CARSON, Calif. -- Check any of the fine media outlets covering Wednesday night's CONCACAF Champions League Semifinal first leg between the LA Galaxy and C.F. Monterrey and you'll hear about the importance of Robbie Keane, Humberto Suazo, Omar Gonzalez or Aldo De Nigris, but the match may in fact turn on something else, LA's ability to control the midfield against the Mexican giants.
That responsibility will fall to the Galaxy's Brazilian central midfield tandem of Juninho and Marcelo Sarvas, who must battle with Monterrey's Jesus Zavala and Walter Ayovi. The two-time defending CCL winners may be loaded to the brim with talented players, but Sarvas believes that the game will depend on LA's ability to simply retain possession.
"As much as we can have the ball and control the game, that means that they don't have the ball and they're no dangerous against us. I think our team has the players to keep the ball and find the space to create the opportunities," said Sarvas. "We have to be very clever when we going forward to not leave space for the players, also don't turn over the ball because they go fast on the counter attack."
