QUESTIONABLE: Cory Gibbs (groin strain) ... LOS ANGELES GALAXY -- QUESTIONABLE: DF Danny Califf (R MCL sprain); MF Sasha Victorine (R ankle sprain); MD Cobi Jones (tonsillectomy); MF Peter Vagenas (groin strain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none
YELLOW PERIL: LA: Peter Vagenas (10 CP in 2 gms); Marcelo Saragosa (10 CP in 2 gms)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (30 meetings): Burn 9 wins (1 shootout), 36 goals ... Galaxy 14 wins (1 shootout), 54 goals ... 7 draws
The teams play in the first of their four meetings this season. They'll meet again in three weeks at The Home Depot Center (May 29), then they meet twice again in three weeks at season's end, on Sept. 18 at the Cotton Bowl then on Oct. 9 at Victoria Street.
A year ago, the teams played to draws in the two Dallas home matches, then the Galaxy won both of the encounters at the HDC. Both matches at Dragon Stadium ended in 1-1 draws -- on April 12 (O'Brien 4 -- Ruiz 30) and May 17 (Davis 82 -- Glinton 43).
The Galaxy then won 3-0 on June 28 at the HDC (Victorine 20, Albright 60, Ruiz 63 pen), and 2-1 on Aug. 30 (Ruiz 50 pen, Moreno 90 -- Davis 12).
Before the Galaxy's two victories to close out the season series, seven of the previous eight matches between the two teams went to overtime -- with only one of those seeing a golden goal (Aug. 24, 2002). The only other game from 2001 on that ended in regulation time was a 3-0 Galaxy victory on June 22, 2002.
The visiting team has won just once in the last six-plus years, covering the last 18 meetings (LA 0 -- DAL 1 at the Rose Bowl, Sept. 6, 2000. The previous victory by a visiting team was the heaviest victory in MLS history, an 8-1 Los Angeles Galaxy victory at the Cotton Bowl on June 4, 1998.
Jason Kreis leads all Dallas players vs. Los Angeles with 10 goals, 7 assists. Brad Davis has 3 goals, 1 assist for his career v L.A. -- 2 goals while with the Burn. Carey Talley has 2 goals v the Galaxy for his career, none while in Dallas.
Carlos Ruiz leads current Galaxy performers against the Burn with 5 goals, 1 assist, while Cobi Jones has 3 goals, 3 assists, and Chris Albright has 3 goals, 1 assist. Sasha Victorine also has 2 goals (and 1 assist) v Dallas. Mauricio Cienfuegos is the club's all-time points leader (3 goals, 10 assists), while Eduardo Hurtado is the all-time goals leader (6 goals).
Coaches record: Colin Clarke v LA: first meeting ... Sigi Schmid vs. DAL: P17 W5 L5 D7
LOS ANGELES GALAXY
The Los Angeles Galaxy lost for the first time in 2004, falling to the New England Revolution 2-1 at Gillette Stadium on Saturday evening. With the loss, the Galaxy fell into a first-place tie for the lead in the Western Conference with the Dallas Burn, each with eight points, though the Burn have played one match fewer.
The Revolution won for the first time this season while extending the Galaxy's road winless streak to 17 league matches, dating to the final match of the 2002 regular season.
Joe Franchino gave the home side the lead after just four minutes, taking advantage of some lax marking to finish off a passing movement between Taylor Twellman and Pat Noonan. Then late in the second half, defender Paul Broome bundled over Steve Ralston as the two raced toward the byeline, Jose Cancela converting from the spot after Kevin Terry gave the penalty.
Alejandro Moreno gave the final margin with literally the final kick of the game, stabbing home from the goal line after Carlos Ruiz's shot snuck through the legs of Revs 'keeper Adin Brown.
Galaxy coach Sigi Schmid made just one change to the team that defeated the Columbus Crew 2-0 at home the weekend before. Danny Califf was discovered to have torn cartilage in his right knee during the week, an injury which forced him from the field in the Crew match, and was replaced by Ryan Suarez.
Here's Schmid's team (4-4-2): Kevin Hartman -- Chris Albright, Ryan Suarez, Tyrone Marshall, Paul Broome -- Joseph Ngwenya (Arturo Torres 56), Ned Grabavoy (Alejandro Moreno 75), Marcelo Saragosa, Andreas Herzog -- Carlos Ruiz, Jovan Kirovski (Guillermo Gonzalez 85).
"Overall, I wasn't displeased with our play," Schmid said. "I thought we carried the game to them and attacked well. ... In the end, we gave up two soft goals, the first on a defensive mistake and the second on a penalty kick in the eyes of the referee."
With Califf out, there was a possibility for Hong Myung-Bo to make his first start of the season, but he did make the trip to New England, suffering from flu-like symptoms.
Califf is expected to miss at least the next few weeks, though the injury will be reevaluated this week. "It's something that I'm scared about," he said. "I don't want that to be the case. Certainly, I don't want surgery, but also in the back of my mind is that six weeks I was out earlier in the year" (with a sprained knee ligament).
Cobi Jones also did make the trip, missing a second consecutive match after a tonsillectomy, and is not likely to be a part of the 16-man traveling squad for Dallas. "He needs to get used to going out and training," Schmid said. "It's more a situation of him coming back to regain his strength."
Ruiz was named the MLS Player of the Month for April, leading the Budweiser scoring table with five goals and one assist after the first month of action. Ruiz was selected in balloting by the Professional Soccer Reporters Association.
Ruiz has been called in for Guatemala's preparatory friendly against Haiti in Guatemala City on Wednesday. Guatemala will face Suriname in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers in June. Ruiz was not included in Guatemala's team for the 2-1 loss to Panama at the Estadio Mateo Flores last Saturday.
DALLAS BURN
The Dallas Burn came out of the weekend as the only team still unbeaten in Major League Soccer after a scoreless draw away to Columbus on Saturday. The Burn are now level atop the Western Conference with the Los Angeles Galaxy each with eight points, though Dallas has played one game less.
Crew 'keeper Jon Busch twice snatched balls off his own goal line to protect the scoreless draw and earn the Crew their first point of the season, though the home side saw its scoreless drought extend to 5 1/2 hours. The Burn are unbeaten in four matches, a club record to start a season.
Busch was almost beaten just before the break but Eddie Johnson's header hit the Crew's Kyle Martino on the line, rebounded off the underside of the bar and back off Martino before Busch was able to grab it just before it crossed the line. In the second half, Busch parried a Steve Jolley off the inside of the post before falling on it as it fell onto the goal line.
"We had a few other chances and we didn't make the most of them," Burn coach Colin Clarke said. "We're a little disappointed, but they had a couple of chances. Any time you can get a point on the road, you're happy."
Clarke made one change to the team that defeated Kansas City 1-0 at home the previous Saturday, as central defender Cory Gibbs was unable to return from his groin strain. Matt Behncke moved into central defense, Chris Gbandi coming in at left back.
Here's Clarke's team (4-4-2): Scott Garlick -- Philip Salyer, Matt Behncke, Steve Jolley (Carey Talley 80), Chris Gbandi -- Ronnie O'Brien, Brad Davis, Simo Valakari, Eric Quill -- Eddie Johnson, Toni Nhleko (Bobby Rhine 75).
Garlick was credited with six saves as the Burn extended their shutout streak to 324 minutes and posted a third consecutive clean sheet.
"Any goalkeeper who says a streak like this is a [one-man operation] would be arrogant and ridiculous," Garlick said. "We've got the streak because we're playing well as a unit and as a team. In a lot of ways, we feel like we could have won every game we've played in, and that's a good sign."
Said Clarke: "We threw our bodies in front of some balls tonight and stuck our heads in. There are a couple of guys in there with gashes and black eyes. They believe in each other and work hard for each other."
