The LA Galaxy are back in action this weekend when they host FC Dallas on Saturday night at The Home Depot Center. This game, which is presented by Bank of America, kicks off at 7:30 p.m., and is the second and final meeting of the year between the two sides. LA earned a 1-1 draw at Pizza Hut Park earlier this season when Landon Donovan and Drew Moor traded first half goals. The Galaxy are 23-17-9 all-time against Dallas, including a 9-1-1 mark at The Home Depot Center.
FS West will have all the action on tape delay, starting with 'Galaxy Live' at 9:30 p.m. Fans wishing to catch all the action live can tune in to AM 570 where Joe Tutino and Ralph Perez will have the call in English starting at 7 p.m., or ESPN Deportes Radio KWKW 1330 where Rolando Gonzalez and Armando Aguayo will have the call in Spanish, beginning at 7 p.m. as well.
THE WEEK THAT WAS
No Galaxy games last weekend.
INJURY REPORT
OUT - Sean Franklin (Right Hamstring - Surgery - Disabled List), Julian Valentin (Right Foot - Fracture - Disabled List)
DOUBTFUL - None
QUESTIONABLE - Chris Birchall (Left Hamstring - Tightness), Edson Buddle (Right Foot - Sprain), Alecko Eskandarian (Broken Nose), Dema Kovalenko (Right Achilles - Tendonitis)
PROBABLE - None
TEAM NOTES
THE PLAYOFF PICTURE: The Galaxy have just six games left in the 2009 MLS season as they push for their first postseason berth since the 2005 season. LA currently sits in second place in the Western Conference with 38 points, two points behind Houston for the league's top spot.
The top two teams from each conference automatically qualify for the postseason, along with the next four best teams, regardless of conference.
The top 11 teams in MLS are currently separated by just nine points while four of the Galaxy's final six opponents currently residing in that group. Additionally, three of the Galaxy's final six games are against teams that would be in the postseason if the season were to end today.
In seven games against the six teams remaining on their schedule this season, the Galaxy are 3-1-3, with wins over Chicago, Houston and Toronto FC to go along with draws with Columbus, FC Dallas and San Jose, who also beat LA on June 20.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES: David Beckham and Landon Donovan remain on international duty this week ahead of important World Cup qualifiers for each on Wednesday. England hosts Croatia, knowing that a win will clinch them a spot in the World Cup, while the U.S. travels to take on Trinidad and Tobago in Port of Spain in a game that could see the U.S. move to the top of the CONCACAF qualification standings with two games remaining on the schedule.
That game was originally schedule to see Donovan face off against his Galaxy teammate Chris Birchall, but Birchall withdrew from the squad last week because of a hamstring injury. If the U.S. wins on Wednesday and El Salvador loses or ties at Costa Rica, the U.S. will clinch a spot in the group's top four and at least a spot in a two-leg playoff against the fifth place team in South America for a World Cup berth.
On Saturday, Donovan, who was playing in his record 32nd World Cup qualifier, set up both goals for the U.S. in their 2-1 win over El Salvador. He now has 40 assists in his national team career, including eight in 2009, one shy of Cobi Jones' national team record of nine. In the final round of qualifying, the Galaxy captain has scored two of the Red, White and Blue's 13 goals, while assisting on seven others.
England were also in action on Saturday, with Beckham being an unused substitute in their 2-1 win over Slovenia at Wembley in a friendly.
Both Beckham and Donovan are expected to return to Los Angeles on Thursday and be available for Saturday's game against FC Dallas.
AFTER A WEEKEND OFF: The Galaxy were off last weekend, with only three MLS games being played on Saturday. That was just the fourth time this season that LA went a complete weekend without playing a league game. The only other weekends that the Galaxy did not play a league game were March 29 and 30, when the team was off, July 18 and 19, when they played AC Milan at The Home Depot Center and August 1 and 2, when they hosted FC Barcelona at the Rose Bowl.
Following those weekends away from MLS play, the Galaxy have a 1-1-1 record, losing 3-2 to Colorado on April 4, drawing Kansas City 1-1 on July 25 and defeating New England 2-1 on August 8. Landon Donovan has two goals and two assists in those three games, while Omar Gonzalez, Alan Gordon and Jovan Kirovski all added goals following a weekend off.
IN THE COMMUNITY
DAY ON THE LINKS TEES OFF SEPTEMBER 14: The LA Galaxy Foundation will host their annual Day on the Links Golf Tournament on Monday, September 14 at Coyote Hills Golf Course in Fullerton, Calif. Fans will have the chance to golf with their favorite Galaxy players while receiving a number of great gifts just for signing up. Additionally, all participants are invite to a special post-tournament awards dinner, as well as a silent auction and raffle that annually features an amazing collection of memorabilia from across the sports universe. To learn more about this event, or to sign up for it, please click here.
LA GALAXY TO CELEBRATE "KIDS NIGHT OUT": On Saturday, September 12, the LA Galaxy will host "Kids Night Out", a program through which local companies, Galaxy fans and individuals provide underserved and at-risk children an opportunity to attend a Galaxy game. Through the "Kids Night Out" program, the Galaxy are calling upon the individuals, businesses and civic organizations in Southern California and across the country to purchase tickets for the club's game against FC Dallas on September 12 at The Home Depot Center. The LA Galaxy Foundation will donate the tickets to local non-profits on behalf of the "Kids Night Out" sponsors. Fans can support "Kids' Night Out" by going to www.lagalaxy.com or calling 877-3GALAXY, with a donation as small as $20 helping to provide an unforgettable soccer experience.
JORDAN TO SIGN AUTOGRAPHS ON SUNDAY: The day after the Galaxy's game against FC Dallas, forward Bryan Jordan will be in Baldwin Park, Calif. to sign autographs and meet fans on behalf of Time Warner Cable from 1-2:30 p.m. at the Wal-Mart on Big Dalton Ave.
NEED TO KNOW
PURO GALAXY HITS ESPN DEPORTES RADIO: ESPN Deportes Radio KWKW 1330 AM, the Galaxy's official Spanish language radio partner, is the place for all of your Galaxy news and information en español. The best place to get that information is on Puro Galaxy, the network's weekly, hour-long show that airs every Saturday from noon-1 p.m.
Galaxy color analyst Armando Aguayo and Galaxy sideline reporter Mario Amaya are joined on a weekly basis by the players, coaches and a series of special guests that allow the fan to get excited for match day. So tune in each and every week and stay up to date with everything that is going on in the Galaxy.
Fans can also listen to free podcasts of previous episodes at www.lagalaxyfutbol.com.
MEDIA PARKING AT TRAINING: All media members are asked to enter through Gate A, off Avalon Blvd., and to park in Lot 18 when attending Galaxy training sessions this week. Members of the media who park in Lot 6, across from University Fields 1 and 2, during training sessions may be ticketed by California State University - Dominguez Hills.
LOOKING FOR MORE UPDATES?: If you are looking for continuous updates from the Galaxy all week long, be sure to visit the club's official websites www.lagalaxy.com and www.lagalaxyfutbol.com, or the club's official blog at www.thelagalaxy.blogspot.com for all the latest news from the club.
