MLS LA Galaxy

LA Galaxy Weekly Update

Published on April 20, 2009 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
LA Galaxy News Release


CARSON, Calif. (Monday, April 20, 2009) - The LA Galaxy once again hit the road in search of their first win of the 2009 MLS season, traveling to Denver for a game against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night. The Galaxy have earned a point in each of their last two league games and will now look to claim the full three points for the first time ever at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Fans will be able to watch the game on tape delay on FS West starting at 10 p.m., or live through the MLS Direct Kick television package and online at MLSnet.com. The game will also be available live on the radio in Spanish at KWKW 1330 AM ESPN Deportes Radio and online in English at www.lagalaxy.com.

THE WEEK THAT WAS

Saturday April 18; Galaxy 1 - San Jose Earthquakes 1 - Oakland Alameda Coliseum - Attendance: 15,862

The Galaxy went on the road for the first time this season and earned a 1-1 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes at Oakland Alameda Coliseum. The Galaxy left the scoring to late in the match, with Bryan Jordan notching the equalizer in the 76th minute off a Landon Donovan cross. Pablo Campos opened the scoring for San Jose in the 5th minute, but Donovan Ricketts followed the early goal with a string of fine saves to keep the Galaxy in the game and in position to gain a share of the points.

INJURY REPORT

Galaxy Injury Report

OUT - Leonard Griffin (Sports Hernia Surgery - Disabled List)

DOUBTFUL - None

QUESTIONABLE - Edson Buddle (Right Quad - Strain), Kyle Patterson (Right Knee - Irritation)

PROBABLE - Todd Dunivant (Right Ankle - Post Surgery), Donovan Ricketts (Left Shoulder - Tightness)

TEAM NOTES

AN EVEN 100 FOR DONOVAN: Galaxy captain Landon Donovan played his 100th game for the club on Saturday against the Earthquakes. In the game, Donovan registered his third assist of the season, tying him for the MLS lead, on Bryan Jordan's game-tying goal in the 76th minute.

Donovan is the 15th player in Galaxy history to appear in 100 regular season games for the club and has 54 goals and 43 assists in that time. The 27-year-old ranks second in club history in goals scored, third in assists and fourth in both shots and shots on goal. Additionally, no player in the history of the Galaxy has tallied more goals from the penalty spot or multi-goal games than Donovan, who has not scored against the Rapids since September 10, 2005.

TOUGH PLACE TO PLAY: Saturday's game will be the Galaxy's fourth trip to Dick's Sporting Goods Park since it opened at the start of the 2007 MLS season. In the previous three games, the Galaxy have allowed eight goals and failed to score any, while losing all three matches. In 2007, LA suffered 1-0 and 3-0 loss on the road to the Rapids before opening the 2008 MLS season with a 4-0 defeat.

All-time the Galaxy are just 7-15-3 in Colorado, with their last win coming on July 13, 2002 when Danny Califf, Ezra Hendrickson and Carlos Ruiz all scored in a 3-1 win over the Rapids. Since that game, the Galaxy have played 11 regular season league games in Colorado, going 0-8-3.

However, LA is 3-1-0 all-time in Colorado during the postseason, including a 2-0 win over the Rapids in their last postseason trip to Colorado for the 2005 Western Conference Final.

FAMILIAR FOES: Saturday's game is the third and final game on the schedule between the Galaxy and Rapids this season. On April 4, Conor Casey scored three times, including the game-winner in the 84th minute, giving the Rapids a 3-2 win at The Home Depot Center. Three days later, the same two sides met in a U.S. Open Cup Play-In Game, with the Rapids coming out victorious 4-2 on penalties after the game finished 0-0 after 90 minutes of regulation and 30 minutes of extra time.

In 2008, the Galaxy did not finish their first season series with an opponent until May 31, when they played their second and final game of the year against Toronto FC.

JORDAN GETS ON THE SCORESHEET: Bryan Jordan scored his first goal of the season and the second of his MLS career on Saturday night to give LA a share of the points. Jordan has appeared in all four of the Galaxy's games this season as a second half substitute and the goal was his first since September 2008, when he opened his MLS goal account in a 2-2 draw at home against Real Salt Lake.

Prior to Jordan, the last Galaxy substitute to score a goal was Brandon McDonald, who scored the game-winner in the second half of a 3-2 Galaxy win over Colorado on October 12, 2008 at The Home Depot Center. Last year, LA finished the season with five goals from players who entered the game as a substitute.

KOVALENKO LENDS A HAND: Dema Kovalenko recorded the first assist of his Galaxy career, helping to set up Jordan's goal against the Earthquakes. The 31-year-old midfielder had played 16 games against San Jose going into last weekend's encounter but had never tallied an assist against them until Saturday.

EVER PRESENT IN THE ATTACK: Also assisting on Jordan's goal was Landon Donovan, who has a team-best three assists to go along with his two goals. Donovan, who is the only player in the league currently to have sole possession of his team's lead in goals and assists, has factored in all five of the Galaxy's goals this season, making him one of just two players in the league to have done so.

This is the third straight season in which he has been constantly involved in the Galaxy attack at the start of the season. In 2007, Donovan scored or assisted on each of the Galaxy's first seven goals, while in 2008 he scored or assisted on each of the Galaxy's first eight goals.

DUNIVANT DEBUTS: Defender Todd Dunivant made his 2009 debut on Saturday, playing the final 11 minutes after replacing Jovan Kirovski. Dunivant missed all of the preseason and the first four weeks of the season while rehabilitating his right ankle after undergoing surgery on it last season as a member of Toronto FC. Dunivant returned to full training in late March and was in the 18-man squad for the U.S. Open Cup Play-In Game against Colorado earlier this month but had not appeared for the Galaxy in a competitive game until Saturday against the Earthquakes.

YOUTH ACADEMY

LA GALAXY YOUTH ACADEMY BACK IN ACTION AGAINST CHIVAS USA: After two weeks off from game action, the LA Galaxy Youth Academy U-16 and U-18 teams are back in action this weekend when they take on Chivas USA. The Galaxy will be the visiting team in this installment of the SuperClasico after beating their rivals 1-0 (Under-16) and 3-0 (Under-18) the first time the two sides met in November 2008.

IN THE COMMUNITY

LA GALAXY TO HELP BUILD READING GARDEN THIS WEEK: The LA Galaxy Foundation, The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation and The Home Depot have joined forces to help build a Reading Garden at the President Avenue Elementary School in Harbor City, Calif.

The project preparations began on Monday and will be followed on Tuesday when The Home Depot will be hosting a clinic for students to paint pots and build birdhouses. Finally, on Earth Day, Wednesday, more than 75 volunteers from Home Depot stores throughout the area, the LA Galaxy and The Home Depot Center along with President Avenue Elementary School students will build planters and plant flowers.

A number of Galaxy players will be on hand for the final day of the build, interacting with the students and helping to build planters and plant flowers in the Reading Garden.

GALAXY TO HOST BRIT NIGHT ON MAY 2: For the second straight season, the LA Galaxy will host Brit Night on Saturday, May 2 when the club hosts the New York Red Bulls. The Galaxy won't kick-off until 7:30 p.m., but the day will begin three hours earlier at 4:30 p.m. with a Celebrity Game featuring a number of familiar faces from the worlds of film, television, music and sport. At 6:30 p.m., the participants of the Celebrity Game will be available for autographs while fans will also have the chance to enjoy the music of Mark Ballas and Derek Hough as seen on Dancing with the Stars and Carly Smithson from American Idol.

Additionally, the Olde Kings Head in Santa Monica will be on hand to prepare and serve traditional British dishes, including fish and chips, bangers and mash and much more.

COPA LA RETURNS IN MAY: The LA Galaxy will host the eighth annual Copa LA at the San Bernardino Soccer Complex from May 23-25. One of the region's top youth soccer tournaments in the region, Copa LA is open to all teams and features U-9 through U-19 groups in the Boys Division and U-15, U-17 and U-19 groups in the Girls Division.

Last year more than 150 teams signed up for this tournament and spots are already filling up fast. Registration is now open and the cost is just $250 per team if they sign up before May 2. In order to register your team for this tournament, or to learn more about it, please visit the Events page at www.lagalaxy.com.

NEED TO KNOW

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 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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Major League Soccer Stories from April 20, 2009


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