MLS LA Galaxy

Galaxy Weekly Update

Published on August 19, 2003 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
LA Galaxy News Release


The 2002 MLS Cup champion Los Angeles Galaxy (5-6-8, 23 pts - 4th Western Conference) visit the Chicago Fire (9-4-6, 33 pts - 1st Eastern Conference) for a mid-week match this Wednesday, August 20th at Cardinal Stadium. The Galaxy-Fire game will be televised tape delayed at 8pm on KWHY Ch. 22. Galaxy fans can also listen live over the airwaves on KMPC 1540 AM (English) and KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish). The Galaxy look to ride the momentum of a three-game unbeaten streak as well as the two-game scoring streak of striker Diego Serna into Chicago. A win would mark the club's first on the road this season. Midfielder Simon Elliott is the club's leading scorer vs. the Fire with two goals and six assists for 10 points.

On Saturday, the Galaxy return home to take on the New England Revolution (5-7-8, 23 pts. - 4th Eastern Conference) on Radio Shack "Extreme Fan Day" at The Home Depot. The 1:00 pm (PT) game will be nationally televised live at 1pm on ESPN2. Galaxy fans can also listen live over the airwaves on KMPC 1540 AM (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish) and Korean Radio 1230 AM. The Galaxy are riding a three-game unbeaten streak vs. the Revolution and will look to all-time leading scorer Cobi Jones, who has 10 goals and six assists all-time vs. New England.

"MAKE SUN SAFETY YOUR GOAL" DAY THIS SAT: This Saturday, August 23, the Los Angeles Galaxy and Galaxy Foundation will host the club's "Make Sun Safety Your Goal" Day at The Home Depot Center. The L.A. Galaxy and the Galaxy Foundation have teamed up with the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Soccer Foundation, and MLS sister teams Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, D.C. United and San Jose Earthquakes in supporting this campaign. The focus of "Make Sun Safety Your Goal," which is supported by each team's foundation, is to increase awareness and educate the soccer community - players, referees and spectators on the importance of sun protection.

The first 5,000 fans in attendance at The Home Depot Center, when the Galaxy takes on its Eastern Conference rival Revolution, will receive an official "Sun Safety" kit, which includes a visor, lip balm, bookmark and a mini-poster featuring sun safety tips.

SERNA SCORES IN SECOND STRAIGHT MATCH: Los Angeles Galaxy forward Diego Serna, who was acquired two weeks ago from the New England Revolution, continues to impact the Galaxy's offense. On Saturday night, Serna scored his second goal in as a many games with L.A., moving all the way to fourth place among Galaxy goal scorers. Serna crossed Jones' path and intercepted the ball, dribbling by Craig Ziadie and beating MetroStars defender Steve Jolley on a sliding effort from 10 yards out which resulted in his second goal in consecutive games since making his return to MLS since June 29, 2002. Against Columbus, Serna added his first goal of the season, heading home a Ruiz chip to make the score 3-1.

VICTORINE UNDERGOES MRI ON HIP TODAY: L.A. Galaxy midfielder Sasha Victorine underwent a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) on his right hip today at Health South Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA. Results of the test were not immediately available. Victorine, who is in his fourth season with the Galaxy, was forced to exit the Galaxy's match vs. the Chicago in 55th minute after suffering a sprained right hip.

GALAXY TO PLAY SOUNDERS IN QUARTERFINALS OF U.S OPEN CUP: The Los Angeles will face the Seattle Sounders (A-League) at Seahawks Stadium on Wednesday August 27 in the Quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Galaxy advanced by coming from behind to defeat the Fresno Fuego (PDL), 3-1, August 6 at The Home Depot Center. Arturo Torres and Paul Broome each scored their first goals in a Galaxy uniform; while goalkeeper Dan Popik earned his first win.

L.A. GALAXY TO HOST CHINA ON SEPT. 3: The 2002 MLS Cup Champion Los Angeles Galaxy will host the Men's National Team of China in an international friendly on Wednesday, September 3, 2003 at 7:30 pm in The Home Depot Center. The September 3 game will not be the first meeting between the teams, the Galaxy visited China on a tour of the Far East in 2001. The Galaxy defeated a Bora Milutinovic led Chinese National Team, 3-1, in Yuxi, China on Feb. 21; marking the first time an MLS team had defeated a full national team on the road. Mauricio Cienfuegos of El Salvador was the Galaxy's leading scorer, tallying two goals on the afternoon while Sasha Victori ne added the third. Ticket Prices for Galaxy-China match are as follow: Sideline ($45), Corner $30 (Youth $25), Upper Deck $28 (Youth $20), Goal Line $22 (Youth $16). Youths are age 16 and under. Fans can purchase tickets by contacting the Galaxy at 877-3GALAXY and Ticketmaster at 213-480-3232 or 714-740-2000.

GONZALEZ LEADS USA PAST KOREA AND SIERRA LEONE AT UNDER-17 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Guillermo "Memo" Gonzalez and Team USA won their first two matches at the FIFA Under-17 World Championship Finland 2003 over the weekend. The U.S. squad defeated Korea (6-1) on Wednesday and Sierra Leone (2-1) on Saturday. The U.S. will face Spain next in their final Group D match on Wednesday, August 20. In two games, Gonzalez started both games playing 144 minutes, including scoring one goal. Against Sierra Leone, Gonzalez scored his first goal finishing a penalty kick, slotting it to the lower-left side past goalkeeper Patrick Bantamoi, who barely moved. All the matches in the U-17 World Championship will be televised in the USA by Galavision with Wednesday's match vs. Spain airing live at 10 am (PT).

THE GALAXY SOCCER REPORT - WED AT 7PM: The Galaxy Soccer Report, hosted by Steven Cohen, Nick Geber and Rick Davis, will take the week off as the Galaxy take on the Fire this Wednesday night. The Galaxy Soccer Report, which airs every Wednesday night from 7-8 pm on KMPC 1540 The Ticket throughout the Galaxy season.

GALAXY DEPORTIVO - SAT AT 3 PM: Galaxy Deportivo, hosted by Elmer Polanco and Jaime Motta will air this and every Saturday throughout the Galaxy season at 3 p.m. on KWHY, Channel 22. This week the show, will take a look at the Galaxy's Wednesday match vs. the Fire.

FIRE CONNECTIONS: Carlos Bocanegra played for Galaxy coach Sigi Schmid at UCLA...Fire midfielder Chris Armas was a member of the Galaxy from 1996-97... Kevin Hartman and former Galaxy midfielder Danny Pena were both expansion draft selections of the Fire in 1998, but were traded back to the Galaxy for Armas and GK Jorge Campos...The Fire and Galaxy (along with the MetroStars, United and Rapids) are operated by Anschutz Entertainment Group...Former Galaxy forward Ante Razov has returned to the MLS and the Chicago Fire last season after stint in the Spain Second Division with Racing de Ferrol...Midfielder DaMarcus Beasley was allocated to Los Angeles as a Project-40 player on August 11, 1999, but was traded to Chicago for two first round draft picks (2000 and 2001) before making an appearance with the Galaxy...Los Angeles used the two draft picks to select Danny Califf (2000) and Isaias Bardales Jr. (2001).

LAST MEETING VS FIRE: Forward Carlos Ruiz scored two second-half goals in the span of nine minutes as the Los Angeles Galaxy came from behind to defeat the Chicago Fire at Cardinal Stadium on Sept. 7, 2002. By increasing his season total to 22 goals, Ruiz surpassed Eduardo Hurtado's total of 21 goals in the 1996 campaign, to set a new single-season club mark. In the 8th minute, midfielder Jesse Marsch opened the scoring with assists from C.J. Brown and Ante Razov.

REVOLUTION CONNECTIONS: Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis (1998-2002) played for the Galaxy and attended UCLA...Reis was traded to New England in the off-season in a trade for Alex Pineda Chacon in 2003...New England forward Joe-Max Moore also played his college soccer for the Bruins...Revs defender Nick Downing and forward Taylor Twellman were teammates of Galaxy defender Danny Califf at the University of Maryland...Defender Joe Franchino, now with New England, spent three seasons in L.A with the Galaxy ... Los Angeles defender Alexi Lalas played for the Revolution during the '96 and '97 seasons...On August 8, the Galaxy acquired forward Diego Serna from the Revolution in exchange for two conditional MLS SuperDraft picks.

LAST MEETING VS. REVOLUTION: The New England Revolution recorded a 2-2 road draw as they drew even with the Los Angeles Galaxy on July 4, 2003 at The Home Depot Center. The Galaxy's Carlos Ruiz recorded a goal and an assist on the night, while Revolution striker Taylor Twellman kept pace with his eighth goal of the campaign.

GROUP TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR USA'S WOMEN'S WORLD CUP SEND-OFF MATCH ON SEPT. 1: U.S. Soccer and the Los Angeles Galaxy announced today that group discount tickets are now available for a unique Labor Day friendly between the U.S. Women's National Team and Costa Rica at The Home Depot Center on Monday, September 1. The U.S. Women's National Team match, which will be televised live on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. PT, will be one of two special send-off matches played prior to the FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003. The Women's World Cup preview match will also mark the first time that any of U.S. Soccer's Na tional Teams will play an international game at the state-of-the-art new stadium. USA-Costa Rica group discount tickets, for groups of 20 or more, can be purchased by contacting the L.A. Galaxy at 877-3GALAXY. Group tickets are available in a wide range of prices including: Midfield - $55, Side Lines - $ 35, Primary Corners - $28, Secondary Corners - $24 and End Lines - $20.

GAME EXPERIENCES AND GAME PACKAGES FOR GALAXY GAMES AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON EBay: Galaxy fans looking for a unique and memorable way to see a Major League Soccer match can visit eBay to bid on game experience packages available during the "Summer of Soccer." The packages include once-in-a-lifetime experiences, such as "Bid to be a Ball Kid" which will allow a young fan to play a part in a Rapids game. Family packages for the team can also be found on eBay, giving families an affordable and memorable way to spend an afternoon. Most of the games will take place during August, as teams jockey for a post-season position and a shot at the MLS Championship. To search and bid on "Summer of Soccer" packages, simply type in "MLS Tickets" from the eBay home page at www.ebay.com.

THE HOME DEPOT CENTER TO HOST WOMEN'S WORLD CUP FINAL: In the schedule announced today by FIFA and U.S Soccer, The Home Depot Center will host the final of FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003 on Sunday, October 12. The Home Depot Center, the nation's premier outdoor facility, will also open its doors to first round doubleheaders on September 21 and 25 as well as the third-place match on October 11.

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Major League Soccer Stories from August 19, 2003


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