Conference rivals clash at The Home Depot Center
Galaxy return to action after week off, Rapids look for second straight win
THE HOME DEPOT CENTER, Carson, Calif.
April 4, 2009 (WEEK 3) / MLS Game #20
7:30 p.m. PT (FSN-PT)
The LA Galaxy return to action after a week off, playing host to the Colorado Rapids on Victoria Street. The Galaxy opened their campaign with a dramatic come-from-behind draw at home against D.C. United two weeks ago. For the Rapids, it's the second trip to The Home Depot Center in three weeks, falling to Chivas USA to open the season before beginning their home slate with a win last weekend.
REFEREE: Michael Kennedy. SAR (bench): Paul Scott; JAR (opposite): Frank Anderson; 4th: Jasen Anno MLS Career: 108 games; FC/gm: 31.2; Y/gm: 3.9; R: 19; pens: 42
INJURY REPORT: LOS ANGELES GALAXY - OUT: DF Todd Dunivant (R ankle post-surgery); DF Leonard Griffin (sports hernia surgery); QUESTIONABLE: FW Edson Buddle (R quadriceps strain); GK Donovan Ricketts (R groin strain); PROBABLE: MF Eddie Lewis (L hamstring strain) ... COLORADO RAPIDS - PROBABLE: FW Conor Casey (R foot strain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (50 meetings): Galaxy 26 wins (2 shootout), 79 goals ... Rapids 19 wins (1 shootout), 58 goals ... Ties 5
AT LA: (25 meetings): Galaxy 19 wins (1 shootout), 53 goals ... Rapids 4 wins (1 shootout), 23 goals ... Ties 2
RETURN MATCH: 4/25: Los Angeles Galaxy at Colorado Rapids, 7:30 p.m. MT
LAST YEAR (MLS):
3/29: COL 4, LA 0 (Cooke 10; C. Gomez 59; Cummings 66; Clark 80)
6/7: LA 3, COL 2 (Pires 4; Buddle 32; Allen 50 - Clark 73; H. Gomez 82)
10/12: LA 3, COL 2 (Buddle 36; own goal 70; McDonald 80 - Gibbs 43; McManus 88)
• The Galaxy have not won in their last 11 league visits to Colorado, since a 3-1 win July 13, 2002 at Mile High Stadium. The Rapids have won their last seven league home games against the Galaxy, winning nine and drawing two over the undefeated span.
• Of course, the Galaxy did defeat the Rapids 2-0 in the Western Conference Championship in Denver in 2005.
• The Rapids have not won on their last four league trips to take on the Galaxy. Colorado's last league win at LA was May 20, 2006.
• The teams will meet again just three days after the league meeting in a play-in game in the U.S. Open Cup.
• Coaches record: Bruce Arena v COL: P12 W8 L3 D1 ... Gary Smith vs. LA: P1 W0 L1 D0
LOS ANGELES GALAXY
The Los Angeles Galaxy return to action after a bye week, following their late 2-2 draw with D.C. United on March 22. The Galaxy are tied for fifth in the Western Conference with the Houston Dynamo, both teams five points behind Chivas USA and Seattle Sounders FC.
LAST MATCH
• The very first MLS Cup finalists were meeting after both missed out on the playoffs a season ago.
• United had a two-goal lead on the road midway through the second half. Christian Gomez converted a penalty a minute before halftime after Galaxy midfielder Dema Kovalenko was ruled to have tripped him in the box.
• Then in the 62nd minute, Chris Pontius cut into the box from the left flank and swung home a curling blast inside the far post.
• But Landon Donovan pulled the Galaxy back with two goals in the final 10 minutes. First he converted a penalty of his own in the 80th minute, after Rodney Wallace was whistled for a handball in the area, and then five minutes later he headed home a Kyle Patterson cross from the left while all alone behind the United back line to secure a point for the home side.
• Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena started a pair of rookies in his back four while Jovan Kirovski started in attack with both Edson Buddle and Alan Gordon injured.
• Here's Arena's team (4-4-2): Josh Saunders - Sean Franklin, Omar Gonzalez, Tony Sanneh, A.J. DeLaGarza - Chris Klein, Dema Kovalenko (Kyle Patterson 80), Josh Tudela, Mike Magee (Bryan Jordan 59) - Landon Donovan, Jovan Kirovski (Alan Gordon 76). Substitutes Not Used: Miguel Benitez, Yohance Marshall, Stefani Miglioranzi, Julian Valentin
• I think overall it was disappointing not getting three points at home, but I'm pleased that our guys fought back and got a point. I think it was a difficult match for both teams and maybe at the end of the day the result is fair, but I think my counterpart at D.C. would disagree with that," said Arena.
TEAM NEWS
• After winning the MLS Golden Boot last season, Landon Donovan got his 2009 campaign off to the best possible start with the two goals in the final 10 minutes.
• "I thought he was quiet at times. I think the penalty kick helped him. He was dangerous, in particular in the second half. I think he did quite well playing in the midfield in the last 15 minutes of the game," Arena said. "...We needed that kind of performance today. Landon is going to get better. He is not where he needs to be right now. He's tenure in Germany was good, but he didn't play enough. He's fitness needs to get a little bit better. He needs to get a little bit sharper on the ball, so we expect over the next month or so Landon is going to really get into good form."
• Arena started a pair of out-and-out rookies in the back four in Omar Gonzalez and A.J. DeLaGarza, and gave the 2008 Rookie of the Year, Sean Franklin, the start at right back.
• "He's almost a rookie. It's his first MLS game as a right back, for the most part. He needs more experience. He's a young kid with a lot of potential, but he has a long way to go. I'm hopefully that he will continue to move in the right direction. I think in Sean's that's going to happen," Arena said.
• Of the injured starters who missed out on the opener, Eddie Lewis is the closest to being able to move into the first team for the Colorado match, having participated in full training throughout the week.
• "I feel good," he said. "I feel pretty strong. I'm looking forward to a good, solid week and trying to get as much of my fitness back as possible. Hopefully I'll be feeling good come the weekend and get involved in the mix."
• Josh Saunders played in goal with Donovan Ricketts unable to pass a fitness test after he was forced off at halftime of the final preseason match. "I think the Galaxy, like D.C. United, were short a few players today. We both put a lot of young players on the field, and they actually did quite well," Arena said.
COLORADO RAPIDS
The Colorado Rapids rebounded from a First Kick loss at Chivas USA to post their first win, defeating the Kansas City Wizards 2-1 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The Rapids have three points, tied with the San Jose Earthquakes for third in the Western Conference, three points behind Chivas USA and Seattle Sounders FC.
LAST MATCH
• Both the Rapids and Wizards were looking for their first point of the campaign. In the first half, Kansas City goalkeeper Kevin Hartman made two saves in short order late, becoming the all-time MLS saves leader. Hartman ended the night with four saves and 1,139 for his MLS career, now three ahead of previous record-holder Tony Meola.
• Hartman saw his shutout bid ended in dramatic fashion in the 65th minute. Terry Cooke came on the field as a substitute and immediately took a free kick from outside the area on the left, whipping it off the inside of the near post for a 1-0 Colorado lead.
• The Wizards tied the game five minutes later in equally dramatic circumstances. Michael Kraus, who had come on just two minutes earlier in his first ever MLS regular season game action, ripped a rising shot that bounced off the underside of the crossbar and down into the goal.
• But the Rapids took the lead back just four minutes later. Cooke found Colin Clark on the left with a long ball, and he in turn sent Omar Cummings through with a diagonal ball, and the Jamaican striker hit home for the second time in as many weeks.
• Rapids head coach Gary Smith was forced into one change from the season opener. With Pablo Mastroeni away on international duty, Jacob Peterson came in on the right of midfield with Nick LaBrocca assuming a holding midfield role.
• Here's Smith's team (4-3-1-2): Matt Pickens - Kosuke Kimura, Cory Gibbs, Ugo Ihemelu, Jordan Harvey - Jacob Peterson (Terry Cooke 64), Nick LaBrocca, Colin Clark - Mehdi Ballouchy (Ty Harden 90) - Conor Casey, Omar Cummings. Substitutes Not Used: Preston Burpo, Greg Dalby, Ivan Guerrero, Gregory Richardson, Ross Schunk
TEAM NEWS
• Terry Cooke started the first two games on the bench for the Rapids, but he might have earned himself a place in the first XI with his 26 minutes against Kansas City. He scored the Rapids' opener with his first touch of the ball, then played a part in Omar Cummings' game-winner in the 74th minute.
• "The second half was lit up really, by Terry. It started with an absolutely wonderful free kick and the ball that played to Colin was absolutely wonderful. He changed the game," Smith said. "Throughout the second half, we got ourselves into good positions, but sadly, the final ball left out. We know what Terry is capable of; he brings high energy and wonderful quality. Bringing him in was a big change in the game."
• Said Cooke: "I don't feel as though I have anything to prove. I've been here, in the States, a long time and have been able to prove what I can do in the league. I have adapted very quickly to the play here in this league and have become a very valuable asset to this team and to the MLS. I don't feel as though there are many people in this league that can do what I can do to the ball. All I can do in this league is work hard, show a good attitude and be a professional for this team and the league."
• While the Rapids did hang on to their lead and allowed just a long-range strike from Michael Kraus for the lone Kansas City goal, Smith felt his defense showed frailty.
• "Our back four were so flat that anything that skipped through or that was missed was going to be picked up by a forward that has a little bit of a gamble," Smith said. "There wasn't any anticipation that one of our defenders might mis-head, mis-kick. We just looked vulnerable from straight balls. That can't be. I thought we were going to be punished again for a poor mistake as we were last week."
• With Pablo Mastroeni away on international duty, Nick LaBrocca slid into the holding midfield role, where Smith admitted he had "big shoes to fill."
• "It was one or two instances, but knowing what he's capable of, I thought he was just missing out on opportunities to get on the ball and be more effective," Smith said. "In the second half for sure he was better on the ball. One thing you're never going to lack with Nick is endeavor."
• Mehdi Ballouchy was put into the attacking midfield role when Smith took over the club, and his development allowed the club to ship Christian Gomez back to D.C. United in the offseason.
• "Mehdi is a very talented player with a great attitude and who is a really good team player," Smith said. "I've looked at [Saturday's] game again and you can see he is working very hard for the group with the interceptions he makes and the moves he instigates."
