CARSON, Calif. - Chivas USA struck gold with Maykel Galindo. The relatively unknown Cuban has been one of the club's most consistent performers this season and leads the club with six goals.
So when a pair of players left the Cuban national team during the CONCACAF Gold Cup two weeks ago, the club jumped at the chance to bring in Galindo's countrymen.
Cubans Lester More and Osvaldo Alonso will go on trial with Chivas USA as soon as the players receive proper permission and paperwork that will allow them to travel from New York to Los Angeles, club CEO Javier Leon said.
"We discovered them as no one else had them on their radar," Leon said. "We now have the opportunity to sign those players."
More, 26, is a forward who had success with both the Cuban national team and in the Cuban league while Alonso, 21, is a midfielder loaded with potential, Leon said.
Still, the club was not very familiar with the players but inquired about them with Galindo.
"When we received the news that they had stayed in the United States to seek political asylum, we first spoke with our Cuban player Maykel Galindo," Leon said. "He had some very positive things to say about the Cubans."
When news initially broke that the Cubans had left the national team, Galindo found out just like everyone else, he said. Before the Cuba-Honduras Gold Cup match on June 13, Galindo heard reports that the duo had done the same thing he did in 2005.
Galindo left the Cuban national team in July 2005 in Seattle. He eventually received political asylum and joined the Seattle Sounders, where he played until joining Chivas USA during the preseason.
"I had the opportunity to continue my professional career here and now they have the chance to come to Chivas USA," Galindo said. "Hopefully they can continue on their path here."
Chivas USA play host to New England on Saturday before games at FC Dallas on July 4 and New England on July 7. The club's hope is to have the Cuban players in by the beginning of next week. The two would join El Salvador international Dennis Alas and Guatemalan midfielder Freddy Thompson, who are on trial with the club as well.
Still, the Cuban players captured the imagination of several Chivas USA players.
"Everybody around here likes the group we have but understands that we have the ability to make some moves," Chivas USA midfielder Jesse Marsch said. "Javier and Preki were very clever in discovering those guys immediately so we could get kind of first look at them."
Even though he is not familiar with the duo, Marsch said it is a good move to give the pair a look.
"Maykel seems to know one guy pretty well and thinks highly of him," Marsch said. "Any time you can get an international player, even from a team like Cuba who is not necessarily the best team in CONCACAF, you still get excited about the possibility of bringing in good players."
Galindo said he was excited for his countrymen to arrive in southern California.
"If they stay with me or with the club, it doesn't matter," Galindo said. "I will welcome them with open arms."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
