Sports stats



MLS Major League Soccer

MLS Week 15 Preview

July 8, 2005 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


Saturday, July 9, 2005

Kansas City Wizards at D.C. United

RFK Stadium - 4:00 p.m. ET - ESPN2

A vital clash in the Eastern Conference is ahead for last year's MLS Cup Finalists. D.C. United and the Kansas City Wizards are tied for third in the division - and one could find themselves back in fifth and out of a playoff spot by the end of the weekend. D.C. United has reversed their fortunes of late, coming with victories in three of their last four matches. But it's been a different proposition for the Wizards, who have just one win in their last seven matches, with four of their league-high seven draws in that stretch.

REFEREE: Michael Kennedy.

INJURY REPORT:

D.C. UNITED - OUT: MF Steve Guppy (Achilles tendonitis); DF Bryan Namoff (hip flexor strain); DF Kenny Arena (ankle sprain); DF Tim Merritt (plantar fasciatis);

DOUBTFUL: FW Alecko Eskandarian (concussion);

PROBABLE: MF Nick Van Sicklen (quadriceps strain) ...

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS -OUT: MF Diego Walsh (athletic pubalgia); GK Matin Hutton (L hamstring strain)

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: DC: MF Ben Olsen; FW Santino Quaranta (USA; CONCACAF Gold Cup) KC: FW Josh Wolff, DF Jimmy Conrad (USA; CONCACAF Gold Cup); MF Khari Stephenson (Jamaica; CONCACAF Gold Cup)

SUSPENDED: none

WARNINGS: DC: Josh Gros (20 CP) ... KC: Jose Burciaga Jr. (20 CP)

San Jose Earthquakes at Columbus Crew

Crew Stadium - 7:30 p.m. ET

Two teams heading in seemingly opposite directions face off as the Columbus Crew welcome the San Jose Earthquakes to their own private house of horrors. The Crew are currently in a four-game winless skid, and have won just two games over nearly the past three months to leave them at the foot of the Eastern Conference. The Earthquakes meanwhile are one of the hottest teams in the league, on a six-game unbeaten string that has pulled them into second place in the West. But the Quakes haven't won in Columbus since their first-ever trip here - in 1996.

REFEREE: Andrew Chapin.

INJURY REPORT:

COLUMBUS CREW - OUT: GK Matt Jordan (lower back strain); MF Duncan Oughton (R knee surgery); MD Ross Paule (post-concussion syndrome); GK Jon Busch (R knee);

QUESTIONABLE: DF Stephen Herdsman (L groin strain);

PROBABLE: MF Danny Szetela (concussion) ...

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES - OUT: DF Craig Waibel (R knee torn ACL/LCL); DF Troy Dayak (L knee torn ACL); FW Brian Ching (R hamstring strain);

DOUBTFUL: DF Eddie Robinson (R hamstring strain);

PROBABLE: DF Ryan Cochrane (L ankle sprain)

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: CLB: DF Frankie Hejduk (USA; CONCACAF Gold Cup); FW Cornell Glen (Trinidad & Tobago; CONCACAF Gold Cup) ... SJ: MF Brad Davis (USA; CONCACAF Gold Cup); MF Dwayne De Rosario (Canada; CONCACAF Gold Cup)

SUSPENDED: CLB: Kyle Martino (through July 9) ... SJ: Danny Califf (through July 9)

WARNINGS: CLB: Robin Fraser (20 CP)

Los Angeles Galaxy at MetroStars

Giants Stadium - 8:00 p.m. ET

Games involving the MetroStars have certainly been interesting since Alexi Lalas took over as chief executive - a win against Columbus where the teams kept trading goals has been followed by the MetroStars allowing late flurries of goals in a loss and a draw on the road. They play host to a Los Angeles Galaxy team that hasn't won on the road in more than a year, and facing a current five-game winless run without a number of regulars due to international duty and injury.

REFEREE: Abbey Okulaja.

INJURY REPORT:

METROSTARS - OUT: MF Youri Djorkaeff (R hamstring strain); DF Tim Ward (L hamstring strain); GK Mike Ueltschey (R finger fracture);

DOUBTFUL: MF Mark Lisi (heat exhaustion);

QUESTIONABLE: FW Abbe Ibrahim (L knee torn lateral meniscus) ...

LOS ANGELES GALAXY - OUT: DF Ben Benditson (sports hernia);

QUESTIONABLE: DF Chris Albright (L knee MCL sprain); FW Joseph Ngwenya (sports hernia surgery); MF Guillermo Gonzalez (L quadriceps strain); MF Peter Vagenas (R hip flexor strain); FW Jovan Kirovski (L groin strain);

PROBABLE: MF Ned Grabavoy (R hamstring strain)

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: LA: FW Landon Donovan (USA; CONCACAF Gold Cup); DF Michael Umaña (Costa Rica; CONCACAF Gold Cup); DF Tyrone Marshall (Jamaica; CONCACAF Gold Cup); MF Guillermo Ramirez (Guatemala; CONCACAF Gold Cup)

SUSPENDED: none

WARNINGS: LA: Paulo Nagamura (18 CP)

New England Revolution at Chicago Fire

Soldier Field - 8:30 p.m. ET

A true top-of-the-table clash awaits at Soldier Field, though the teams tied for the top of the Eastern Conference standings will both be missing their share of starters. The Chicago Fire enter the match with five victories and just a single loss over their last seven matches, having hit for 19 goals in that run, but will missing no fewer than five regulars to injury and national team duty. The New England Revolution have still lost just once on the campaign, answering their single reverse with two wins and a draw, but they have their own share of absences to international duty.

REFEREE: Jair Marrufo.

INJURY REPORT:

CHICAGO FIRE: OUT: MF Thiago (L knee meniscus tear); MD Craig Capano (L torn ACL); GK Matt Pickens (R groin strain); MF John Thorrington (L hamstring strain);

PROBABLE: FW Nate Jaqua (L ankle bone bruise) ...

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION - OUT: GK Kyle Singer (R shoulder sprain); PROBABLE: FW Taylor Twellman (L hamstring strain); DF Marshall Leonard (osteitis pubis)

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: CHI: MF Tony Sanneh, MF Chris Armas (USA; CONCACAF Gold Cup); DF Samuel Caballero, DF Ivan Guerrero (Honduras; CONCACAF Gold Cup) ... NE: FW Pat Noonan, MF Clint Dempsey, MF Steve Ralston (USA;CONCACAF Gold Cup); DF Avery John (Trinidad & Tobago; CONCACAF Gold Cup)

SUSPENDED: NE: MF Shalrie Joseph (through July 9)

WARNINGS: CHI: Logan Pause (7 CP in 2 gms) ... NE: DF Jay Heaps (20 CP)

Real Salt Lake at Chivas USA

The Home Depot Center - 10:00 p.m. ET

The third installment of the Expansion Clasíco is ahead, as both teams have been putting more expansion-like results lately. Chivas USA last won the last time time the two teams met at The Home Depot Center, their only victory of the campaign as they are currently suffering through an 11-game winless run. Real Salt Lake have gone eight games without a victory, though they've answered a five-game losing streak and record scoreless run with draws in two of their last three games.

REFEREE: Hilario Grajeda.

INJURY REPORT:

CHIVAS USA - OUT: GK Martin Zuñiga (R knee ACL sprain);

PROBABLE: FW Isaac Romo (R hamstring strain); MF Jesus Ochoa (L knee MCL sprain); DF Aaron Lopez (L shoulder sprain) ...

REAL SALT LAKE - OUT: DF Rustin Pierce (R hamstring strain); DF Paul Broome (L ankle sprain);

PROBABLE: FW Jordan Cila (L ankle sprain)

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: CHV: DF Douglas Sequeira (Costa Rica; CONCACAF Gold Cup) ... RSL: DF Eddie Pope (USA; CONCACAF Gold Cup); MF Andy Williams (Jamaica; CONCACAF Gold Cup); MF Nikolas Besagno (U.S. U-17 national team)

SUSPENDED: CHV: Orlando Perez (through July 9) ... RSL: Brian Dunseth (through July 9)

WARNINGS: CHV: Ramon Ramirez (19 CP); Hector Cuadros (16 CP), Antonio Martinez (8 CP in 2 gms) ... RSL: Jason Kreis (17 CP)

Check out the Major League Soccer Statistics



Major League Soccer Stories from July 8, 2005


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central