CARSON, Calif. -- Robbie Keane has returned to the training field, much earlier than expected, after missing the LA Galaxy's past two games with a “badly torn” hip flexor.
The Irish striker did a little running Monday and participated in some possession drills Tuesday, and he hopes to get a few minutes during LA's International Champions Cup exhibition matches in the next week or so.
“I'm feeling a lot better than I certainly did four or five days ago,” Keane said following Tuesday's session at the StubHub Center. “It was a torn hip flexor, so usually it's four weeks, you know? I'm back a lot earlier, so we'll see how I do this week. At the moment, it feels good.”
Winger Robbie Rogers, who also missed the victory 10 days ago over the Vancouver Whitecaps and last weekend's loss at the Colorado Rapids with a hamstring strain, trained fully for the first time Tuesday after returning to the field for some light running late last week.
He says he needs to rebuild his fitness and hopes to do so during the ICC. The Galaxy play Real Madrid on Thursday in Glendale, Ariz., then take on either Juventus or Everton on Saturday at Dodger Stadium. The last of their three tournament games would be Aug. 6 or 7 in Miami.
“These are great games for me, because obviously we're playing against great competition, and it's always fun to test yourself and see where you fit on the field with those guys,” said Rogers, who said he suffered a slight hamstring tear during a short-sided game in training three days before the Vancouver match. “But for me, it's important just to kind of get my fitness back and get into games, and kind of build it up for our league games. It's kind of perfect timing for me.”
Keane injured his left hip flexor late in the July 13 loss at Portland, took an injection and more or less did nothing for a week or so afterward. The target for his return is the Aug. 11 game at FC Dallas.
“That was the trainer's plan. Doesn't necessarily mean it's mine ...,” the Galaxy captain said. “Hopefully, I can have minutes maybe before that. We'll have to see. This is my second day today, so let's see how it holds up.
“I wasn't supposed to do the training today with the team, as in football-wise [with the possession work], but because I felt good, I wanted to do it," Keane added. "The trainer [Armando Rivas], his schedule is a little bit different than my schedule, but as long as I feel good, I know my own body, so I felt good today, and as long as I keep going, train again tomorrow a little bit with the team and extra run after for myself, fitness-wise.”
