CARSON, Calif. (Tuesday, April 3, 2012) – Following their second home defeat of the MLS season, the LA Galaxy will hit the road to take on the Eastern Conference leading Sporting Kansas City on Saturday afternoon. Sporting are a perfect 4-0-0 on the season for an MLS-best 12 points, outscoring opponents 7-1. They are 2-0-0 at home already this season, beating FC Dallas and New England at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park while also claiming a pair of wins on the road against Chivas USA and D.C. United.
The Galaxy have lost just once in their last six games against Kansas City, going 1-1-4 in that time with the win the coming courtesy of a 4-1 victory last May at The Home Depot Center in which Landon Donovan scored twice and David Beckham added a late goal direct from a freekick. The two sides then met at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park in September with Sean Franklin scoring twice in a 2-2 draw between the two clubs in LA’s first-ever visit to Sporting’s new home.
Saturday’s game kicks off at 1 p.m. (PT) and can be seen live in English on ESPN and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes. [BROADCAST SCHEDULE] Galaxy fans in the LA-area can watch the match at the official Galaxy viewing party at The Olde Ship in Santa Ana. Click here for more info.
INJURY REPORT
OUT – Omar Gonzalez (Left Knee – Surgery), Leonardo (Right Knee – Surgery), Brian Perk (Sports Hernia – Surgery)
DOUBTFUL – None
QUESTIONABLE – Adam Cristman (Concussion), Landon Donovan (Left Quad – Tightness), Bryan Jordan (Left Hamstring – Strain), Mike Magee (Right Adductor – Tightness), Pat Noonan (Right Hip Flexor – Tightness)
PROBABLE – None
TEAM NOTES
HITTING THE ROAD
For the first time this season, the Galaxy will play a league game on the road when they take on Sporting Kansas City on Saturday afternoon at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. That game, which kicks off at 1 p.m. (PT) will be LA’s second game all-time at Sporting’s new home, playing to a 2-2 draw there in September 2011. That was one of five road draws on the season for LA, who finished the year with a 7-5-5 record away from home. Under Bruce Arena, the Galaxy are 21-14-17 on the road in the regular season in addition to a 2-0-1 mark on the road in the postseason.
Since the start of the 2006 season, the Galaxy are 3-1-2 in their first road game of the season, including wins in each of the last two years. Last year, Bruce Arena’s side opened the year with a 1-0 win at Seattle behind a second half goal from Juninho. In 2010, Edson Buddle scored a pair of first half goals to give the Galaxy a 2-0 win over the Houston Dynamo at Robertson Stadium.
WATCH: Keane scores in the 78th
CAPTAIN KEANE
Robbie Keane served as the Galaxy captain for the first time in his career, wearing the armband in place of the injured Landon Donovan, in Saturday’s 3-1 loss to New England. Keane, who is currently the captain for Ireland as well, played the full 90 minutes up front in the game, tallying a game-high five shots and scoring LA’s only goal in the 78th minute. He now leads the Galaxy in scoring with three goals in three games this season and has five goals and an assist in seven all-time MLS regular season games.
Last year, six different players started a game as captain for the Galaxy with David Beckham, Gregg Berhalter, Landon Donovan, Todd Dunivant, Frankie Hejduk and Donovan Ricketts each being named captain at least once.
TWO CALLED IN
Galaxy forward Jack McBean has been called into the U.S. Under-20 National Team by head coach Tab Ramos for their upcoming camp in Portland, Ore. The camp will run from April 9-16 with the U.S. facing the University of Portland on Thursday, April 12 and then playing one additional game on Sunday, April 15 against a yet to be determined opponent.
McBean is currently in Spain with the Galaxy Academy, taking part in the Real Sociedad XXVII Youth Invitational Tournament. He scored a goal in LA’s lone exhibition game ahead of the start of that tournament, a 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano on Tuesday. He will remain in Spain for the Galaxy’s three Group A games of that tournament before returning to the U.S. in time for the start of the U.S. U-20 camp. READ MORE
He will be joined in that camp by Galaxy Academy defender Jeffrey Payeras. A native of Hawthorne, Calif., Payeras made one appearance for the Galaxy in the Reserve League last season. He has appeared in 14 games for the Galaxy U-18’s in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, helping that team to a 13-1-3 record in all competitions while allowing just 12 goals in those 17 games.
SAUNDERS UP FOR SAVE OF THE WEEK
Galaxy goalkeeper Josh Saunders has been nominated for the MLS Save of the Week award for his diving stop to deny New England’s Chris Tierney late in the first half of Saturday’s loss to the Revolution. Tierney struck a powerful freekick from 30 yards out which Saunders was able to keep out by diving to his left to palm the ball away. That was one of six saves on the night for Saunders, tying an MLS-career high for the veteran goalkeeper. This is his first Save of the Week nomination for the 2012 season.
Voting for the MLS Save of the Week award is open now and closes at 11:59 p.m. (PT) on Thursday, April 4.
WATCH: Saunders stops Tierney
TOTTENHAM MINI PLANS NOW AVAILABLE
Currently sitting in a tie for third place in the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur are coming to The Home Depot Center this summer for a friendly against the LA Galaxy. Led by stars such as Gareth Bale, Brad Friedel, Aaron Lennon, Scott Parker, Rafael Van der Vaart and more, Spurs are in contention to book a spot in the Champions League for just the second time in club history and will prepare for their upcoming season with a three-game U.S. tour.
They will open that tour with a friendly against the Galaxy on Tuesday, July 24. Fans can now purchase tickets to this game as part of three and six-game plans. Starting at just $101, fans can purchase tickets to the friendly against Tottenham as well as tickets to two additional regular season games. Or they can purchase tickets for the Tottenham game and five regular season games for as little as $163.
To learn more about these mini plans or to purchase them, please visit www.lagalaxy.com/tottenham.
