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THE HOME DEPOT CENTER
CARSON, Calif.
7 pm PT (FSC; Telemundo; FSN-W2)
Two years ago, the two California rivals met in a home-and-home series over the final two weekends that served only as a prelude to an incredible series in the Western Conference Semifinals, capped by perhaps the greatest comeback in MLS history. Now the teams come in with their places in the MLS Cup Playoffs secure, though the playoff matchups are still dependent on this game. The Earthquakes can still face either the Galaxy or Colorado in the semifinals; the Los Angeles can ensure they will not play San Jose with a win or draw on Saturday.
REFEREE: Jair Marrufo. SAR (bench): Kermit Quisenberry; JAR (opposite): Fabio Tovar; 4th: Baldomero Toledo
MLS Career: 36 games; FC/gm: 30.7; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 8; pens: 18
Games involving Galaxy: P9 W6 L3 T0; FC/gm: 31.7; Y/gm: 4.2; R: 3; pens: 6
Games involving Earthquakes: P8 W5 L1 T2; FC/gm: 29.4; Y/gm: 2.6; R: 1; pens: 1
INJURY REPORT: LOS ANGELES GALAXY - OUT: DF Ben Benditson (sports hernia) ... SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES - OUT: DF Craig Waibel (R knee ACL/LCL tear); DF Troy Dayak (L knee ACL tear); DOUBTFUL: MF Brad Davis (L groin strain); QUESTIONABLE: DF Wade Barrett (L hamstring strain); PROBABLE: FW Ronald Cerritos (L ankle sprain)
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS: LA: Naldo da Conceicao (18 CP); Herculez Gomez (17 CP) ... SJ: Brad Davis (18 CP), Ricardo Clark (19 CP); Dwayne De Rosario (17 CP)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (37 meetings): Galaxy 21 wins (4 shootout), 57 goals ... Earthquakes 11 wins (1 shootout), 48 goals ... 5 draws
AT LOS ANGELES: (18 meetings): Galaxy 13 wins (2 shootout), 34 goals ... Earthquakes 3 wins (0 shootout), 22 goals ... 2 draws
The long-time bitter Golden State rivals meet in the fourth "California Clasico" in the league this season, the second of two meetings on Victoria Street.THIS YEAR
The Earthquakes have won two of the three league meetings this season, as in regular season play home-field advantage has held true. Los Angeles won 2-1 at home on May 21, then the Earthquakes claimed back-to-back league win, a 3-0 victory in San Jose on June 25 and a 2-1 triumph on Aug. 27. But in between in the U.S. Open Cup, the Galaxy once again got the better of their northern rivals, dumping the Quakes for the fourth time ever with a 2-1 victory in San Jose on Aug. 24.
On May 21 at The Home Depot Center, the injury-hit Earthquakes nearly survived their first match without a host of starters, but couldn't take advantage of being a man up and lost 2-1 to the Galaxy.
The California Clasico got off to a quiet start until Jovan Kirovski hit home with a long-range shot that took a deflection or two on its way to goal (39).
But just after the hour, rookie Galaxy center back Ugo Ihemelu was sent off for a second yellow card, and it took the Earthquakes just six minutes to equalize, new acquisition Mark Chung curling in a perfectly-placed cross from the right where Ronald Cerritos came in at the near post to jab home.
Yet the Galaxy came back to claim the full three points, substitute Naldo da Conceicao freed on the right before looping a cross back to the spot where Peter Vagenas steamed in to drive a thumping header and keep the Galaxy perfect on their home ground.
The Earthquakes captured a 3-0 victory against the Galaxy on June 25 at Spartan Stadium. It was the first game back in San Jose for Landon Donovan since his move to the Galaxy just before the start of the season, and throughout the match the Earthquakes fans showed their displeasure in a raucous atmosphere.
Much to the delight of their delirious supporters, the Quakes took the lead on 37 minutes after Ronald Cerritos drove a low ball into the goalmouth that Alejandro Moreno slid in to poke past Galaxy 'keeper Kevin Hartman.
Ten minutes into the second half Earthquakes 'keeper Pat Onstad did his part in a remarkable sequence that left nearly everyone wondering how the ball didn't go in the goal. A wild scramble ensued after a corner kick that saw Onstad three times deny Jovan Kirovski from point-blank range, with another hitting a defender on the line before Onstad was able to punch clear.
That set the stage for a bizarre three minutes that sealed the match, first defender Michael Umana touching the ball past Hartman as he took it off the feet of Moreno running at goal (65), then center back Tyrone Marshall heading over his goalkeeper on a clearing attempt as Hartman came off his line to deal with a looping ball. The loss kept the Galaxy winless away from Carson since last July.LAST MEETING
The Earthquakes won 2-1 on Aug. 27 at Spartan Stadium, the second meeting between the club in four days on the same ground, after four days earlier L.A. had again knocked San Jose out of the Open Cup with a 2-1 victory in a quarterfinal match.
The Earthquakes took the lead in the 23rd minute, when Mark Chung swung in a free kick from the right and former Galaxy striker Alejandro Moreno got the slightest touches on the ball as he and Galaxy 'keeper Kevin Hartman challenged for the ball.
The Galaxy pulled level 14 minutes later when Landon Donovan scored his first goal against his former club with a touch of brillance, collecting the ball outside the area and hitting a dipping, swerving shot that slammed into the upper corner.
But in the 75th minute, a third goal from a third player sent from one California rival to the other provided the match-winner. Ronald Cerritos put in a corner kick from the right and defender Danny Califf powerfully headed home from the near post to move the Earthquakes eight points clear in the West.
Here's Kinnear's team (4-3-1-2): Pat Onstad - Kelly Gray (Ryan Cochrane 63), Danny Califf, Eddie Robinson, Wade Barrett - Brian Mullan, Ricardo Clark, Mark Chung - Dwayne De Rosario - Ronald Cerritos, Alejandro Moreno
Here's Sampson's team (4-4-2): Kevin Hartman - Chris Albright, Pablo Chinchilla, Tyrone Marshall, Todd Dunivant - Cobi Jones, Peter Vagenas, Guillermo Ramirez, Ned Grabavoy (Ednaldo da Conceicao 60) - Landon Donovan, Jovan Kirovski (Herculez Gomez 37)U.S. OPEN CUP
On Aug. 24, the Galaxy dumped the Earthquakes out of the U.S. Open Cup for the fourth time ever, getting two goals from Herculez Gomez then surviving going a man down midway through the second half to hold on for a 2-1 victory.
Gomez put the Galaxy ahead after just five minutes when a clearance out of the Quakes' defense was headed by Jovan Kirovski straight into the path of Gomez, who evaded a challenge from San Jose defender Danny Califf, and scored low to Jon Conway's right.
Then in the 31st minute he scored a second goal that was a near carbon copy of the first. Kirovski was again the provider, as his through ball found Gomez in stride and he duly buried his shot past a diving Conway.
The Quakes were thrown a lifeline in the 63rd minute when Todd Dunivant received a second caution, and in the 76th minute Ronald Cerritos nodded home Brian Mullan's cross to halve the deficit, but the Galaxy held on.
The Galaxy have now eliminated the Quakes four times in the U.S. Open Cup (2000, 2001, 2002, 2005) including on penalties in 2001 and in extra time in 2002.HISTORY
A year ago, the Galaxy won two of the four meetings - both in Carson - while the Earthquakes won one at home, with the fourth match (in San Jose) ending in a scoreless draw.
The Quakes recorded a victory in a wild 4-2 contest at Spartan Stadium on May 22 (Ching 45, 48; Mullan 54; DeRosario 79 - Herzog 61, Ngwenya 74), before the Galaxy posted back-to-back 2-1 victories at home, the first on July 4 (Ruiz 45, 55 - DeRosario 41), then again on Sept. 11 (Victorine 36, Torres 75 - Ekelund 77). Two weeks later (Sept. 25), the teams then played to the scoreless draw in San Jose.
The visiting team hasn't won in the series in the last two years. The last win by a road team in the matchup came Sept. 21, 2002, when the Galaxy claimed a 1-0 victory at Spartan Stadium.
The Earthquakes haven't won in their last seven league trips to Los Angeles. Their last away win against the Galaxy came April 7, 2001; since, the Galaxy have recorded six wins (with one draw) at home in league play against San Jose.
The Quakes have knocked off the Galaxy in their last two postseason series. They won the dramatic 2003 Western Conference semifinal series 5-4 on aggregate - capped by a remarkable 4-2 San Jose second-leg home win - and also won a berth in MLS Cup 2001 on a Dwayne DeRosario golden goal winner. The Galaxy claimed victory in a 1996 playoff series, 2 games to 1.
Coaches record: Steve Sampson v SJ: P5 W2 L2 T1 ... Dominic Kinnear vs. LA: P7 W3 L3 D1LOS ANGELES GALAXY
The Los Angeles Galaxy return to league action for the first time in two weeks, still with a chance to finish anywhere from second to fourth in the Western Conference. Their last match was a 2-1 victory against FC Dallas on Oct. 1, which left them with 45 points from 31 matches, still two points behind FC Dallas and three points ahead of the Colorado Rapids heading into the final weekend of the campaign.
Just four days after the teams met in the U.S. Open Cup Final, Herculez Gomez continued his remarkable run of form as the Galaxy defeated FC Dallas for the second time in the week, leapfrogging over them into second place in the West.
Gomez, who scored the only goal of Wednesday's Open Cup Final in Carson, struck after just 12 minutes in the league encounter. Ned Grabavoy played a perfectly weighted ball over the FCD backline, and after fighting off a defender in the area, Gomez hammered home an angled drive off the inside of the far post.
The Hoops pulled level just before the halftime break, a cross from right only half-cleared, but falling right to Aaron Pitchkolan just outside the area, and he pounded home a rising first-time shot past Kevin Hartman.
But two minutes into first-half stoppage time the Galaxy again drew ahead, again through Gomez. He charged down an attempted clearance by David Wagenfuhr, raced past the second-year defender and then cheekily chipped FCD 'keeper Scott Garlick from just inside the area for his 11th league goal and 17 in all competitions.
FC Dallas were left a man down for the final 40 minutes after Greg Vanney was sent off for a challenge from behind on Joseph Ngwenya, and while the Galaxy had a stunning series of chances, they couldn't increase the scoreline though running out easy victors.
Galaxy boss Steve Sampson made two changes to the team that had defeated the Kansas City Wizards a week earlier at Arrowhead Stadium. Marcelo Saragosa replaced Paulo Nagamura in the center of midfield and Ned Grabavoy came in for Landon Donovan in a wide midfield role after Donovan suffered an ankle sprain in the Open Cup Final four days earlier.
Here's Sampson's team (4-4-2): Kevin Hartman - Chris Albright (Troy Roberts 65), Ugo Ihemelu, Tyrone Marshall, Todd Dunivant - Cobi Jones, Marcelo Saragosa (Guillermo Ramirez 73), Peter Vagenas, Ned Grabavoy - Herculez Gomez, Joseph Ngwenya (Alan Gordon 88)TEAM NEWS
In all, Gomez has 17 goals with the first team in all competitions (11 in league play, six in the Open Cup), and he's also struck for three more in reserve matches. Sampson felt this is the type of run that will help Gomez become a household name in MLS.
"The consistent run of scoring game after game is very rare. I think guys like Carlos Ruiz, Eric Wynalda, Tab Ramos - [Gomez] is now starting to make a name for himself," said Sampson. "He's playing with an enormous amount of confidence, you can see it in that second goal. That second goal takes a lot of confidence and skill."
Grabavoy was filling in for Landon Donovan, who was out with a left ankle sprain. "When I play out on the right side, or the left, Steve (Sampson) likes me to get in behind the defense, and not always play in front of them. So from the beginning that's what I tried to do. I just try to give that extra kick to my game," said Grabavoy.
Said Sampson: "We inject Ned Grabavoy in there and take Landon Donovan out, and the team plays pretty decently. So that gives me the feeling that we're headed in the right direction."
As Dallas was forced to commit more players forward, the Galaxy was afforded chance after chance to add to their scoreline. But the last 10 minutes of the game the Galaxy put on a clinic of what not to do when trying to finish in front of the net.
"You put Landon (Donovan) in that situation and he finishes," said Sampson. "Joe (Ngwenya), Alan (Gordon), Pando, these guys are gaining experience as they go. These are guys that during the flow of the game would have finished those. Sometimes, as crazy as it sounds, it's just maybe too easy. Obviously it's unacceptable. We have to train more on our finishing under pressure."SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
The San Jose Earthquakes ensured they would make history in their regular season finale last Saturday, seeing Real Salt Lake come back from a two-goal deficit before the teams settled for a 2-2 draw at Spartan Stadium. The Earthquakes have 63 points from 31 matches, the league's best overall record.
The events of the day had given the Earthquakes the Supporters' Shield before a single ball was kicked. But the home side were still aiming to be the first team in MLS history to go through the entire home portion of their season unbeaten, while Real were trying to keep from being just the second team in MLS history to go an entire season winless on their travels.
The Quakes got the start they needed, scoring twice within seven minutes late in the first half to take a seemingly unassailable lead. Dwayne De Rosario hit first in the 38th minute after a bit of opportunism, his attempted pass in the area coming right back to him where he knocked it home.
Then rookie Julian Nash scored his first MLS goal, finishing off a fast, flowing move out of midfield, turning inside a defender at the top of the area and lashing a low shot inside Jay Nolly's right-hand post (44).
But Real pulled a goal back through some good fortune, a cross from Kevin Novak from the left corner sailing over everyone in the goalmouth and somehow slipping inside the far post as goalkeeper Pat Onstad frantically scrambled back for it (64).
RSL then hit for the equalizer nine minutes later on a terrific goal, Jaime Watson driving in a cross from the left side where Andy Williams steamed in at the back post and hammered home an acrobatic first-time volley.
But it wasn't enough to stop history, as the Quakes ended the year unbeaten in their 16 league games in San Jose, while Real claimed just a second draw in 16 games on the road - the first coming in their first-ever match.
With five players away on national team duty, Earthquakes head coach Dominic Kinnear was forced into a complete rebuild of his team. Chris Aloisi and Kevin Goldthwaite came into the back four with Danny Califf and Wade Barrett with the U.S. national team, Danny O'Rourke came into the holding midfield role with Ricardo Clark called in by Bruce Arena, and Ronald Cerritos and Julian Nash were the new strike partnership with Brian Ching (USA) and Alejandro Moreno (Venezuela) also on international duty.
Here's Kinnear's team (4-3-1-2): Pat Onstad - Chris Aloisi, Ryan Cochrane, Kelly Gray, Kevin Goldthwaite - Brian Mullan, Danny O'Rourke, Mark Chung - Dwayne De Rosario (Chris Wondolowski 86) - Ronald Cerritos (Brad Davis 57), Julian Nash (Roger Levesque 78)
"We are a little upset at losing the lead tonight, but overall I am very proud of the guys for finishing the year without losing at Spartan Stadium and for winning the Supporters' Shield for the first time, Kinnear said. "Everyone here has played hard all year and they deserve to be where they are. They are both great accomplishments, but we still have more work to do this year."TEAM NEWS
Following a disappointing start to the season, which saw the Earthquakes stumble out of the blocks with home draws against New England (2-2) and Chivas USA (3-3), they caught fire in the middle of the season with a six-match home winning streak from June 18 to Aug. 6. After a 1-1 tie against Colorado on Aug. 13, San Jose rolled off four more home wins in a row, including a 3-0 thrashing of Chivas USA on Sept. 10 that avenged the early-season disappointment.
"It is a pretty special accomplishment, but at the same time it takes some of the luster off of it when you blow a 2-0 lead at home," said Pat Onstad. "However, we think we are pretty tough to beat here. It is a tight field and the fans are right on top of you, which makes it seem even tighter. We are very comfortable here and it is a tough place to play. Now, the way to get to the MLS Cup Final is to go through San Jose, and that is what our goal was going into the regular season, to make sure we have that advantage, and we have done that."
"It's the first time in the history of the league," said midfielder Brad Davis, "Nobody can change that or take it away from us." Davis played 34 minutes in his first appearance with the club since Aug. 20.
San Jose was forced to go with a makeshift lineup due to the absence of national team players Brian Ching, Ricardo Clark, Wade Barrett, Danny Califf and Alejandro Moreno, and Eddie Robinson to suspension. As a result, the Earthquakes were unable to find a consistent rhythm throughout the match, but got enough out of De Rosario to forge out a draw.
"I was happy with how the team played for 60-70 minutes. We were on top of them right at the start of the game and we definitely deserved to be up 2-0," Kinnear said. "However, you have to give Real Salt Lake credit because they crept back into the game. Their first goal was a bit soft and then the game became a little bit run and gun."DISCIPLINARY INFORMATION
Red card and caution point accumulation suspensions collected in regular season games shall be served in a player's next regular season game.
Any suspensions for yellow card points earned in a player's last regular season game will not carry over into the MLS Cup Playoffs, or into the next league season.
However, any Player who receives a red card in his last game of the season (regular season or playoffs), will serve the one-game suspension during their next game (whether it's during the playoffs, championship game, or in the next regular season game of the following season).
All red card and caution point suspensions will, if necessary, follow a player to a new team.PLAYOFF SCENARIOS
Colorado can finish in third place with:
(a) A Los Angeles loss vs. San Jose.
FC Dallas can finish in second place with:
(a) A win vs. Kansas City or a Los Angeles tie or loss vs. San Jose
(b) A tie vs. Kansas City and a Los Angeles win of seven or less vs. San Jose
Los Angeles can finish second with:
(a) A win vs. San Jose and an FC Dallas loss vs. Kansas City
Los Angeles can finish in at least third place with:
(a) A win or tie vs. San Jose
