CARSON, Calif. – Robbie Keane says he's back and ready to go for the LA Galaxy's playoff opener after missing last weekend's regular season-ending loss at Seattle, but his status beyond that could depend on how well his ailing hamstring fares on Saturday at Real Salt Lake (8 pm ET; NBCSN, get tickets here).
The Galaxy captain said a strain in his left hamstring forced him to miss their 2-0 loss Saturday to the Sounders, a result that gave Seattle the Supporters' Shield and left LA in the No. 2 slot in the West and a home-and-home with RSL, the team that knocked them out last year at this stage.
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“Trained the last couple of days, seems OK ...” Keane said following the Galaxy's training session Thursday morning at StubHub Center. “It's supposed to be a couple of weeks [on the sidelines], but trained the last couple of days, so should be OK for Saturday.”
LA hope so. They lost their final two regular-season road games – Keane also missed the Oct. 12 defeat at FC Dallas while with Ireland's national team – and lacked the required spark in the final third last weekend, when victory would have given them the Shield.
LA also got center back Omar Gonzalez back as well, from a red-card suspension, and a full allotment of Designated Players has made for a confident lot.
“It's huge,” said Landon Donovan, LA's third DP. “They're two of our most important players and, arguably, the two best players at their position in the league. When you miss that, then you're going to have a drop-off, there's no question. Having them both back makes us a much different team in the way we can play, the way we can do things. So that's a big bonus for us.”
Head coach Bruce Arena said Keane, who scored 19 goals with 14 assists in 29 league outings this season, could have played against Seattle if absolutely necessary.
“Robbie could play if he had a broken leg,” the Galaxy coach said, then reconsidered.
“… I wouldn't say he could play with a broken leg, but he would try anyway.”
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Keane said he wasn't capable.
“Obviously, I would have played if I was [able to],” he said. “I think you probably know me well enough now to know [I won't] sit out a game unless it's legitimate.”
He declared himself “fit to play,” then acknowledged he needs to keep an eye on how things go at Rio Tinto Stadium.
“Fingers crossed there's no effects from Saturday's game,” Keane said. “Trained the last few days. Touch wood, it hasn't been a problem.”
