A quick look at the Los Angeles Galaxy headlines for the week of July 12, 2004 ...
• L.A. Galaxy Begin Month-Long Road Swing Against the Colorado Rapids on Wednesday
• RFK Stadium Next Stop For Galaxy as They Meet D.C. United on Saturday
• Galaxy Fans Encouraged To Play Road To Riches
• Viewing Parties throughout the Southland For This Week's Matches
• Galaxy Defeat Rapids 2-0 to Maintain Leadership in MLS' Western Conference
• Three Galaxy Players To Start in 2004 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game
• Three More Slated As Reserves for Mid-Summer Showcase
• Tickets Now On Sale for MLS Cup 2004 at The Home Depot Center
L.A. GALAXY BEGIN MONTH-LONG ROAD SWING AGAINST THE COLORADO RAPIDS ON WEDNESDAY: The Western-Conference leading Los Angeles Galaxy (9-5-3, 30 pts. - 1st West) begin an month-long road trip Wednesday at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver at 6:30 pm (PT) when they take on the Colorado Rapids (5-4-6, 21pts - 3rd West) in the second and final game of a home and home series between the clubs. The Galaxy defeated the Rapids 2-0 on July 10 in the first of the matches at The Home Depot Center in Carson (see more below) to maintain their grip on first place in the conference. The match in Denver is the first of four straight in League play that the Galaxy will compete in away from home. The game will be televised on a tape-delayed basis in Spanish on KWHY - Channel 22 beginning at 8 pm. However, Galaxy fans wishing to listen live to all the action can tune their radios to KMPC 1540 AM (English) and KMXE 830 AM (Spanish) beginning at 6:30 pm (PT).
Future MLS road games at D.C. United (July 17 - more detail below), the Kansas City Wizards (July 24) and the MetroStars (Aug. 8) are all on the docket - not to mention a U.S. Open Cup at the Minnesota Thunder on July 20 and the MLS All-Star Game at RFK Stadium on July 31. The Galaxy are not scheduled return to the friendly confines of The Home Depot Center for a game until Saturday, August 14 at 7 pm against the Columbus Crew. The first 10,000 fans in attendance that evening will receive Galaxy jersey key rings, courtesy of Proctor & Gamble. For more information or to purchase tickets, call the Galaxy ticket office toll-free at 1-877-3GALAXY.
RFK STADIUM NEXT STOP FOR GALAXY AS THEY MEET D.C. UNITED ON SATURDAY: The second stop on the Galaxy's extended road trip will be a match at D.C. United (5-6-5, 20 pts - 2nd East) on Saturday, July 17 at 4:30 pm (PT). The game against United and Freddy Adu will be the first meeting between the teams since a 4-2 Galaxy victory on May 19 in the Nation's Capital - thanks to three goals from Alejandro Moreno. This important East Versus West match will also be televised throughout Southern California - on KCAL 9 beginning with the Galaxy Countdown pre-game show getting underway at 4:00. Galaxy fans unable to be in front of the TV for the game can tune their radios to KMPC 1540 AM (English) and KMXE 830 AM (Spanish).
GALAXY FANS ENCOURAGED TO PLAY ROAD TO RICHES: The Los Angeles Galaxy are excited to offer their fans the chance to win money just by guessing the correct score of a Galaxy road game. Fans who guess the correct score for any of the Galaxy's next four road games will be eligible to win $1,000 weekly prize and qualify to win a Grand Prize of $2,000. The four games in the contest are:
The randomly picked Weekly Winner will be announced during halftime of the following regional road game TV broadcasts. The winner who correctly guesses the score of the referenced road game must call 1-877-3GALAXY by the end of that broadcast in order to claim his or her $1,000 prize. Participants correctly guessing any of the four winning scores of the Galaxy road games, will be eligible for the drawing to win the Grand Prize of $2,000. The Grand Prize winner will be announced during halftime of the KCAL 9 Galaxy game broadcast on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2004. For more details on the contest or to enter, click here.
VIEWING PARTIES THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHLAND FOR THIS WEEK'S MATCHES: 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 Wednesday, July 14 when the Galaxy battle the Rapids at Invesco Field at Mile High and Saturday, July 17 when the Galaxy face D.C. United at RFK Stadium. Join your fellow Galaxy fans at any of the following five locations:
Island Sunfish Grill - 423A Shoreline Village Drive in Long Beach (562) 285-2288
GALAXY DEFEAT RAPIDS 2-0 TO MAINTAIN LEADERSHIP IN MLS' WESTERN CONFERENCE: Even on a slow night, Carlos Ruiz found a way to find the back of the net. The leading goal scorer in MLS put the Colorado Rapids away and helped the host Los Angeles Galaxy score a 2-0 victory at The Home Depot Center, with both goals coming from free kicks. Ned Grabavoy had given the Galaxy a lead in the 39th minute when his free kick found its way into the Colorado goal, then Ruiz put a frustrating night to rest when his free kick 10 minutes from the end also just found its way past Rapids 'keeper Joe Cannon. It was the ninth goal for Ruiz, who has scored in eight of the 10 matches he has played this season. The goal gives him a league-leading 20 points as well. The victory also gives the Galaxy momentum heading into a match with the Rapids this Wednesday in Denver.
THREE GALAXY PLAYERS TO START IN 2004 SIERRA MIST MLS ALL-STAR GAME: Three members of the MLS Western-Conference leading Los Angeles Galaxy will be in the starting lineup for the 2004 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game, it was announced last week by Major League Soccer. The League's ninth annual mid-summer showcase will be played on Saturday, July 31 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C at 11 am (PT) and will be televised live on ABC Sports. Defender Chris Albright, midfielder Andreas Herzog and forward Carlos Ruiz will all start for the Western Conference team, which is being guided by Galaxy Head Coach Sigi Schmid and his assistants Martin Vasquez and Zak Abdel.
THREE MORE SLATED AS RESERVES FOR MID-SUMMER SHOWCASE: In addition to the three Galaxy players who will be starters for the Western Conference All-Star squad, MLS has also announced that an additional three members of the Galaxy were named among the reserves at the League's Mid-summer Showcase. Goalkeeper Kevin Hartman and forward Jovan Kirovski were selected and will play for Galaxy Head Coach Sigi Schmid in the game; but defender Danny Califf - who is injured - was selected but will not be able to take part in the festivities.
NO MÁS GALAXY THIS WEEK AS KMXE AIRS GALAXY - RAPIDS MATCH: There will be no Más Galaxy this week since the Galaxy's Spanish-language radio partner KMXE will be broadcasting the Galaxy - Rapids match during the show's usual 8-9 pm time slot. Every other week of the 2004 season on KMXE 830 AM, Más 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 3:00 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, July 17 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 17 9 5 3 30
KC 16 8 4 4 28
COL 15 5 4 6 21
DAL 15 5 5 5 20
SJ 15 4 6 5 16
Galaxy Injury Report
Out:
Peter Vagenas, Strained Right Groin
Danny Califf, Torn Meniscus Left Knee
Questionable:
Marcelo Saragosa, Sprained Right Ankle
Did you know ... Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman has recorded three shutouts through 17 games in 2004, equaling the number he registered in the entire 2003 season, when he played in all 30 Galaxy matches.
