LA Galaxy vs. Herediano
Home Depot Center, Carson, Calif.
March 13, 2013 (CONCACAF Champions League, Quarterfinals Leg Two)
10​ pm ET (Fox Soccer)
The LA Galaxy and Herediano will face off on Wednesday night in the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal as the series heads to Southern California. The aggregate score between the two teams stands at 0-0 thanks to last Thursday's scoreless draw in Costa Rica.
The club with more total goals from the two games will advance to the semifinals to face two-time defending champions Monterrey, who defeated Guatemalan outfit Xelajú 4-2 on aggregate to become the first team to book their place in the CCL semifinals. The Galaxy must win to be sure of their semifinal place and will be elminated in the case of a Herediano win or a scoring tie, with the team that has more away goals advancing in the event of a tied aggregate scoreline. If the match ends 0-0, the two teams will go to a 30-minute extra time period, followed by a penalty shootout if neither team is able to win in extra time.
The winner of the CONCACAF Champions League will qualify for the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup, to be held in December in Morocco.
Referee: Walter López (Guatemala); AR1: Gerson López (GUA); AR2: Ronaldo de la Cruz (GUA); 4th: Óscar Reyna (GUA)
Head-to-head:
- Last Thursday's meeting was the first between the two clubs, meaning they both carry a 0-0-1 series record coming into the second leg.
- Herediano are 2-1-2 all-time against MLS clubs in CCL play. Prior to coming up against LA, they beat Real Salt Lake 1-0 at home and tied them 0-0 in Utah to eliminate the MLS side from the group stage of this year's competition. They also picked up an away win against the Seattle Sounders in the 2011-2012 group stage, winning 1-0 at CenturyLink Field.
- LA had two big opportunities to take the advantage in the series in the first leg. Mike Magee skied a Robbie Keane cross early in the second half, and had a seemingly onside goal flagged for offside later in the half.
- The Galaxy got off the hook after referee Courtney Campbell awarded a penalty for Sean Franklin's soft foul on Herediano substitute Ismael Gomez. However, Gomez hit the bar with his penalty kick to keep the series tied 0-0.
- Herediano lineup (4-4-2): Daniel Cambronero; Marvin Obando, Pablo Salazar, Cristhian Montero, Waylon Francis; Esteban Ramírez, Elías Aguilar (Víctor Núñez 78), Óscar Granados, José Sánchez (Ismael Gómez 45); Yendrick Ruiz, Minor Díaz (Jorge Barbosa 60).
- LA Galaxy lineup (4-4-2): Carlo Cudicini; Sean Franklin, Omar González, A.J. DeLaGarza, Todd Dunivant; Héctor Jiménez (Leonardo 60), Juninho, Marcelo Sarvas (Rafael Garcia 81), Michael Stephens; Robbie Keane, Mike Magee (Jack McBean 86).
