Soaring United pay visit to Galaxy
LOS ANGELES GALAXY v D.C. UNITED
THE HOME DEPOT CENTER, Carson, Calif.
7:30 p.m. PT (FSC/FSE)
June 2, 2007 (WEEK 9) / MLS Game #57
Since the early days of the league it's been the biggest intersectional rivalry and it occurs again on Saturday night, as the two most decorated teams in MLS history meet when D.C. United travels to face the Los Angeles Galaxy. The Galaxy have endured a slow start to their season, with just one win in six games on the campaign. United had a slow start of their own, but have rebounded to win their last three matches and are unbeaten in their last four overall.
REFEREE: Ricardo Salazar. SAR (bench): Kermit Quisenberry; JAR (opposite): Jose Corro; 4th: Tim Weyland
MLS Career: 58 games; FC/gm: 31.7; Y/gm: 3.7; R: 13; pens: 21
Games involving Galaxy: P9 W5 L3 T1; FC/gm: 34.7; Y/gm: 4.0; R: 1; pens: 5
Games involving United: P7 W2 L4 T1; FC/gm: 33.9; Y/gm: 5.1; R: 3; pens: 2
INJURY REPORT: LOS ANGELES GALAXY - OUT: DF Chris Albright (R hamstring), FW Gavin Glinton (L groin strain); FW Alan Gordon (L foot stress fracture); DF Troy Roberts (R hip); QUESTIONABLE: MF Quavas Kirk (plantar fasciitis) ... D.C. UNITED - OUT: FW Jamil Walker (Achilles rupture), DF John Wilson (mid-foot sprain)
SUSPENDED: LA: Kyle Martino (through June 3)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: none
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: DC: Christian Gomez; Ben Olsen
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: LA: Ante Jazic; Kevin Harmse (Canada; vs. Venezuela, June 1) ... DC: Bryan Arguez (U.S. under-20)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (28 meetings): Galaxy 14 wins (0 shootout), 45 goals ... United 11 wins (1 shootout), 36 goals ... Draws 3
AT LOS ANGELES (13 meetings): Galaxy 6 wins (0 shootout), 15 goals ... United 5 wins (1 shootout), 12 goals ... Draws 2
• This is the first of two league meetings between the clubs this season, the only one set for The Home Depot Center. The teams are due to meet at RFK Stadium on Aug. 9.
LAST YEAR (MLS):
6/11: LA 1, DC 1 (Jones 88 - Gomez 21)
8/26: DC 2, LA 5 (own goal 9; Erpen 69 - Gordon 4; Albright 47; Donovan 66, 90; own goal 71)
• A year ago, the teams played to a draw in their first meeting in Carson - then the Galaxy went to Washington and defeated United on their home ground for the first time all season.
• The Galaxy have now won in the nation's capital in seven of the 11 seasons in MLS history, including three of the last four meetings (and last two) on East Capitol Street). United have won just three times in the last 14 meetings between the clubs.
• While the Galaxy hold the upper hand in the league series, United of course have two victories in the MLS Cup Playoffs, both coming in MLS Cup Finals, in 1996 (3-2) and 1999 (2-0).
• Coaches record: Frank Yallop vs. DC: P9 W5 L2 D2 ... Tom Soehn v LA: first game
LOS ANGELES GALAXY
The Los Angeles Galaxy saw their league winless streak reach three games, going a man down to a red card in the first half then falling to the Colorado Rapids by the lone goal on Saturday night in Commerce City. The Galaxy are tied for fifth place in the Western Conference with five points from six games, level with Real Salt Lake, two points behind Houston Dynamo and 11 in arrears of first-place FC Dallas.
LAST MATCH
• The Rapids were still looking for a first home victory since the opening day win against D.C. United, while the Galaxy had just one in their opening five games, having played the fewest in the league.
• The game turned midway through the first half, when Kyle Martino was sent off with a straight red card after getting tangled up with Herculez Gomez after the Colorado striker had the ball taken away in a tackle.
• The Rapids finally took advantage of their manpower situation in the 71st minute when Terry Cooke took the ball on the right and swerved in another of his trademark crosses. Gomez slipped in behind a pair of defenders and stooped to head home past Joe Cannon for his third goal of the year, but first since April 15.
• The Galaxy nearly pulled level in the 83rd minute when a deflection left Nate Jaqua perfectly placed in front of goal with the ball at his feet. His low shot was stopped by Bouna Coundoul's fingertips but it escaped and rolled toward goal, only for the Colorado 'keeper to scramble back and claim it.
• Galaxy boss Frank Yallop made two changes to the team that played to a 1-1 draw with Chivas USA the previous weekend. Nathan Sturgis came into the team at right back for the injured Chris Albright, while Santino Quaranta made his first start of the season, coming in for Cobi Jones.
• Here's Yallop's team (4-2-3-1): Joe Cannon - Nathan Sturgis, Ty Harden, Tyrone Marshall, Ante Jazic -Kevin Harmse, Peter Vagenas (Robbie Findley 75) - Santino Quaranta (Cobi Jones 46) Landon Donovan, Kyle Martino - Nate Jaqua,. Substitutes Not Used: Steve Cronin, Mike Randolph, Ian Russell, Josh Tudela, Kyle Veris
• "I've got to commend the guys for their effort. Being down to 10 men after about 25 minutes, it's very difficult to win," Yallop said. "To be honest I think we had the better chances of the match. We conceded a goal at a bad time in the game, and we didn't take our chances to score."
TEAM NEWS
• Yallop was pleased with his team after going a man down midway through the first half. "It's never easy, especially that early in the match," he said. "It was harsh, and the guys knew that. They responded real well. We had a good chat at halftime to say we can win this game. Let's try and win the game. I think the goal hurt as at the wrong time. We had great chances at the end to equalize, which was tough."
• But in the end, the Galaxy left Colorado with nothing again. The Galaxy haven't won in Colorado in league play since July 13, 2002, a span of nine games. The Rapids have won six of those, including the last five.
• "The toughest in the league, hands down, the toughest place to play," said Santino Quaranta. "The crowd is great, it's a good atmosphere; it really is a tough place to play if you aren't prepared."
• "I always see the positive side of things," Yallop said. "I don't get down on people if they give me effort, and I think the guys gave me effort today. You've got to commend them for that. Yes there is a mental breakdown for the goal. But at some point they were going to get some chances. They took their chances when they came along, and we didn't."
• In addition to the altitude, there is now also the width of the field at DSG Park. But Yallop felt that helped his club - even after going a man down. "It might have helped us a little bit," he said. "They weren't around the goal much. I think they were trying to get breakaways, but we never really got those clearcut chances until Gomez scored the goal. The field wasn't too bad for us. We created some stuff wide with some balls in and didn't finish them."
• Said Donovan: "It's a big field, so we wanted to make sure that we stayed as compact as possible, and I thought we did a really good job. While I'm disappointed that we lost, I have to commend our effort. We played well and probably had equal chances until their goal and better chances after their goal. A man down and we're away from home, but it still hurts to lose."
• While the Galaxy do have games in hand over the rest of the league, they are aware of the importance of early-season points - especially in advance of their congested schedule over the second half of the campaign. "Once again, poor marking in the box shot us in the foot," Galaxy defender Ante Jazic said. "We lost a valuable point for the future."
D.C. UNITED
D.C. United won for the third consecutive match and ran their undefeated streak to four games, getting two first-half goals on their way to a 2-1 win against Houston Dynamo on Saturday night at RFK Stadium. United remain in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 10 points from seven matches, a point behind the Chicago Fire and now seven points behind the first-place tie between New England and New York.
LAST MATCH
• D.C. United had followed three losses to start the season with a draw and two wins in a row, while Houston Dynamo had lost four of their last five games -- all by 1-0 shutouts.
• It didn't take long for United to jump into the lead. The Black-and-Red won a free kick some 30 yards straight out from goal, and Christian Gomez hammered a blast past the wall and into the upper left-hand corner past the dive of 'keeper Pat Onstad for a fourth-minute opener.
• Gomez then laid on the second for United in the 27th minute. With the ball at the top of the area, he slipped a pass to Ben Olsen coming on hard from the right, and the veteran midfielder ripped a low drive off Onstad and into the back of the net.
• In the 71st minute, Brian Ching sent a shot goalward, but it hit the arm of United defender Josh Gros -- and referee Jair Marrufo pointed to the spot. But United 'keeper Troy Perkins guessed correctly, diving to his right to palm away Dwayne De Rosario's effort.
• But the Canadian international made no mistake seconds later. He took a Craig Waibel square pass, cut back to avoid two over-committing defenders and fired home a low shot to give Dynamo new life, but they could get no closer.
• United head coach Tom Soehn made one change to the team that defeated Toronto FC the previous Saturday. With Jaime Moreno away on national team duty with Bolivia, Guy Roland-Kpene started in attack alongside Luciano Emilio.
• Here's Soehn's team (4-3-1-2); Troy Perkins - Bryan Namoff, Bobby Boswell, Facundo Erpen, Joshua Gros - Fred (Clyde Simms 77), Brian Carroll, Ben Olsen - Christian Gomez (Rod Dyachenko 89) - Luciano Emilio, Guy-Roland Kpene (Nicholas Addlery 71). Substitutes Not Used: Marc Burch, Kasali Yinka Casal, Stephen deRoux, Jay Nolly
• "The first half, I thought we came out and really took the game to them. I talked to them about how confidence stretches with teams and, with Houston failing to score, I think we could go a long way," said Soehn. "They gave us an early goal, but I thought our play, possession, Christian [Gomez] starting to get creative, find spaces - the first half, I was really impressed and we built it up and created our chances."
TEAM NEWS
• Most of the post-match talk surrounded Christian Gomez, who scored his third goal on the campaign (second in the last three games) and set up the other - the first time all season he's been involved in multiple goals for the game.
• "Teams, players go through stretches where things come hard. I mean look at Dwayne (De Rosario). He's a great player and tomorrow, he could score three goals. That's just how stretches go," Soehn said. "Christian is going to find his way. He's the MVP of the league for a reason. He's here on our team for a reason. We start to see signs of that, when he's sending our guys through, he's going to be a big piece."
• Gomez set up Olsen for his first league goal since last July 15, the 64th-minute game-winner in a 3-2 win against the Columbus Crew.
• "Playing out on the flanks, you get a little bit more joy as far as getting around the goal and getting some chances," said Olsen. "Christian made a nice, pretty little ball for me - perfect in stride, all I got to do is put that in the goal, pass it in there. I still didn't hit that great, he got some hand on it, but fortunately it snuck in."
• While United have allowed just a single goal in each of their last five games, they still do not have a shutout to show over the league campaign.
• "We haven't had any shutouts yet, so I'm not happy," Soehn said." You know, we still have a lot of learning and growing to do as a team. Anytime you bring in new faces every year, it takes a little while to get a good understanding of what our "Freds" are like. Even Rod [Dyachenko] coming in, everyone has to learn about each other a little better. Over the course of the season, you do that. You're not going to do that at the end of the season."
• Still, after a rough start to the league campaign following a promising run in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, United has put together three consecutive wins and went unbeaten in May. "At our best? No, I think we have a long way to go," said Bobby Boswell. "It was a good step in the right direction. The more games we get, the more our true form will show. I think that our true form is good soccer and we're a good team. The longer our season, the better. Same thing with Christian -- world class player. The better he does, the better we do."
• Said Gomez: "I try to play the same way every week. Sometimes things go your way, other days they don't. But the team is playing better Saturday after Saturday and we're recovering that mystique that characterizes D.C. United and I think we'll be playing that way again."
• Jaime Moreno set up the tying goal in Bolivia's 1-1 draw with Ireland last Saturday in Foxborough, Mass., his first full international cap for more than five years. The call-up and resulting quality performance over 45 minutes could pave the way for Moreno's addition to Bolivia's Copa America squad. The South American national team championship begins June 26.
