Classic rivals conclude First Kick weekend
LA Galaxy host D.C. United at The Home Depot Center
THE HOME DEPOT CENTER, Carson, Calif.
March 22, 2009 (WEEK 1) / MLS Game #7
12 noon PT (TeleFutura; FSN-PT; CSN-DC)
One of the marquee matchups in MLS history will conclude the opening weekend in First Kick 2009 when the Los Angeles Galaxy play host to D.C. United, as both teams will be looking to put disappointing 2008 campaigns behind them early on. The Galaxy led MLS in both goals scored and goals allowed, finishing level with the San Jose Earthquakes for fewest points in the season. United went from winning the Supporters' Shield in 2007 to failing to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs last year, bumped out on the last day of the season.
REFEREE: Jair Marrufo. SAR (bench): Fabio Tovar; JAR (opposite): Jeff Hosking; 4th: Kevin Stott
MLS Career: 81 games; FC/gm: 26.9; Y/gm: 3.4; R: 17; pens: 27
INJURY REPORT: LOS ANGELES GALAXY - OUT: DF Todd Dunivant (R ankle post-surgery); DF Leonard Griffin (L abdominal strain); QUESTIONABLE: FW Edson Buddle (R quadriceps strain); GK Donovan Ricketts (R groin strain); PROBABLE: FW Alan Gordon (R hamstring strain); MF Eddie Lewis (L hamstring strain); MF Stefani Miglioranzi (R knee bone bruise) ... D.C. UNITED - QUESTIONABLE: GK Louis Crayton (hip flexor strain); MF Fred (hamstring strain); MF Santino Quaranta (hamstring strain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (32 meetings): Galaxy 15 wins (0 shootout), 51 goals ... United 13 wins (1 shootout), 43 goals ... Ties 4
AT LOS ANGELES (15 meetings): Galaxy 7 wins (0 shootout), 20 goals ... United 5 wins (1 shootout), 14 goals ... Ties 3
RETURN MATCH: 8/22: Los Angeles Galaxy at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m. ET
LAST YEAR (MLS):
6/29: DC 4, LA 1 (Moreno 5; Emilio 37, 68; Gallardo 60 - Buddle 26)
9/20: LA 5, DC 2 (Donovan 23, 35, 90; Gordon 38; Vagenas 81 - McTavish 2; Khumalo 48)
• After going winless in four games over a three-season stretch at RFK Stadium, United have won the last two games against the Galaxy at home, including last year's high-profile 4-1 win.
• Two of the past three seasons, the Galaxy have laid a heavy 5-2 defeat on United - and Landon Donovan has scored five of the 10 goals in those two games, including a hat trick in last season's encounter in Carson.
• When the Galaxy won last season at The Home Depot Center, it was their first win against United in Carson since their first-ever meeting on Victoria Street, a 1-0 overtime triumph. There were three draws and a D.C. victory before last season's LA win.
• Coaches record: Bruce Arena v DC: P6 W2 L3 D1 ... Tom Soehn vs. LA: P4 W2 L1 D1
LOS ANGELES GALAXY
After becoming the only team in MLS history to qualify for the postseason in the first 10 years of league play, the LA Galaxy have now gone the last three seasons without a playoff berth - and are looking to avoid becoming the first MLS team to miss out four years running. Bruce Arena opens the season in charge after taking over the Galaxy midway through last year, facing the team which he led to MLS Cup titles in the first two MLS seasons.
• The Galaxy completed their preseason schedule with a 1-1 draw against the Chicago Fire in the PHX Soccer Clasico played at Sun Devil Stadium on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz. on March 14. Josh Tudela gave the Galaxy a fourth-minute lead, but Marco Pappa scored the equalizer in the 30th minute.
• Here's Bruce Arena's team: Donovan Ricketts (Josh Saunders 63), Sean Franklin (Yohance Marshall 86), Omar Gonzalez, Tony Sanneh, A.J. DeLaGarza, Chris Klein, Dema Kovalenko, Josh Tudela, Mike Magee (Kyle Patterson 64), Jovan Kirovski (Bryan Jordan 75), Landon Donovan
• The match marked the first preseason game action with the Galaxy for Landon Donovan, who spent much of the winter on loan to FC Bayern München of Germany's Bundesliga. The 27-year old appeared in five friendlies with Bayern, scoring four times, while also playing in seven Bundesliga or DFB Cup matches for the club.
• David Beckham, who spent much of the winter on loan to AC Milan, will return to MLS and the Galaxy when the secondary transfer window opens on July 15. Beckham, originally scheduled to return to the team on March 9th, will not count against the Galaxy's 20-man senior roster until he returns to the club in July, nor will he count against the club's salary budget until his return.
• Since joining Milan on loan, Beckham has played and started in 10 league games, leading the Italian side to a 5-2-3 record in those contests. The 33-year-old has scored two goals and added two assists in 900 minutes played. He also appeared in two UEFA Cup games, one as a starter.
• Since the end of the 2008 season, Arena has given the Galaxy squad a complete makeover. Of the 25 players currently on the club's roster, 13 were not with the team for the 2008 regular season finale.
• Among the things Arena has brought into the squad is experience. Since taking over midway through last season, he's brought in players such as Eddie Lewis (34 years old), Tony Sanneh (37), Jovan Kirovski (33), Donovan Ricketts (31) and Dema Kovalenko (31).
• "We're trying to rebuild a roster from a team that arguably hasn't been very good," Arena said. "There were a number of players last year on the Galaxy roster that were not up to par at the level you needed to be in this league, and I think the roster shows that."
• However, coming into the season opener, injuries could provide some selection problems. Fullback Todd Dunivant - another offseason acquisition - is out with an ankle injury. That will leave Sanneh as the only member of the back four with extensive professional experience, joined by rookie Omar Gonzalez and A.J. DeLaGarza, as well as last year's Rookie of the Year, Sean Franklin.
• Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts was forced out of the preseason finale at the hour mark, and his availability is in question. "There's a chance he could be available on Sunday, but I'm not optimistic," Arena said. "We're just going to have to wait and see."
• As well, the starting strike force of Alan Gordon and Edson Buddle are slowed by hamstring and quadriceps strains respectively, while Lewis is also bothered by a hamstring strain.
D.C. UNITED
D.C. United are bidding to put last season's dark year behind them, when they followed up a Supporters' Shield-winning season by failing to reach the playoffs for the first time in six years. Tom Soehn is in his third season in charge of the Black-and-Red, who also welcome back an old hero as Christian Gomez returns to the team following a season with the Colorado Rapids.
• D.C. United concluded their preseason schedule with a victory in the final Carolina Challenge Cup match, defeating the host Charleston Battery from the USL First Division 2-0 on March 14. Luciano Emilio scored in the 57th minute to finally put United in the lead, then it was doubled by Andrew Jacobsen in the 82nd minute.
• Here's Soehn's team: Milos Kocic (Josh Wicks 45); Dejan Jakovic, Greg Janicki (Anthony Peters 80), Marc Burch (Brandon Barklage 73); Boyzzz Khumalo (Andrew Jacobson 45), Clyde Simms, Devon McTavish, Christian Gomez (Chris Pontius 65), Rodney Wallace; Luciano Emilio (Domenic Mediate 86), Ange N'Silu
• The victory came after a tough week that saw United lose to a pair of MLS opponents, falling 3-0 to Real Salt Lake to open the event, then dropping a 2-1 decision to Toronto FC.
• Here's Soehn's team in the TFC match: Milos Kocic, Domenic Mediate (Marc Burch 46), Greg Janicki, Dejan Jakovic, Anthony Wallace, Ben Olsen (Ange N'Silu 46), Clyde Simms (Andrew Jacobson 46), Christian Gomez (Boyzzz Khumalo 46), Chris Pontius, Jaime Moreno (Devon McTavish 46), Luciano Emilio (Francis Doe 62)
• Heading into the season opener, there were some indications United could return to a 3-5-2 system, after moving to a back four for most of the past two seasons.
• "The 4-4-2, sometimes with a young back line, it's confusing," said Ben Olsen "Sometimes three in the back makes it a little bit more concrete for them as far as their decisions. But we're working on that stuff this week and the coaching staff will take care of that."
• Another factor, at least for the opener, could be injuries to wingers Fred and Santino Quaranta that are expected to keep them out of the Galaxy match.
• "It's something that we just added in, but we picked it up really fast and it's worked well for us during preseason," said rookie Rodney Wallace, who could step into Fred's left-sided role. "We've gotten some results off it and we've played some good soccer off the 3-5-2. So maybe if we do that then we'll all feel comfortable in it."
• Another change in the United squad for 2009 has been the increase in size. Center backs Dejan Jakovic (6-2, 178 lbs.), Anthony Peters (6-5, 205 lbs.) and Greg Janicki (6-3, 190 lbs.) have all raised the standard, while Chris Pontius (6-0, 170 lbs.) and Congolese-born speedster Ange N'Silu (6-0, 185 lbs.) complement Jaime Moreno and Luciano Emilio up top, and top 2008 SuperDraft pick Andrew Jacobson (6-2, 185 lbs.) returned from Europe to shore up the center of midfield.
• "I don't think it's a secret that this league gets faster and more athletic each year," said Olsen. "So you have to adapt to that. In the past I don't think we've been as athletic as we needed to be, and I think it's been a point that's been addressed by our front office and the coaching staff."
