MLS LA Galaxy

Galaxy Weekly Update

Published on March 23, 2009 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
LA Galaxy News Release


CARSON, Calif. (Monday, March 23, 2009) - Following their season opening 2-2 draw with D.C. United on Sunday, the LA Galaxy will receive a weekend off ahead of their next league game against Colorado on Saturday, April 4. The Galaxy will hold three more training sessions this week before receiving the weekend off. The team will be back in training next week ahead of the game against the Rapids.

THE WEEK THAT WAS

LA Galaxy

Sunday, March 22; Galaxy 2 - D.C. United 2

Landon Donovan scored twice in the final 10 minutes as the Galaxy erased a 2-0 deficit to earn a 2-2 draw with D.C. United at The Home Depot Center on Sunday. Christian Gomez and Chris Pontius scored on either side of halftime for the visitors before Donovan converted a penalty kick in the 80th minute to make the score 2-1. Five minutes later, Donovan equalized, heading home a Kyle Patterson cross to earn a point for the Galaxy.

INJURY REPORT

Galaxy Injury Report

OUT -Todd Dunivant (Right Ankle - Post Surgery), Leonard Griffin (Left Abdominal - Strain)

DOUBTFUL - None

QUESTIONABLE - Edson Buddle (Right Quad - Strain), Donovan Ricketts (Right Groin - Strain)

PROBABLE - Eddie Lewis (Left Hamstring - Strain)

GALAXY TEAM NOTES

SUEÑO MLS COMES TO LOS ANGELES THIS WEEKEND: The LA Galaxy will host their local tryouts for Sueño MLS at the San Bernardino Soccer Complex this weekend. The Galaxy filled all 600 of their available spots within the first five hours after registration opened earlier this month. However, hopefuls are still able to register to the Waiting List via www.SuenoMLS.com for an opportunity to participate in the premier search for undiscovered soccer talent in the United States.

The tryouts and personal stories will be chronicled weekly by Univision's popular weekly sports show, República Deportiva, who will be broadcasting part of their show live from the tryouts on Sunday. One of the shows popular Senadoras (spokesmodels), Natalia Saenz, will be in attendance. Natalia will be interviewing participants as well as posing for photos and giving out autographs to fans. ESPN Deportes Radio, the Galaxy's flagship station, will be broadcasting live on-site as well. Telemundo's Galaxy Deportivo cameras will also be on hand to capture the action.

Four local winners will be selected from this weekend's tryout to compete in an exciting four-day Final Event in Los Angeles along with four local winners from the Chicago Fire and D.C. United. The finals, which will include training sessions, scrimmages, guest celebrity scouts, and an opportunity to meet some of the league's biggest stars, with all events centered around the Honda SuperClasico between the Galaxy and Chivas USA on April 11.

The ultimate champion will be crowned on Sunday, April 12, at The Home Depot Center live (EST) on República Deportiva.

DONOVAN AND BECKHAM RECEIVE INTERNATIONAL CALLUPS: On Friday, Galaxy captain Landon Donovan was called-up to the U.S. National Team for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against El Salvador (on Saturday, March 28) and Trinidad and Tobago (on Wednesday, April 1). Following those two games, Donovan will return to the Galaxy and train with the club in advance of the club's next game, against Colorado on April 4.

Additionally, on loan midfielder David Beckham was called up to the England National Team for Saturday's friendly against Slovakia and next Wednesday's World Cup Qualifier versus Ukraine.

THREE DEBUTS: Three Galaxy rookies made their MLS debuts on Sunday, with A.J. DeLaGarza and Omar Gonzalez starting in defense, while Kyle Patterson came on as a second half substitute and assisted on Landon Donovan's game-tying goal in the 85th minute. This was the second straight season in which the Galaxy used three rookies and started two of them in their season opener, as Ruud Gullit used Ely Allen, Michael Gavin and Brandon McDonald in last year's season opening defeat at Colorado.

The only Galaxy rookies not to get on the field on Sunday were Yohance Marshall, who was an unused substitute, and Tristan Bowen, who was not in the 18-man game-day roster.

BREAKING THE STREAK: Landon Donovan's goal in the 80th minute of Sunday's game was the Galaxy's first goal in a season opener since the 2004 season, snapping a string 461 minutes without a goal on opening day. Prior to that goal, the last Galaxy player to score in a season opener was Jovan Kirovski, who scored in the 69th minute of LA's 3-2 win over New England on April 3, 2004.

Additionally, Donovan became the second player in club history to score two goals in a season opener, joining Carlos Ruiz who scored twice in the Galaxy's season opening victory over D.C. United on March 23, 2002, leading LA to a 2-1 win.

BENITEZ ON THE BENCH: With Donovan Ricketts not available due to injury, the Galaxy called up League Pool goalkeeper Miguel Benitez for Sunday's game. The 22-year old Hawthorne, Calif. native was on the bench for the Galaxy but was not called into action. Benitez, who will train with the Galaxy throughout the season, helped lead Cal State Dominguez Hills to the 2008 NCAA Division II National Championship last season.

YOUTH ACADEMY

LA GALAXY YOUTH ACADEMY SPLITS GAMES ON SUNDAY: The LA Galaxy Youth Academy split a pair of games against Real SoCal on Sunday evening at The Home Depot Center, with the U-16's falling 1-0 and the U-18's winning 4-1.

Goalkeeper Omar Zeenni nearly kept a clean sheet for the U-16's, only to allow a late penalty kick, which snapped the team's five-game unbeaten streak.

In the second game of the day, Dersu Abolfathi, John Atkinson, Alex Covarrubias and James Rochlitz scored for the U-18's, leading them to a 4-1 win. With those four taking care of the scoring, Gyasi Zardes was able to marshal the defense at the other end of the park in front of goalkeepers Billy Thompson and Eric Shannon, who split the game in goal to earn the victory.

Both Academy teams will be back in action with a pair of games this weekend. On Saturday, the Academy will host Arsenal on Field 5 at The Home Depot Center, with the games kicking off at 1 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. Then on Sunday, the Academy teams will host FC Portland at The Home Depot Center, with those games being played at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. All four games are free and open to all fans and media members.

NEED TO KNOW

GALAXY-AC MILAN TICKETS ON SALE NOW: On Monday morning, individual game tickets went on sale for the Galaxy's friendly against AC Milan at The Home Depot Center on July 19. Tickets for this game start at just $40, while Galaxy season ticket holders . To order tickets for this game or any other Galaxy game, please call 877-3GALAXY (877-342-5299) or visit www.lagalaxy.com.

GALAXY 2009 SEASON CREDENTIALS AVAILABLE NOW: Media credentials for the 2009 LA Galaxy season are available now online. Media members looking to receive a season credential can apply online at www.lagalaxy.iwebreg.com. All credential applications must be completed online before the deadline, which is Friday, April 17. All credential applications must be accompanied by a photo headshot.

If you have applied for credentials for recent Galaxy/MLS/SUM events in the past, you must login in to your account using your email address and password. If you have forgotten your password please click on the option that states "Reset Password ".

Media members who will not be covering the entire Galaxy season can request single game credentials through the Galaxy Communications Department by emailing mediarequests@lagalaxy.com.

MEDIA PARKING AT TRAINING: All media members are asked to enter through Gate D, off Victoria Blvd., and to park in Lot 17 when attending Galaxy training sessions. Members of the media who park in Lot 6 during training sessions may be ticketed as school is in session at California State University - Dominguez Hills.

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 or www.lagalaxyfutbol.com, or the club's official blog at www.thelagalaxy.blogspot.com for all the latest news from the club.

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Major League Soccer Stories from March 23, 2009


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