FCD look for redemption vs. Galaxy
FCD will likely be fielding a lineup missing two starters. Center back Clarence Goodson, the Hoops' most consistent defender this year, will be suspended for yellow card accumulation. He was booked for shoving Chicago's Paulo Wanchope on Thursday in the second half and that infraction put him over the limit.
"Yes, I was (disappointed when he got booked) and he was disappointed also," FCD head coach Steve Morrow said. "He (Goodson) came and apologized for it after. He knows it was stupid and doesn't need me to tell him that. He was frustrated after getting a couple of elbows. If you're going to get a yellow card, you might as well make it worth your while."
The other big absence could be holding midfielder Pablo Ricchetti, who left the game with a right hamstring strain at the break and didn't return for the second half.
"We're not sure yet (about his status)," Morrow said. "He will have an ultrasound to see if there's any muscle damage in there. It wasn't as bad as he thought (Friday) and he feels pretty well today (Saturday). I don't think it's going to be 2-3 weeks but with another game coming up on Sunday, I think he has to be very questionable for that."
Morrow didn't hesitate to label Sunday's match as a must-win. "I think all games for the rest of the season are must-wins for us," he said. "I think we need to get points out of every game so that we are in good form going into the playoffs. I think that's important for us and we need to get results, which breed confidence."
FCD's playoff future isn't in much doubt. With 40 points on the season and five games left, they could clinch a playoff spot by the end of the weekend with a victory and if both Colorado and Columbus fail to win. But even if they aren't in that position, every win is important down the stretch.
"I think every game is a must-win," right back Drew Moor said. "That's the mentality you have to take. You have to go into every game looking for three points. Coming down into the end of the season, you want to be on a hot streak heading into the playoffs and want to be the best team heading into October and November. Now is the time to start."
Including Sunday's match, FCD now has five matches remaining with the one against the Galaxy being the only game left where they don't face a playoff contender. They are just 1-2-1 in September but will face an LA team that is just 1-8-1 in their last 10 matches. Their lone victory in that stretch came on Sept. 8, when they beat Colorado 3-1.
"We definitely need to get a win against LA," midfielder Arturo Alvarez said. "The last few games haven't gone our way and this is an opportunity for us to go to LA and to get a good result. It's a good game for us to come back and get more confidence, something we need for the playoffs."
FCD has already defeated the Galaxy twice this year. On April 12, the Hoops won for the first time against the Galaxy in Carson through goals from Carlos Ruiz and Kenny Cooper.
Then, on June 9 in Frisco, the Hoops prevailed 3-1 with goals from Juan Toja, Abe Thompson and Drew Moor but lost Cooper after he suffered a broken right tibia late in the match and he has yet to return to the field. The Hoops have never swept the season series with the Galaxy and a win on Sunday would make them 3-0 this year against their West rival.
One thing Morrow knows that he and his players must be wary of is that with their playoff hopes quickly fading if not already dead, the Galaxy head into Sunday's match with nothing to lose.
"They might see the pressure being off them a little bit and might relax a little more," he said. "We are wary of that as well. We have to be 100 percent focused."
Ruiz, who scored FCD's lone goal against the Fire on Thursday in second-half stoppage time, now has five goals in his last seven matches. The ex-Galaxy striker has clearly found his form just as the most important part of the season is beginning for the Hoops.
As well, two regular starters also returned to the lineup for the Chicago match, both coming into the backline: left back Chris Gbandi, who had missed the previous two games due to loss of form, and center back Adrian Serioux, who missed the New England game after playing for the Canadian national team earlier that week.
"I thought he (Gbandi) had a good game (against Chicago)," Morrow said. "He knew a couple of weeks ago that he wasn't playing his best. Sometimes that helps players to sit out, to re-evaluate things and re-assess themselves. Chris worked very hard in training to try and get that back again and that's all you can ask. I thought it was certainly better from him last night."
Serioux played in the back in the first half but was moved forward into Ricchetti's spot when he left the game and Morrow liked what he saw from the Canadian as a midfielder.
"It (his versatility) was a help to us," he said. "I thought he did a good job in the middle of the field. He was good with the ball, did a solid job defensively and got in a couple of good, hard tackles, which I always like to see."
He could reprise that role again on Sunday but then again, Serioux could also return to the back, where he would be joined by either Aaron Pitchkolan or Alex Yi, who will take Goodson's spot.
Then again, Morrow could replace Ricchetti with Dax McCarty, who leads FCD with seven assists this year, Pitchkolan, who played that position before Ricchetti joined the team or veteran Bobby Rhine.
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
