week while also playing to a 1-1 draw with SUSA – Everton, giving them 20 points from a 6-1-2 record with one game remaining. SUSA – Everton, who have completed their season, also have 20 points, have a +28 goal differential compared to the Galaxy’s +20 goal difference, meaning that the Galaxy will win the division title with a win or draw in their regular season finale at the Southern California Seahorses in La Mirada.
LA are undefeated in their last eight games, going 6-0-2 and outscoring opponents 24-2 while keeping a clean sheet in six of those eight games. They played to a 1-1 draw with the Seahorses at The Home Depot Center on June 19.
If LA wins the division, they will qualify for the Super-20 Finals, which will be in Rockford, Ill. From July 29 until August 1.
IN THE
COMMUNITY
GALAXY TO HOST EQUIPMENT DRIVE ON JULY 22: Prior to the to LA Galaxy’s game against the San Jose Earthquakes on Thursday, July 22, the Galaxy will be hosting an Equipment Drive as part of the club’s annual Drive Series. Fans are encouraged to give the gift of soccer by donating new or gently used soccer gear. The donated soccer gear – jerseys, shorts, shoes, balls and shin guards are all acceptable - can be dropped off outside of each entrance at The Home Depot Center on the day of the match. The Galaxy Drive Series is a community initiative where the Galaxy's Community Development department conducts equipment, food, clothing, and school supplies drives aimed at assisting Los Angeles area youth and local non-profit organizations. For more information on the Galaxy Drive Series, please visit the Community section of the website at www.lagalaxy.com.
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.
FOR THE
FANS
GALAXY HELP ARRANGE TRIPS FOR FANS TO SAN JOSE AND NEW YORK: Galaxy fans wishing to see their team play live in New York on August 14 or San Jose on August 21 are in luck as the club has paired with Bixby Travel Company to put together a pair of exciting travel packages. Visit www.lagalaxy.com/roadtrips for complete details and pricing for both trips.
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.
