CARSON, Calif. --
The 14th season of LA Galaxy soccer kicks off on Sunday afternoon when the Galaxy host D.C. United in the season opener at The Home Depot Center. This match kicks off at 12 p.m. and can be seen live on both Telefutura and FS Prime Ticket. Additionally, AM 570 and ESPN Deportes Radio 1330 AM will carry the game live on the radio. The first 15,000 fans in attendance at Sunday's game will receive a schedule magnet courtesy of Herbalife, while the first 10,000 fans will receive a special commemorative season preview program.
THE WEEK THAT WAS
LA Galaxy
Saturday, March 14; Galaxy 1 - Chicago Fire 1
Josh Tudela scored the Galaxy's only goal in the 3rd minute as the club played Chicago to a 1-1 draw in their final preseason game of 2009. Tudela's goal gave the Galaxy an early 1-0 lead, only for Marco Pappa to equalize in the 30th minute for the 1-1 draw at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.
INJURY REPORT
Galaxy Injury Report
OUT -Todd Dunivant (Right Ankle - Post Surgery), Leonard Griffin (Left Abdominal - Strain)
DOUBTFUL - None
QUESTIONABLE - Edson Buddle (Right Quad - Strain), Donovan Ricketts (Right Groin - Strain)
PROBABLE - Alan Gordon (Right Hamstring - Strain), Eddie Lewis (Left Hamstring - Strain), Stefani Miglioranzi (Right Knee - Bone Bruise)
GALAXY TEAM NOTES
A NUMBER OF NEW FACES: Of the 25 players currently on the Galaxy roster, 13 were not on the club's roster for the 2008 MLS regular season finale against FC Dallas. Additionally, goalkeeper Josh Saunders, who signed with the Galaxy earlier this month, was on the club's roster at the end of 2008, but was on loan from Miami FC of the USL First Division.
Of the new faces on the roster, five (Todd Dunivant, Jovan Kirovski, Dema Kovalenko, Mike Magee and Stefani Miglioranzi) played for other MLS clubs and four (A.J. DeLaGarza, Omar Gonzalez, Yohance Marshall and Kyle Patterson) were in college last year. Additionally, both Saunders and Leonard Griffin played in the USL First Division, Tristan Bowen was in the LA Galaxy Youth Academy, Donovan Ricketts was playing for Village United in Jamaica and Tony Sanneh did not have a club.
FLYING HIGH WITH 50 GOALS: Despite having so many new faces on the roster this season, the Galaxy have lost little of the firepower that saw them score a league-high 55 goals in 2008. Only five players who scored a goal for the club last year are no longer with the Galaxy, with Ely Allen, Brandon McDonald, Alvaro Pires, Carlos Ruiz and Peter Vagenas all no longer wearing Galaxy colors.
Landon Donovan and his MLS-best 20 goals are back, as are Edson Buddle (15 goals) and Alan Gordon (five goals) who finished second and third on the team in goals scored. Also back from last year are Bryan Jordan, Chris Klein and Eddie Lewis who each scored one goal, while David Beckham, who scored five times last year, will re-join the club in July, meaning that 48 of the Galaxy's 55 goals scored in 2008 will play for the team this year.
SEASON OPENING STRUGGLES: Against D.C. United on Sunday, the Galaxy will be looking to win their first season opener since the 2004 season when they defeated New England 3-2 at The Home Depot Center. Since that game, the Galaxy are 0-3-1 in season openers, allowing eight goals while failing to score any. All-time, the Galaxy are 6-5-2 in season openers.
However, the club has fared better in their home openers, including a 2-0 victory over San Jose last year. Since moving into The Home Depot Center in 2003, the Galaxy are 4-2-0 in their home openers and overall the club is 9-4-0 in their first home game of the season.
BIG WIN FOR BRUCE: Galaxy General Manager and Head Coach Bruce Arena collected his first-ever win with the club on September 20, 2008 when the Galaxy defeated D.C. United 5-2 at The Home Depot Center. Landon Donovan had three goals and an assist in that game as the Galaxy snapped a club record 12-game winless streak.
YOUTH ACADEMY
LA GALAXY YOUTH ACADEMY BACK IN ACTION THIS WEEKEND: The LA Galaxy Youth Academy is back in action at The Home Depot Center on Sunday, with the U-16's hosting Real SoCal at 4 p.m. and the U-18's hosting Real SoCal at 6 p.m., with both games being played on Field #5. Both of these games are free and open to all fans and media members.
The Academy began their spring schedule two weeks ago with the U-16's defeating the Irvine Strikers 3-0 behind two goals from Cristhian Hernandez and a late goal from Trent Clifton. That win gives the U-16's a 10-4-2 record in the Development Academy season, which began last summer, including a 5-1-1 mark in their division.
However, the U-18's were not so lucky, falling 2-0 to the Irvine Strikers. With the loss, the U-18's are now 6-8-2 on the season and 3-4-0 in their division.
BORJA MAKES NATIONAL TEAM DEBUT: U-18 midfielder Josh Borja was in Guam last week, representing the Guam National Team at the East Asian Football Championship.
Originally born in San Diego, Borja was eligible to play for Guam through his father's lineage. He began playing for the Galaxy Youth Academy in 2008 and elected to play for Guam late that year. Borja made his debut for Guam on March 11 in their 1-0 win over Mongolia. Two days later he scored the first international goal of his career, tallying Guam's first in a 2-1 win over the Northern Mariana Islands. He added another goal in Guam's final game, a 2-2 draw with Macau that clinched first place in the Preliminary Competition for his side.
As a result, Borja and Guam will now move on to the Semifinal round of the competition. The semifinals will be held in August in Chinese Taipai, with Guam taking on Chinese Taipai, Hong Kong and North Korea. If they can win that group, they will move onto the 2010 East Asian Football Championship in Japan, against China, South Korea and the host Japan.
LIVE THE DREAM: Major League Soccer announced on last week that all available spots for Sueño MLS have been filled. The Galaxy filled all 800 of their spots within the first five hours after registration opened earlier this month. However, hopefuls are still able to register to the Waiting List via www.SuenoMLS.com for an opportunity to participate in the premier search for undiscovered soccer talent in the United States.
The tryouts and personal stories will be chronicled weekly by Univision's popular weekly sports show, "República Deportiva".
The Chicago Fire, D.C. United and the LA Galaxy will each host tryouts, with four local winners from each city moving on to an exciting four-day "Final Event" in Los Angeles. Galaxy tryouts will be on March 28-29 at the San Bernardino Soccer Complex. The finals, which will include training sessions, scrimmages, guest celebrity scouts, and an opportunity to meet some of the league's biggest stars, will also be held in Los Angeles, with all events centered around at the Honda SuperClasico between the Galaxy and Chivas USA on April 11. The ultimate champion will be crowned on Sunday, April 12, live (EST) on "República Deportiva".
COMMUNITY
KICKOFF LUNCHEON: On Thursday the Galaxy will hold their annual Kickoff Luncheon at the Manhattan Beach Marriott Hotel. This year, the Galaxy will be hosting their sponsors, marketing and media partners, and 200 season ticket holders at this exclusive team event, which gives many their first chance to see the Galaxy ahead of the season opener.
PLAYERS TO SIGN AUTOGRAPHS ON TUESDAY: A group of lucky fans will have the chance to learn the game and get autographs from some of their favorite Galaxy players on Tuesday afternoon at The Home Depot Center. Sean Franklin, the 2008 MLS Rookie of the Year, Yohance Marshall, Kyle Patterson and Josh Tudela will be on hand to meet with more than 150 children from various Southern California youth soccer programs as part of Tuesday's event.
To learn more about these clinics and autograph sessions, please contact the Galaxy Sales staff at 877-3GALAXY or via email at customerservice@lagalaxy.com.
NEED TO KNOW
KICK-OFF TICKET PACKS NOW AVAILABLE: With the season opener just a few days away, the Galaxy have unveiled a special kick-off pack that will give fans four tickets to Sunday's game against D.C. United, as well as two scarves for as little as $52. To order these this pack or learn more about all of the Galaxy's tickets offers, please call 877-3GALAXY (877-342-5299) or visit www.lagalaxy.com.
GALAXY 2009 SEASON CREDENTIALS AVAILABLE NOW: Media credentials for the 2009 LA Galaxy season are available now online. Media members looking to receive a season credential can apply online at www.lagalaxy.iwebreg.com. All credential applications must be completed online before the deadline, which is Friday, April 17. All credential applications must be accompanied by a photo headshot.
If you have applied for credentials for recent Galaxy/MLS/SUM events in the past, you must login in to your account using your email address and password. If you have forgotten your password please click on the option that states "Reset Password ".
Media members who will not be covering the entire Galaxy season can request single game credentials through the Galaxy Communications Department by emailing mediarequests@lagalaxy.com.
MEDIA PARKING AT TRAINING: All media members are asked to enter through Gate D, off Victoria Blvd., and to park in Lot 17 when attending Galaxy training sessions. Members of the media who park in Lot 6 during training sessions may be ticketed as school is in session at 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 or www.lagalaxyfutbol.com, or the club's official blog at www.thelagalaxy.blogspot.com for all the latest news from the club.
