A quick look at the Los Angeles Galaxy headlines for the week of June 21:
L.A. GALAXY, METROSTARS LOCK HORNS FOR SECONDCONSECUTIVE TIME WEDNESDAY:
The Los Angeles Galaxy (6-4-3, 21 pts. - T-1st West) return to the friendly confines of The Home Depot Center this Wednesday, June 23 at 7:30 p.m. for their second of two consecutive matches against the MetroStars (4-3-4, 16 pts. - T-2nd East). The two teams met last Saturday (June 19) at Giants Stadium, with the MetroStars winning 2-1 (see details below). Wednesday's match should mark the return of Carlos Ruiz to the Galaxy after the forward suffered a severely sprained ankle against the Colorado Rapids on May 15. The match will be televised in high definition on HDNet. It will also be available live throughout the Southland to radio listeners in English (KMPC 1540 AM) and Spanish (KMXE 830 AM). Youths 16 and under attending the match will receive a Galaxy t-shirt courtesy on JNCO Jeans and a Kohl's Galaxy cheer card, while supplies last.
METROSTARS GAME A LOS ANGELES TIMES FAMILY PACK NIGHT:
The Los Angeles Galaxy are pleased to announce that the match against the MetroStars on Wednesday, June 23 will be the next chance this season for fans to purchase a Los Angeles Times Galaxy family pack. For as a little as $52, a family of four gets four match tickets, four hot dogs, four sodas and a Los Angeles Times newspaper. To take advantage of this offer, please call the Galaxy ticket office toll-free at 1-877-3GALAXY.
FIRE AWAIT GALAXY ON SUNDAY IN CHICAGO FOR REMATCH OF JUNE 12 GAME:
Wednesday night's home game against the MetroStars is not the only one for the Galaxy this week. After the mid-week battle, Los Angeles must quickly prepare for the Chicago Fire (4-3-5, 17 pts. - 1st East), whom they will face at Soldier Field on Sunday, June 27 at 4 pm. The game will be a rematch of the June 12 game between the clubs at The Home Depot Center, a contest in which the Galaxy came back from a one-goal disadvantage in the final 10 minutes to win 3-2, thanks to goals from Joseph Ngwenya and Chris Albright. The match will be televised live throughout the Southland on KCAL 9, beginning with the Galaxy Countdown pre-game show at 3:30 p.m. It will also be available live to radio listeners in English (KMPC 1540 AM) and Spanish (KMXE 830 AM).
VIEWING PARTIES AT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHLAND FOR FIRE MATCH:
When the Galaxy are on the road, join other Galaxy fans at official away game viewing parties. Come cheer on your team at the following Galaxy friendly bars and restaurants. Every away game viewing party will feature the Galaxy game on the restaurants' televisions, food and drink specials and Galaxy giveaways. Make sure to be there this Sunday, June 27 when the Galaxy battle the Fire at Soldier Field. Join your fellow Galaxy fans at any of the following five locations:
CIENFUEGOS TO REPRESENT GALAXY AT FUTBOLITO IN HOUSTON:
Galaxy soccer ambassador Mauricio Cienfuegos will be representing the club and MLS this Saturday at the Futbolito tournament in Houston, Texas. MLS Futbolito is the official 4 vs. 4 tournament of Major League Soccer and is open to players of all ages and abilities. Participants receive a game ticket (in applicable markets) and a t-shirt and have the chance to win prizes from Panasonic and RadioShack. The Houston event, to be played at Bear Creek Park on Saturday, June 26, is the second such tournament to be held in 2004, after a similar was played in San Jose on June 12. Cienfuegos will also be making an appearance at the Futbolito tournament in Columbus later this summer. Futbolito will come to The Home Depot Center on Saturday, September 25. For more information on any of these events, please call toll free 1-866-965-7484.
GALAXY DROP STUNNER TO THE METROSTARS ON THE WEEKEND:
A dramatic header from Mike Magee in the final minute gave the MetroStars side a 2-1 victory against the Los Angeles Galaxy at Giants Stadium. Magee found space at the back post to link onto a cross from midfielder Gilberto Flores just as the clock ticked over into the final minute. The second-year striker headed the ball down against the turf, across the face of the goal and inside the far right post of substitute 'keeper Dan Popik to grab all three points for the MetroStars. Magee's header overcame a Galaxy penalty kick early in the second half, which had equalized Kenny Arena's first half goal for the home side. As would be expected with both teams missing key performers, the game was a scrappy affair. The hosts were missing eight regular starters and The Galaxy were missing a few starters of their own, with strikers Carlos Ruiz and Jovan Kirovski also away on international duty. As well, Galaxy head coach Sigi Schmid was not with the team, instead attending the college graduation of his son Kurt.
RUIZ FINDS SUCCESS ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE:
Galaxy forward Carlos Ruiz, making his first appearance in an official match since suffering a severely sprained right ankle on May 15 in a 1-1 tie with the Colorado Rapids at The Home Depot Center, made a triumphant return to the Guatemalan national team Sunday. Ruiz, who will be eligible to play for the Galaxy this Wednesday night against the MetroStars, scored twice as the chapines defeated Surinam 3-1 at Estadio Mateo Flores in Guatemala City to win the home-and-home series between the countries and advance to the semifinal round of CONCACAF qualifying to the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany.
USA, JAMAICA ALSO LAND BERTHS IN SEMIFINAL STAGE OF QUALIFYING:
Also advancing to the semifinal round of CONCACAF qualifying and of interest to Galaxy fans were the USA, including Galaxy forward Jovan Kirovski, who took their series from Grenada after winning 3-2 in St. George's on Sunday and Jamaica, who defeated Haiti 3-0 Sunday in Kingston. The USA and Jamaica will be playing in Group 1, alongside El Salvador and Panama, while Guatemala has been placed in Group 2, drawing Canada, Costa Rica and Honduras as opponents in the double round-robin. There are three semifinal groups in all, with matches to be played between August 18 and November 17, 2004. The top two in finishers each will advance to the final hexagonal that will determine the region's representatives in Germany.
NO MAS GALAXY THIS WEEK AS KMXE AIRS GALAXY - METROSTARS MATCH:
There will be no Mas Galaxy this week since the Galaxy's Spanish-language radio partner KMXE will be broadcasting the Galaxy vs. MetroStars match during the show's usual 8-9 pm time slot. Every other week of the 2004 season on KMXE 830 AM, Mas Galaxy gives fans an inside look at the Galaxy and their opponent through the voices of the Galaxy on KMXE, Troy Santiago and Rigoberto Cervantez.
DON'T MISS GALAXY DEPORTIVO, THIS AND EVERY SATURDAY AT 3 P.M. ON CHANNEL 22:
Galaxy Deportivo, the weekly half-hour Spanish-language television show devoted to the Los Angeles Galaxy, can be seen this Saturday, June 26 at 3 p.m. on KWHY - Channel 22. Galaxy Deportivo, hosted by Los Angeles area personalities Jaime Motta and Elmer Polanco, can be seen at 3 p.m. each and every Saturday on Channel 22.
WESTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS
GP W L T Pts
LA 13 6 4 3 21
KC 13 6 4 3 21
SJ 11 4 3 4 16
DAL 11 4 4 3 15
COL 11 2 3 6 12
Galaxy injury report
Peter Vagenas - strained right groin - out
Tyrone Marshall - sprained left MCL - doubtful
Danny Califf - sprained right MCL - probable
Kevin Hartman - left quadriceps contusion - probable
Carlos Ruiz - sprained right ankle - probable
Did you know ... Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper Dan Popik made his MLS debut Saturday afternoon when he replaced Kevin Hartman at halftime of the Galaxy's 2-1 loss to the MetroStars.
