The LA Galaxy will play a pair of games this week, starting with a friendly against Costa Rican finalists Club Sport Herediano on Tuesday night. Four days later, the club returns to MLS action when they host Real Salt Lake at The Home Depot Center. This game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. and is preceded by a Galaxy Alumni Game, featuring a host of past Galaxy greats at 5 p.m. The Galaxy and RSL played to a 2-2 draw earlier this season and the Galaxy will be looking to collect their second consecutive victory on Saturday and extend their unbeaten streak to 11 games. Prime Ticket will have all the action on tape delay starting with the 'Galaxy Live' pregame show at 8 p.m., immediately following the completion of the Dodgers-Texas Rangers game. Additionally, fans can listen to all the action live on the radio in English on AM 570 and in Spanish on KWKW 1330 AM ESPN Deportes Radio.
THE WEEK THAT WAS
Saturday, May 30
LA Galaxy 2 - Kansas City Wizards 1 - BMO Field - Attendance: 20,753
Sunday, May 31
LA Galaxy U-16's 5 - Pateadores U-16's 0 - The Home Depot Center
LA Galaxy U-18's 1 - Pateadores U-18's 2 - The Home Depot Center
INJURY REPORT
Galaxy Injury Report
OUT - Sean Franklin (Right Hamstring - Surgery - Disabled List), Yohance Marshall (Right MCL - Sprain - Disabled List)
DOUBTFUL - None
QUESTIONABLE - None
PROBABLE - None
BUDDLE HITS 70:
Edson Buddle's game-winning goal in Toronto on Saturday was the 70th of his MLS career, making him the 15th player in league history to score 70 or more regular season goals. The 28-year old New York native joined the Galaxy in June 2007 and now has 22 goals in 50 career games with the club. With his goal on Saturday, Buddle surpassed Greg Vanney and moved into seventh place in club history in goals scored.
With his next goal, Buddle will surpass his former Galaxy teammate and current assistant coach Cobi Jones for 14th place in MLS history. Buddle, who also has two goals in seven playoff games all-time, needed 194 games to tally his 70th goal making him the 12th fastest to reach 70 goals.
RICKETTS SETTING RECORDS:
Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts continued his strong form on Saturday, making a career-high 10 saves in LA's 2-1 win over Toronto FC. Ricketts remains unbeaten as an MLS goalkeeper, collecting a 2-0-8 record with a 0.90 goals against average, leaving him in fourth place in the league in goals against average.
Ricketts' 0.90 GAA is the lowest GAA ever tallied by a Galaxy goalkeeper in his first 10 games with the club. Prior to Ricketts, Jorge Campos had the lowest goals against average in his first 10 games with the Galaxy, allowing 10 goals in that time for a 1.01 GAA.
Additionally, the 10 saves for Ricketts against Toronto on Saturday were the most by a Galaxy goalkeeper since Joe Cannon made 10 saves in a 5-4 loss at New York on August 18, 2007 and tied the record for the most saves by a goalkeeper in MLS this season, equaling the mark set by Chicago's Jon Busch on May 24, 2009 in a 1-0 win over the Red Bulls.
THE STREAK CONTINUES:
With the 2-1 win in Toronto on Saturday, the Galaxy are now unbeaten in their last 10 matches, going 2-0-8 in that time. This current run is the fourth longest unbeaten streak in club history, and the longest since a 12-game unbeaten streak that ended early in the 2000 season. The four longest unbeaten streaks in Galaxy history are...
Length of Streak: Start-End:
15 Games: September 7, 1997 (6-1 win vs. Tampa Bay)-May 20, 1998 (3-1 loss at Chicago)
12 Games: April 13, 1996 (2-1 win vs. MetroStars)-June 30, 1996 (2-1 loss at Colorado)
12 Games: October 9, 1999 (1-0 win at Kansas City)-May 24, 2000 (2-1 loss at New England)
10 Games: April 11, 2009 (0-0 draw vs. Chivas USA)-Now
The Galaxy are now the first team in MLS history to have four separate streaks of 10 or more consecutive games without a loss in their club's history. The Chicago Fire, D.C. United and the Houston Dynamo have each had three 10-game unbeaten streaks, but only the Galaxy have tallied four 10-game unbeaten streaks.
During the current streak, the Galaxy are 1-0-3 at home and 1-0-5 on the road. Additionally, they have fallen behind in six of the 10 games, only to come back and earn a draw in each. The Galaxy are 0-1-7 when allowing the game's first goal this season, compared to 5-25-7 combined during the 2007 and 2008 seasons when surrendering the game's first goal.
GOALS GALORE:
Games between the Galaxy and Real Salt Lake over the past three have seen plenty of goals, with a team being held to a single goal just once and RSL scoring twice in all six contests. Each of the last four meetings between the two sides have ended 2-2, including their first meeting this season, which saw three goals scored in second half stoppage time at Rio Tinto Stadium on May 6. That game is the only game in which Donovan Ricketts has allowed more than one goal.
Since the start of the 2007 MLS season, the Galaxy are 1-1-4 against RSL, scoring 12 goals and allowing 12 goals.
LANDON HEADS TO SOUTH AFRICA:
LA Galaxy captain Landon Donovan flew to South Africa today with the U.S. National Team for the FIFA Confederations Cup. This is the fourth time that the U.S. has played in the Confederations Cup and they open group play on Monday, June 15 against the reigning World Cup champion Italy. The Red, White and blue will then take on Brazil (6/18) and Egypt (6/21) to round out group play with the top two teams advancing to the tournament semifinals.
Donovan is the all-time leading scorer with 39 goals in 111 games for the U.S. and has two goals and five assists through the first five games of the current round of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying, helping the U.S. to second place in region with a 3-1-1 record. Donovan, who leads the Galaxy with six goals and four assists this season, will miss at least the Galaxy's next two games against Real Salt Lake and San Jose and would miss the club's home game against Houston on June 28 if the U.S. advances beyond group play.
Donovan played two games with the U.S. last week, tallying from the penalty spot in both the 3-1 loss in Costa Rica on Wednesday and in the 2-1 win over Honduras on Saturday.
LA GALAXY YOUTH ACADEMY U-16's QUALIFY FOR THE POSTSEASON:
The LA Galaxy Youth Academy U-16 team qualified for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs with a 5-0 win over Pateadores on Sunday afternoon at The Home Depot Center. The game was the Galaxy's final game of the regular season and gave them a 9-5-2 record on the season for 29 points which placed them into a tie for third place with Real SoCal.
For the playoffs, the top three teams from all nine Divisions automatically advance to the playoffs. Additionally, the top five fourth placed teams; based on points per game in all competitions, advance to the playoffs. The Galaxy finished the season with a 17-9-3 record in all competitions for an average of 1.86 points per game.
The playoffs begin in Greensboro, N.C. on June 26 and culminate with the finals at The Home Depot Center from July 11-July 18.
The Galaxy U-18's however did not qualify for the postseason, falling 2-1 in their season finale against Pateadores to finish the year with a 6-10-0 record in the league and an 11-15-3 mark in all competitions.
LA GALAXY U-20's RETURN TO ACTION THIS WEEKEND:
The LA Galaxy Youth Academy U-20 team was off this weekend but was able to maintain their lead atop the USL Super-20 League Pacific Southern California Division standings, with a perfect 3-0-0 record. On Sunday, they will host the Bakersfield Brigade at 2 p.m. on Field #7 at The Home Depot Center. The Galaxy opened the season in Bakersfield on May 23 with a 3-0 victory, with Rafael Baca, Sam Myerson and Juan Camilo Rojas Quevada getting on the scoresheet and Max Young keeping a clean sheet in goal.
Sunday's game will be the U-20's first of five in the month of June with four of those five games being played at The Home Depot Center.
GALAXY HOST COMMUNITY CLINIC IN PASADENA ON WEDNESDAY:
Galaxy defender Leonard Griffin will be in Pasadena on Wednesday night to take part in the third installment of the Galaxy's Community Clinic Series. Griffin will assist in running a soccer clinic while interacting with the children throughout the evening before signing autographs and taking pictures with the clinic participants. To learn more about the Galaxy Community Clinic Series, please visit www.lagalaxy.com.
SOCCER BALL GIVEAWAY ON SATURDAY:
The first 7,500 fans who enter The Home Depot Center for Saturday night's game against Real Salt Lake will receive a free soccer ball. Gates open early at 4:30 p.m. for the Alumni Game, which starts at 5 p.m., meaning giving fans extra time to arrive early and assure themselves of getting a soccer ball. The Alumni Game features past Galaxy legends such as Cobi Jones, Mauricio Cienfuegos, Robin Fraser, Dan Calichman, Alexi Lalas and many more taking on a collection of former MLS greats from all the other club's in the league.
GALAXY TO HOST SUMMER SANTA TOY DRIVE ON JUNE 13:
This weekend the LA Galaxy will be hosting a toy drive for the Summer Santa program sponsored by JAKKS Cares™, the philanthropic division of Malibu-based toymaker, JAKKS Pacific, Inc., Fox Sports WEST and PRIME TICKET, at The Home Depot Center. The Galaxy are encouraging their fans to support the endeavor by donating new, unwrapped toys at any of the four entrances prior to the LA Galaxy-Real Salt Lake game.
JAKKS will be kicking off the drive with a generous donation of toys including a variety of dolls, electronic games and action figures. In its first year, the Summer Santa program will launch here in Los Angeles before heading to three other cities, including one MLS and two Major League Baseball markets.
The first 200 fans to donate will receive an autographed player card from Galaxy defender Todd Dunivant. All fans will receive a Buy-One-Get-One Free ticket offer and a 25% discount at The Home Depot Center Team LA store for the Galaxy's June 28 game.
The toys will be delivered to pediatric patients at a local children's hospital in the upcoming weeks. Please visit the LA Galaxy website at www.lagalaxy.com for additional information and a complete toy donation list.
TASTE OF KOREA COMES TO THE HOME DEPOT CENTER ON SATURDAY:
In conjunction with their game against Real Salt Lake on Saturday, the Galaxy will be hosting the Taste of Korea on Saturday night. Highlighting the night, which will feature performances by world renowned b-boys Rivers Crew, will be the World Spicy Topokki Eating Contest. Fans will have the chance to sign up for free for the contest with the top three finishers all winning receiving a cash prize, an award plate from the Korean Ministry of Food and a commemorative Galaxy jersey. To learn more about the World Spicy Topokki Eating Contest and to enter, please click here.
GALAXY DEPORTIVO IS BACK:
Galaxy Deportivo, the Galaxy's official half hour show in Spanish, is back for sixth season with hosts Alejandro Navarro and Elmer Polanco on KWHY-22. Catch the show this week and every other Saturday, at 6 p.m.
On top of behind-the-scenes footages, exclusive interviews and features and in-depth profiles, Galaxy Deportivo also recaps the club's latest activity within the community. Similar to how the fan's passion for the Galaxy is not limited to game day, neither is Galaxy Deportivo's coverage.
Past shows can be viewed on archive at www.LAGalaxyFutbol.com.
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.
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.
