A quick look at the Los Angeles Galaxy headlines for the week of July 19, 2004 ...
• L.A. Galaxy Begin Play in 2004 U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday in Minneapolis
• Galaxy To Battle for First in West Saturday in Kansas City
• Fans Encouraged To Play Road To Riches
• Viewing Parties throughout the Southland For This Week's Match
• Galaxy Tie a Pair of Matches to Maintain Leadership in MLS' Western Conference
L.A. GALAXY BEGIN PLAY IN 2004 OPEN CUP ON TUESDAY IN MINNEAPOLIS: The Los Angeles Galaxy, winners of the 2001 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, will open play in the 2004 edition of the single elimination tournament on Tuesday, July 20. The Galaxy will take on the A-League's Minnesota Thunder at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis in a fourth-round match. Should the Galaxy defeat the Thunder and advance to the quarterfinals, they will meet arch-rivals San Jose Earthquakes. The match against the Thunder will not be available on radio or television in the Southland, but fans are encouraged to check www.lagalaxy.com for frequent updates.
The Minnesota Thunder are the defending A-League runners-up, advancing to the final in 2003 before dropping a 3-0 decision to the Charleston Battery. They are coached by Buzz Lagos, who is in his 11th season with the club (eight seasons in the A-League). During Lagos' tenure, the Thunder have played for the A-League title six times, winning the 1999 Championship.
Los Angeles advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup for the fourth-straight year in 2003 after an emphatic 5-1 victory over the A-League's Seattle Sounders. However, a 3-2 loss to the Chicago Fire at the semifinal stage derailed their title hopes. Dating back to 1914, the U.S. Open Cup is the oldest soccer cup competition in the United States and among the oldest in the world. Open to affiliated amateur and professional teams in the United States, the annual U.S. Open Cup is a 90-year-old, single-elimination tournament based upon similar competitions played across the world concurrent with domestic league action.
GALAXY TO BATTLE FOR FIRST IN WEST SATURDAY IN KANSAS CITY: The Los Angeles Galaxy (9-5-5, 32 pts. - 1st West) look to maintain their grip on first place in MLS' Western Conference entering the All-Star break as they play the Kansas City Wizards (9-4-4, 31 pts) at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday, July 24 at 5 pm (PT). The match will be the second between the teams this season, with Kansas City winning the first by a 2-1 margin on June 5 at The Home Depot Center. It also marks the last match for both clubs before the 2004 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game, to be held in Washington, D.C. on July 31 (see details below). The Galaxy lead the all-time series with the Wizards by a 16-14-3 margin and have a 5-10-0 in games played in Kansas City. The match will televised tape delayed to 8:00 pm to viewers throughout Southern California on KWHY Channel 22 (Spanish), but will be available live on radio in both English (KMPC 1540 AM) and Spanish (KMXE 830 AM).
GALAXY FANS ENCOURAGED TO PLAY ROAD TO RICHES: The Los Angeles Galaxy are excited to offer their fans the chance to win money just by guessing the correct score of a Galaxy road game. Fans who guess the correct score for any of the Galaxy's next two road games will be eligible to win $1,000 weekly prize and qualify to win a Grand Prize of $2,000. The four games in the contest are:
The randomly picked Weekly Winner will be announced during halftime of the following regional road game TV broadcasts. The winner who correctly guesses the score of the referenced road game must call 1-877-3GALAXY by the end of that broadcast in order to claim his or her $1,000 prize. Participants correctly guessing any of the four winning scores of the Galaxy road games, will be eligible for the drawing to win the Grand Prize of $2,000. The Grand Prize winner will be announced during halftime of the KCAL 9 Galaxy game broadcast on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2004. For more details on the contest or to enter, click here
VIEWING PARTIES THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHLAND FOR THIS WEEK'S MATCH: When the Galaxy are on the road, join other Galaxy fans at official Away Game Viewing Parties. Come cheer on your team at the following Galaxy friendly bars and restaurants. Every Away Game Viewing Party will feature the Galaxy game on the restaurants' televisions, food and drink specials and Galaxy giveaways. Make sure to be there this Saturday, July 24 when the Galaxy face the Kansas City Wizards at Arrowhead Stadium. Join your fellow Galaxy fans at any of the following five locations:
Plaza Bar & Grill (Carson Hilton) - 2 Civic Plaza Drive in Carson (310) 830-9200
GALAXY TIE A PAIR OF MATCHES TO MAINTAIN LEADERSHIP IN MLS' WESTERN CONFERENCE: The Los Angeles Galaxy played to a couple of ties last week, both on the road, to hold on to their lead in MLS' Western Conference. On Wednesday, July 14, the Galaxy played the Rapids to a scoreless tie in Denver - before the club came from behind in the second half to tie D.C. United 1-1. In the first game of the week, the Galaxy battled a difficult conference opponent and the stifling heat to earn the draw - thanks to some crucial second-half saves by goalkeeper Kevin Hartman. In the D.C. match, the Galaxy again battled inclement weather (this time a driving rainstorm) and got a penalty kick from Carlos Ruiz to secure the tie.
GALAXY ASSISTANT COACH MARTIN VASQUEZ NAMED TO MLS USA LEGENDS TEAM FOR ALL-STAR REUNION GAME: Los Angeles Galaxy assistant coach Martin Vasquez was named on Friday to the MLS USA Legends squad, who will play the MLS World Legends in the 2004 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Weekend Reunion Game on Saturday, July 31 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. In three MLS seasons, Vasquez was one of MLS' top defensive midfielders and appeared in 87 games (83 starts), recording nine goals and 16 assists for 34 points with the Tampa Bay Mutiny (1996 and 1997) and San Jose Earthquakes (1998).
MLS will honor the tradition, history and pioneers of modern professional soccer in the United States by hosting the match, which will largely feature U.S. and international players who participated in the 1994 World Cup and then went on to play in MLS. The legends game will kick off at 12:30 p.m. ET, with two 25-minute halves divided by a 10-minute halftime.
THREE GALAXY PLAYERS TO START IN 2004 SIERRA MIST MLS ALL-STAR GAME: Three members of the MLS Western-Conference leading Los Angeles Galaxy will be in the starting lineup for the 2004 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game, it was announced by Major League Soccer. The League's ninth annual mid-summer showcase will be played on Saturday, July 31 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C at 11 am (PT) and will be televised live on ABC Sports. Defender Chris Albright, midfielder Andreas Herzog and forward Carlos Ruiz will all start for the Western Conference team, which is being guided by Galaxy Head Coach Sigi Schmid and his assistants Martin Vasquez and Zak Abdel.
THREE MORE SLATED AS RESERVES FOR MID-SUMMER SHOWCASE: In addition to the three Galaxy players who will be starters for the Western Conference All-Star squad, MLS has also announced that an additional three members of the Galaxy were named among the reserves at the League's Mid-summer Showcase. Goalkeeper Kevin Hartman and forward Jovan Kirovski were selected and will play for Galaxy Head Coach Sigi Schmid in the game; but defender Danny Califf - who is injured - was selected but will not be able to take part in the festivities.
MÁS GALAXY TAKES A LOOK AT THE GALAXY AND THE WIZARDS: Más Galaxy, the club's Spanish-Language radio talk show, which airs each Wednesday at 8 pm on KMXE 830 AM, will give fans an inside look at the Galaxy-Wizards game this week. The program, hosted by Troy Santiago and Rigoberto Cervantez, will feature interviews with guests from each team as well as analysis by both Santiago and Cervantez. Remember Galaxy fans, for the latest news on your favorite team, tune in every Wednesday night throughout the 2004 season to Más Galaxy, only on KMXE 830 AM.
DON'T MISS GALAXY DEPORTIVO, THIS AND EVERY SATURDAY AT 3:00 P.M. ON CHANNEL 22: Galaxy Deportivo, The weekly, half-hour Spanish language television show devoted to the Los Angeles Galaxy, can be seen this Saturday, July 24 at 3 p.m. on KWHY - Channel 22. Galaxy Deportivo, hosted by Los Angeles area personalities Jaime Motta and Elmer Polanco, can be seen at 3 p.m. each and every Saturday on Channel 22.
WESTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS
GP W L T Pts
LA 19 9 5 5 32
KC 17 9 4 4 31
COL 17 5 5 7 22
DAL 16 5 6 5 20
SJ 16 5 6 5 20
Galaxy Injury Report (for Tuesday's match)
OUT:
Peter Vagenas, Strained Right Groin
Danny Califf, Torn Meniscus Left Knee
Cobi Jones, Contusion Right Knee
Andreas Herzog, Strained Lower back
Chris Albright, Sprained Right Ankle
QUESTIONABLE:
Tyrone Marshall, Contusion Lower Right Leg
Marcelo Saragosa, Sprained Right Ankle
Did you know ... Los Angeles Galaxy head coach Sigi Schmid has used 23 of the 24 players on his roster in at least one MLS match this season.
