MLS LA Galaxy

Galaxy Weekly Update

Published on August 18, 2009 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
LA Galaxy News Release


CARSON, Calif. (Tuesday, August 18, 2009) - After seeing their six-game unbeaten streak snapped with a 2-0 loss to Seattle on Saturday, the LA Galaxy will look to rebound when they travel East for a pair of games. The week starts on Wednesday, when LA takes on the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park in a game that can be seen live on ESPN2, starting at 6 p.m. (PT). Three days later, the Galaxy are back in action when they head to the nation's capital for a game against D.C. United. This will be the second and final meeting of the year between the two longtime MLS rivals, with the two sides playing to a 2-2 draw in the season opener on March 22. Fox Soccer Channel will broadcast the game live, starting with the MLS Saturday pregame show at 4 p.m.

In addition to the national television broadcasts, both games will also be available live on the radio in Los Angeles. ESPN Deportes Radio KWKW 1330 AM will have both games in Spanish, while the Chicago game will be available online at www.lagalaxy.com and the D.C. United game will be available on KTLK 1150 AM.

THE WEEK THAT WAS

Saturday, August 15

LA Galaxy 0 - Seattle Sounders FC 2 - The Home Depot Center - Attendance: 20,162

INJURY REPORT

Galaxy Injury Report

OUT - Sean Franklin (Right Hamstring - Surgery - Disabled List), Julian Valentin (Right Foot - Fracture - Disabled List)

DOUBTFUL - None

QUESTIONABLE - Edson Buddle (Right Foot - Sprain), Alecko Eskandarian (Broken Nose)

PROBABLE - Dema Kovalenko (Left Calf - Contusion)

TEAM NOTES

STREAK SNAPPED: With their 2-0 loss at home to Seattle on Saturday night, the Galaxy's six-game unbeaten streak came to and end. During the run, which began with a 1-0 home win over Houston on June 28, the Galaxy were 5-0-1, outscoring opponents 9-3 and keeping three clean sheets. During the run, the Galaxy took 16 of a possible 18 points, accounting for more than half of their point total on the season.

Earlier this season, from April 11 until June 6, the Galaxy went 10 straight games without a loss, compiling a 2-0-8 mark, taking 14 of a possible 30 points. In the five games outside of the two unbeaten streaks, LA has just one point, going 0-4-1.

UNBEATEN AGAINST THE EAST: Wednesday night's game against the Fire will be LA's 10th of the season against teams from the Eastern Conference. In the previous nine games, LA is unbeaten, going 5-0-4 against the East, including 3-0-1 on the road.

The Galaxy beat New England, New York and Toronto FC on the road this season while earning a 1-1 draw at Kansas City on July 25. Following the game against the Fire, LA only has two road games left against the East, traveling to D.C. United on Saturday and to Columbus on September 26.

In the first nine games against the Eastern Conference, LA has outscored their opponents 14-8, with Landon Donovan scoring six times for the Galaxy. The only time that Donovan did not score in an away game against a team from the Eastern Conference was the 2-1 win at Toronto on June 6, a game that he missed while at the Confederations Cup.

TWO IS THE MAGIC NUMBER: In Saturday's loss to Seattle, the Galaxy allowed two goals in a game for just the sixth time this season. In those six games, LA is 0-4-2, earning 2-2 draws in the season opener with D.C. United and at Real Salt Lake on May 6.

Additionally, the Galaxy have also scored two or more goals six times, going 3-1-2 in those contests.

In 2008, the Galaxy allowed a league-high 62 goals for an average of just over two goals per game. Last year, LA allowed two or more goals 23 times in 30 games, going 4-11-8 in those matches.

BECKHAM SEES RED: For the first time in his MLS career, David Beckham was sent off on Saturday night, just 17 minutes into the 2-0 loss to Seattle. Referee Ricardo Salazar gave Beckham a red card for a foul on Peter Vagenas, forcing him to miss Wednesday night's game against the Fire.

This will be just the second time in his Galaxy career that Beckham misses a game through suspension. In October 2008, he missed LA's 3-0 loss at Houston after accumulating too many yellow cards on the season.

SO DOES LEWIS: Late in the second half of the 2-0 loss to Seattle, the Galaxy were reduced to nine men when Eddie Lewis was sent off for a foul on the Sounders' James Riley. It was the second red card of the season for the Galaxy's vice-captain, who was also ejected in the second half of LA's 2-0 home loss to Real Salt Lake on June 13.

In 115 games with San Jose during his first stint in MLS, Lewis was issued a red card just twice. Now, in 27 games as a member of the Galaxy, he has been sent off just as many times, with each coming in the last 10 games.

Lewis, who scored the first goal of his Galaxy career at Toyota Park last season, will miss Wednesday's game against the Fire before returning to the team at D.C. United on Saturday. However, at that point, he will be one yellow card away from another mandatory one-game ban for yellow card accumulation. Lewis, who has been booked four times in 19 games this season, had been two clean games away from having one card expunged from his record, but is no longer eligible for the league's Good Behavior Incentive after being sent off.

SEVEN SENT OFF: Lewis' red card was the seventh of the season issued to a Galaxy player, tying a Galaxy record that was set in 1998. Only Seattle, with eight red cards, have had more players sent off than LA, who have seen Lewis and Gregg Berhalter each sent off twice and Beckham, Alan Gordon and Dema Kovalenko each red carded once.

The seven red cards have come in five separate games, with LA going 0-3-2 in those games and scoring just once in 179 minutes when playing with 10 men or less.

Despite the seven red cards, no Galaxy player has been suspended as a result of yellow card accumulation, with the Galaxy's 33 yellow cards ranking 12th out of 15 teams in MLS.

KEPT OFF THE BOARD: Saturday's 2-0 loss to the Sounders was just the third time this season that the Galaxy have been shutout. LA also failed to score in a 0-0 draw with Chivas USA on April 11 and a 2-0 loss to Real Salt Lake on June 13.

All three of those games have come at The Home Depot Center, where LA was shutout just once in 2008. LA is 0-1-1 this season after being shutout, drawing 1-1 at San Jose on April 18 and losing there 2-1 on June 20.

FOR THE FOUNDATION

DAY ON THE LINKS TEES OFF SEPTEMBER 14: The LA Galaxy Foundation will host their annual Day on the Links Golf Tournament on Monday, September 14 at Coyote Hills Golf Course in Fullerton. Fans will have the chance to golf with their favorite Galaxy players while receiving a number of great gifts just for signing up. Additionally, all participants are invited to a special post-tournament awards dinner, as well as a silent auction and raffle that annually features an amazing collection of memorabilia from across the sports universe.

VIEWING PARTIES

GET TOGETHER WITH FELLOW FANS TO WATCH THE GALAXY ON THE ROAD: The LA Galaxy will be hosting four viewing parties this Wednesday, August 19 and Saturday, August 22 at The Olde Ship (Santa Ana), Barney's Beanery (Burbank), Ye Olde Kings Head (Santa Monica) and the Off Campus Pub (Carson) for its upcoming league games against the Chicago Fire and D.C. United, respectively. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. on Wednesday in Chicago and at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday in Washington D.C. Each location will also be providing Galaxy fans with drink and food specials. Admission is free.

The Galaxy viewing parties will take place at the following locations:

The Olde Ship

1120 W. 17th St.

Santa Ana, CA 92706 (Google Map It!)

Barney's Beanery

250 N. 1st St.

Burbank, CA 92502 (Google Map It!)

(818) 524-2912

Ye Olde Kings Head

116 Santa Monica Blvd.

Santa Monica, CA 90401 (Google Map It!)

(310) 451-1402

Off Campus Pub

(Across from the Home Depot Center)

18413 Avalon Blvd.

Carson, CA 90746 (Google Map It!)

(310) 880-3185

NEED TO KNOW

GALAXY DEPORTIVO IS BACK: Galaxy Deportivo, the Galaxy's official half hour show in Spanish, is back for sixth season with hosts Alejandro Navarro and Elmer Polanco on KWHY-22. Catch the show this week and every other Saturday, at 6 p.m.

On top of behind-the-scenes footages, exclusive interviews and features and in-depth profiles, Galaxy Deportivo also recaps the club's latest activity within the community. Similar to how the fan's passion for the Galaxy is not limited to game day, neither is Galaxy Deportivo's coverage.

Past shows can be viewed on archive at www.LAGalaxyFutbol.com.

PURO GALAXY HITS ESPN DEPORTES RADIO: ESPN Deportes Radio KWKW 1330 AM, the Galaxy's official Spanish language radio partner, is the place for all of your Galaxy news and information en español. The best place to get that information is on Puro Galaxy, the network's weekly, hour-long show that airs every Saturday from noon-1 p.m.

Galaxy color analyst Armando Aguayo and Galaxy sideline reporter Mario Amaya are joined on a weekly basis by the players, coaches and a series of special guests that allow the fan to get excited for match day. So tune in each and every week and stay up to date with everything that is going on in the Galaxy.

Fans can also listen to free podcasts of previous episodes at www.LAGalaxyFutbol.com.

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 and 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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