A quick look at the Los Angeles Galaxy headlines for the week of October 3, 2005 ...
• Galaxy to Enjoy Timely Bye Week Before Hosting San Jose in Regular Season Finale
• Albright and Hartman Named to U.S. Roster for Oct. 8 Costa Rica
• Umaña and Ramirez to join Guatemala and Costa Rica for World Cup Qualifiers
• Gomez Earns HONDA MLS Player of the Week Honors
• Adjusting the Playoff Picture
• Tickets For Galaxy's Remaining Home Game Available Through the Club, TicketMaster
GALAXY TO ENJOY TIMELY BYE WEEK BEFORE HOSTING SAN JOSE IN REGULAR SEASON FINALE: The Los Angeles Galaxy will enjoy an unusual late season bye week before hosting the San Jose Earthquakes in the club's regular season finale on Saturday, October 15, 2005 at The Home Depot Center on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills. The Galaxy were originally scheduled to play Chivas USA on Oct. 8, but the match was moved to Aug. 10 at the L.A. Coliseum due to a conflict at The Home Depot Center. Heading into the regular season finale vs. the Earthquakes, the Galaxy could be fighting for anywhere from second to fourth place In the West depending on the upcoming results over the next 10 days. The 7pm game, presented by RadioShack, will be televised live throughout the Southland on FSN West 2, beginning with Galaxy GameDay pre-game show at 8pm. The game can also be heard live in Spanish on KMXE 830 AM and English on KMPC 1540 AM.
ALBRIGHT AND HARTMAN NAMED TO U.S. ROSTER FOR OCT. 8 VS. COSTA RICA: Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Chris Albright and goalkeeper Kevin Hartman were named today by U.S. Men's National Team Manager Bruce Arena to the 18-man roster for the next World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica on Saturday, October 8 in San Jose, Costa Rica. Kickoff at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa is set for 6 p.m. PT, and the match will be broadcast on a one-hour tape delay on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. PT. Fans can follow the match live on ussoccer.com's MatchTracker, presented by Philips, beginning at 6 p.m. PT. The U.S. sits in first place in the final round hexagonal with a 6-1-1 record, becoming the first team in CONCACAF to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup after defeating Mexico 2-0 on Sept. 3 in Columbus, Ohio. Costa Rica, currently in third place and five points ahead of Guatemala, can secure their place in the World Cup with a victory against the United States. (For a complete look at 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying in the CONCACAF region, visit the competitions page at ussoccer.com.)
UMANA AND RAMIREZ TO JOIN GUATEMALA AND COSTA RICA FOR WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS: Los Angeles Galaxy defender Michael Umaña and midfielder Pando Ramirez will be away from the club until late next week competing with their respective national sides as they finish the final round of CONCACAF qualifying to the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany. Umaña, who has 14 career caps (zero goals) for Costa Rica, will be with the ticos for their Oct. 8 match in San Jose, Costa Rica against teammates Chris Albright and Kevin Hartman with the U.S. national team and four days later when they visit Guatemala. Ramirez, who has scored 10 goals in 69 matches for Guatemala, has been called in for the chapines visit to Mexico on Oct. 8 and their home contest against the Umaña and Costa Rica four days later.
GOMEZ EARNS HONDA MLS PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS: Los Angeles Galaxy forward Herculez Gomez today was selected as the Honda MLS Player of the Week for Week 27 which ended on Sunday, October 2. Gomez scored his 10th and 11th goals in league play to lead the Los Angeles Galaxy to a 2-1 win against FC Dallas on Saturday night. The win comes at a crucial point in the season, with the Galaxy having just one game left and the Western Conference race still wide open. Gomez, who also hit for the game winner against FCD in the U.S. Open Cup Final on Wednesday night, couldn't have picked a more opportune time to go on a scoring run. In all he has 17 goals with the first team in all competitions, and he's also struck for three more in reserve matches.
ADJUSTING THE PLAYOFF PICTURE: If the 2005 MLS Cup Playoffs started today the Galaxy would host FC Dallas in a home-and-home series with the winner advancing to the Western Conference Final. Per MLS rules, the seeding for the playoffs matches 1 vs. 4 and 2 vs. 3. Here is how the West playoff picture looks right now (seed): San Jose (1) vs. Colorado (4), Los Angeles (2) vs. FC Dallas (3). The Galaxy's 2-2 tie on September 17 in Kansas City, combined with FC Dallas' 2-1 defeat of Real Salt Lake, means that the club has clinched a berth in the 2005 MLS Cup Playoffs. In doing so, the Galaxy became the only team to qualify for the postseason in each of MLS' first 10 seasons.
MAS GALAXY THIS AND EVERY WEDNESDAY: Más Galaxy, the club's Spanish-Language radio talk show, will air this week as the Galaxy enjoy a unusual bye week right before the end of the season. The program, hosted by Troy Santiago, the Spanish-language voice of the Galaxy alongside www.MLSNET.com reporter and local soccer journalist Rene Romano, features an in-depth look at the Galaxy and their opponent(s) each week. Remember Galaxy fans, for the latest news on your favorite team, tune in every Wednesday night to Más Galaxy, only on KMXE 830 AM.
GALAXY DEPORTIVO BREAKS DOWN ALL THE ACTION SATURDAY: Galaxy Deportivo, The weekly, half-hour Spanish language television show devoted to the Los Angeles Galaxy, can be seen this Saturday, October 8 at 3:30 p.m. on KWHY - Channel 22. Galaxy Deportivo, hosted by Los Angeles area personalities Jaime Motta and Elmer Polanco, can be seen at the same time each and every Saturday on Channel 22.
TICKETS FOR GALAXY'S REMAINING HOME GAME AVAILABLE THROUGH THE CLUB, TICKETMASTER: Los Angeles Galaxy individual game tickets are now on sale for the 2005 season. Complete details on pricing for individual game tickets are available by calling the Galaxy Ticket Office toll-free at 1-877-3GALAXY or by visiting the club's website at www.lagalaxy.com Those looking to order tickets can do so through TicketMaster via phone at 213-480-3232 or 714-740-2000; and at TicketMaster outlets: Wherehouse Music, Ritmo Latino, Tu Musica, Robinsons May and Tower Records or by logging on to www.ticketmaster.com.
Galaxy Weekly Training Schedule
Date: Time/Location
Tues. Oct. 4: 10 am - Track and Field Stadium
Wed. Oct. 5: 10 am - University #1
Thurs. Oct. 6: 10 am - University #2
Fri. Oct. 7: OFF
Sat. Oct. 8: OFF
Sun. Oct. 9: OFF
Mon. Oct. 10: OFF
NOTE TO MEDIA: All practice times are listed in Pacific Time and are subject to change without notice.
Galaxy Injury Report
OUT - Ben Benditson (sports hernia)
DOUBTFUL -
QUESTIONABLE - Landon Donovan (Left ankle sprain), Paulo Nagamura (contusion on right leg)
PROBABLE -
Did you know ... That Landon Donovan is currently the only player in MLS with double digits goals (11) and assists (11)? In fact, the last time a Galaxy player accomplished this feat was 1998, when three players did so: Cobi Jones (19 goals, 13 assists), Welton (17 goals, 11 assists), and Mauricio Cienfuegos (13 goals, 16 assists).
