More than six months after it began, the 2007 MLS season comes to a close this week with the Galaxy playing a pair of all-important matches. On Thursday night, LA will play the final "MLS Primetime Thursday" game of the regular season on ESPN2 when they host the playoff-bound New York Red Bulls at The Home Depot Center at 7 p.m. One day later the club will head to the Midwest for their final match of the year against the Chicago Fire at TOYOTA Park on Sunday, live on FSN West and Telefutura at noon.
The Galaxy will assure themselves of a playoff berth with two wins in their next two games and could qualify with a win and a draw, dependant upon other results around MLS as four teams vie for the two final playoff spots which remain available.
LA is currently on a five-game winning streak, leaving the club one match shy of tying the mark for the longest winning streak in MLS this season, a record that could be eclipsed with two wins to close out the regular season.
But in order to do that, LA will need to first win on Thursday against the Red Bulls on what will be Cobi Jones Night at The Home Depot Center. The legendary Galaxy midfielder will be playing his final regular season game in front of the home crowd, with the first 10,000 fans receiving a commemorative t-shirt immortalizing the Galaxy legend. There will be a series of tributes to Jones throughout the evening. Additionally, the match is presented by Herbalife who will give every fan in attendance a special Cobi Jones Thank You Card upon entering the stadium.
The club will fly to Chicago one day later and train on Saturday before Sunday's regular season finale against the Chicago Fire.
Galaxy Training Schedule (All times Pacific)
Date Time/Location
Wednesday, Oct. 17 10:30 a.m. - Galaxy Training (University Field #1)
Training is open to the media starting at 10:45 a.m.
Thursday, Oct. 18 7 p.m. - LA Galaxy (9-13-6) vs. New York Red Bulls (12-11-6) at The Home Depot Center. This game will be broadcast live on ESPN2, starting at 7 p.m. The match can also be heard live on the radio on XX Sports Radio 1090 (English) and KLAA 830 AM (Spanish).
Friday, Oct. 19 TRAVEL DAY
Saturday, Oct. 20 11 a.m. - Galaxy Training (University of Chicago-Illinois)
Training is open to the media starting at 11:15 a.m.
Sunday, Oct. 21 12 p.m. - LA Galaxy (9-13-6) at Chicago Fire (9-10-10) at TOYOTA Park. This game will be broadcast live in English on FSN West, starting with Galaxy Live at 11:30 a.m. and on Telefutura starting at 12 p.m. The match can also be heard live on the radio on CA$H 1700 (English) and KLAA 830 AM (Spanish).
Galaxy Injury Report
OUT - None
DOUBTFUL - Ty Harden (L-Hip)
QUESTIONABLE - Chris Albright (R-Hamstring), David Beckham (R-Knee), Quavas Kirk (L-Foot)
PROBABLE - Alan Gordon (L-Groin), Abel Xavier (L-Knee)
Galaxy Team Notes
FIVE IN A ROW FOR LA: The Galaxy have tied the mark for the second longest winning streak in Major League Soccer this season by defeating Toronto on Saturday night. The win was the fifth in a row for LA, matching the Houston Dynamo's five-game winning streak from June 3 - July 8. Only D.C. United has won more than five straight in the league this season, winning six on the trot from August 5 - September 1.
A win on Thursday would see LA equal that mark while two wins to close out the season would give Frank Yallop's squad their first seven-game winning streak in nine years. From Sept. 7, 1997 until May 17, 1998, the Galaxy won an MLS record 15 games, with just one of those games coming via the shootout. LA also has the second longest winning streak in MLS history, winning 12 in a row from April 13, 1996 until June 26 of that year, with 10 of those 12 wins coming in regulation.
Since the abolishment of the shootout after the 1999 MLS season, no team has ever won seven consecutive regular season MLS games.
THE POSTSEASON PICTURE: With two games remaining in the MLS regular season, the Galaxy hold their playoff destiny in their own hands, knowing that wins over New York and Chicago would see the Galaxy return to the postseason since winning the MLS Cup in 2005. Despite holding their postseason fate in their own hands, the Galaxy still sit just 11th in the MLS standings, four points behind Chicago and Kansas City who sit in seventh and eighth place respectively, two points behind ninth place Colorado and one behind tenth place Columbus who, despite being in front of the Galaxy in the standings, have already been eliminated from postseason contention.
For a complete look at the MLS postseason rundown, visit... http://www.mlsnet.com/news/mlsnews.jsp?ymd=20071015&contentid=123597&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp
LEAVING IT UNTIL LATE: In their current five-game winning streak, the Galaxy have won all five games by a single goal, winning 2-1 four times and 1-0 once. In four of the five wins, the Galaxy have scored the game-winning goal inside the final 20 minutes of the game. The four late game winners were...
Chris Klein in the 72nd minute on Sept. 23, giving LA a 2-1 win over FC Dallas Gavin Glinton in the 80th minute on Sept. 27, giving LA a 1-0 win in Kansas City Gavin Glinton in the 77th minute on Oct. 7, giving LA a 2-1 win in Houston Edson Buddle in the 78th minute on Oct. 13, giving LA a 2-1 win over Toronto FC
The only time that the Galaxy scored the game-winning goal before the 70th minute was in Columbus on Sept. 30 when Troy Roberts cancelled out an early Crew goal with a 13th minute equalizer before Kyle Martino won it three minutes later.
ATTENDANCE MARK COULD FALL: Since moving to The Home Depot Center in 2003, the Galaxy's highest-ever average attendance came during the 2005 season when the club saw an average of 24,204 fans attend their 16 regular season home games. LA could top that mark if more than 26,300 fans are in attendance at Thursday's game against New York. Through the first 14 regular season home games of the season, the Galaxy average attendance is 24,056 per game.
MEDIA PARKING AT TRAINING: All media members are asked to enter through Gate D, off Victoria Blvd., and to park in Lot 17 when attending Galaxy training sessions. Members of the media who park in Lot 6 during training sessions may be ticketed now that school is back in session at California State University - Dominguez Hills.
DON'T MISS GALAXY DEPORTIVO AT A NEW TIME EVERY SATURDAY: Galaxy Deportivo, the Galaxy's official weekly half hour show, is back live every Saturday on KWHY Channel 22. Galaxy Deportivo can now be seen at 6:30 p.m. on every Saturday night, three hours later than its former 3:30 p.m. start time. Catch Galaxy Deportivo and see Elmer Polanco and Alejandro Navarro present the latest news surrounding the club with special features and interviews, as well interacting with Galaxy fans throughout the Los Angeles area.
MAS GALAXY RETURNS ON KLAA AM 830: Mas Galaxy, the Galaxy's weekly Spanish language radio show can be found every Saturday at 1 p.m. on KLAA AM 830. Hosted by Francisco Rivera and Jose "Pepe" Mantilla, the Spanish language radio voices of the Galaxy, Mas Galaxy gets you up to date with all the latest news surrounding the club through interviews, player profiles and expert analysis.
