A quick look at the Los Angeles Galaxy headlines for the week of October 24, 2005 ...
Galaxy and Quakes Conclude Western Conference Semifinal Series Saturday in San Jose
Donovan's Double Does in Earthquakes in First Leg of Series
2005 MLS Cup Playoffs at a Glance
Gomez and Marshall Finalists for MLS End-of-Year Awards
Donovan Up for Honda Player of the Year Prize
GALAXY AND QUAKES CONCLUDE WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINAL SERIES SATURDAY IN SAN JOSE: Following an impressive 3-1 victory for the Los Angeles Galaxy Sunday in the first leg of MLS Western Conference semifinals (see below), the Galaxy and the San Jose Earthquakes will wrap up their Western Conference semifinal series on Saturday, October 29 in San Jose. The pivotal match will begin at 7 pm (PT) and will be televised LIVE throughout the Southland on FSN West 2 beginning with the Galaxy GameDay pre-game show at 6:30 pm. It will also be broadcast on the radio in Spanish on KMXE 830 am and in English on KMPC 1540 am.
DONOVAN'S DOUBLE DOES IN EARTHQUAKES IN FIRST LEG OF SERIES: Led by the dynamic duo of Landon Donovan and Herculez Gomez, the Los Angeles Galaxy took a comfortable lead in their Western Conference Semifinal Series on Sunday, defeating the San Jose Earthquakes 3-1 at The Home Depot Center on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills. Gomez scored from a free kick to give the Galaxy an early lead and then Donovan scored late in each half to send the MLS Supporters' Shield holders to a first-leg defeat, just their second loss in all competitions since mid-July. Both losses have come to the Galaxy, in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup as well as the MLS Cup Playoffs; the Earthquakes ended the regular season with a 14-game unbeaten streak.
2005 MLS CUP PLAYOFFS AT A GLANCE: All four MLS Conference semifinal series are still very much up in the air as they head into their second legs next weekend at the home of the higher seeded team in each pairing. In the Eastern Conference, regular season points leader New England will need a strong effort at Gillette Stadium to reverse a 1-0 loss at the MetroStars on the weekend, while defending MLS Cup champion D.C. United will have a clean slate in the nation's capital when they host the Chicago Fire after a scoreless deadlock in the first contest. In addition to the second leg of the Galaxy-Quakes series, the Western Conference will feature a grudge match between FC Dallas and the Colorado Rapids at Pizza Hut Park after the teams battled to 0-0 draw in Denver last Saturday night in Denver.
GOMEZ AND MARSHALL FINALISTS FOR MLS END-OF-YEAR AWARDS: Two members of the Los Angeles Galaxy are among the finalists for MLS year-end awards - forward Herculez Gomez for Comeback Player of the Year and Tyrone Marshall for Defender of the Year. The other finalists for the awards are: Comeback Player of the Year: Ronald Cerritos - San Jose Earthquakes, Chris Klein - Kansas City Wizards; Defender of the Year: Danny Califf - San Jose Earthquakes, Jimmy Conrad - Kansas City Wizards. Gomez, 23, had a breakout offensive season with the Galaxy in 2005. After having played just five minutes in his MLS career prior to this season (in October of 2003), and spending 2004 with the San Diego Gauchos (D-3), he worked his way up from the Galaxy reserves at the start of the season to a permanent role in Steve Sampson's attack. He finished the regular season with 11 goals in 22 games (16 starts), second-best on the club to Landon Donovan (12). Marshall, 31, is a fixture on the backline for both the Galaxy and the Jamaican national team. He is physical central defender who is often called upon to impose his will on opponents. In 2005, he played in 25 games - all of them starts - and registered one goal and two assists. The winners of both the MLS Comeback Player of the Year and the Defender of the Year awards will be announced on Tuesday, October 25.
DONOVAN UP FOR HONDA PLAYER OF THE YEAR PRIZE: Galaxy forward Landon Donovan has been selected as a finalist for the 2005 Honda Player of the Year Award, which for the last 15 years has been widely recognized as the most prestigious award a U.S. National Team player can receive. The winner will be announced during the special award luncheon on Wednesday, November 30 at The Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Donovan, the only three-time winner of the Honda Player of the Year Award (2002-2004), is a finalist alongside goalkeeper Kasey Keller and DaMarcus Beasley. In 2005, Donovan led the U.S. National Team in goals scored and moved into third place on the all-time U.S. National Team goal scorers list.
MAS GALAXY THIS AND EVERY WEDNESDAY:
Más Galaxy, the club's Spanish-Language radio talk show, will focus on the entire MLS Cup Playoff picture. The program, hosted by Troy Santiago, the Spanish-language voice of the Galaxy alongside www.MLSNET.com
reporter and local soccer journalist Rene Romano, features an in-depth look at the Galaxy and their opponent(s) each week. Remember Galaxy fans, for the latest news on your favorite team, tune in every Wednesday night to Más Galaxy, only on KMXE 830 AM.
GALAXY DEPORTIVO BREAKS DOWN ALL THE ACTION SATURDAY: Galaxy Deportivo, The weekly, half-hour Spanish language television show devoted to the Los Angeles Galaxy, can be seen this Saturday, October 29 at 3:30 p.m. on KWHY - Channel 22 live from San Jose. Galaxy Deportivo, hosted by Los Angeles area personalities Jaime Motta and Elmer Polanco, can be seen at the same time each and every Saturday on Channel 22.
Galaxy Injury Report
OUT - Ben Benditson (sports hernia)
DOUBTFUL - NONE
QUESTIONABLE - Marcelo Saragosa (right adductor strain)
PROBABLE - Cobi Jones (right abdominal strain)
Did you know ... Midfielder Cobi Jones is the only player to appear in each of the 42 MLS Cup Playoff games in Galaxy history? The 42 playoff appearances are also an MLS record.
