Saturday, October 11, 2008

Ready for the Rapids


The team went through their final training session this morning at The Home Depot Center before Sunday's all important game against the Rapids. With all other games in MLS being completed, the Galaxy will know exactly where they stand going into kickoff tomorrow night. They are currently seven points behind Real Salt Lake for third place in the Western Conference and five points behind the Rapids for the second and final wildcard spot.

Even without knowing the other results, the Galaxy know that they need three points to keep the playoff hopes alive. Making that more difficult will be the loss of David and Landon who are each away on international duty. LA is 0-2-1 this season when those two are not in the lineup, but the Galaxy did get a point the last time the pair were gone (a 2-2 draw with RSL on 9/6) and they will be looking to build upon that in front of another great crowd at The HDC on Sunday.

The game kicks off at 5 p.m. and can be seen on FSN West starting at 9 p.m. with a postgame show following the match. The game is also tape delayed on KTLK 1150 AM, with the game set to air at the conclusion on the network's broadcast of the Kings home opener against San Jose.

ESPN Deportes Radio 1330 AM will have all the action live and fans can also follow along on MLSnet.com or through the MLS Direct Kick package, though you will have to listen to the visiting broadcasters from Altitude.

Finally, get yourself ready for the game by checking out this game preview and Mark Rogondino's weekly Rollin with Rogo column.

See you Sunday and remember that after the completion of the first team game, there will be a Reserve Division game played between the Galaxy and Rapids inside the track stadium. Galaxy fans will have a chance to see Tristan Bowen, a member of the Galaxy Rios program who led them to the USL Super 20 League title this summer, in a Galaxy uniform as he has been called up by the club to play as a guest player in this reserve game.

Fans might also get a chance to see this guy, goalkeeper Steve Cronin, who returned to training this week after missing just more than a month with a right hand fracture.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

For Colorado Rapids, they're missing Bouna Condul (WCQ duty), Omar Cummings (WCQ duty), Connor Casey (Suspension/Yellow Card Accum). For LA Galaxy, we're missing Landon Donovan (WCQ duty), David Beckham (WCQ duty), and, I thought Ante Jazic (wouldn't he have been called for Canadian WCQ duty). But, to add to that we have four (4) players that will be suspended the following game if they receive one more yellow card: Landon Donovan, Alan Gordon, Brandon McDonald, and Greg Vanney. So, I think it's safe to say once again we're going to be get on the pitch and play worried about the opponent, worried about the ref, and worrying about how much offensive creativity is going to happen from where without David & Landon. And, of course, let's pray and hope that the defensive toughness, awareness, and accountability has gotten better. It's going to boil down to the individual character of each of the players that Bruce & Dave fields today. It's up to them whether porfessionalism, guts, pride, and hunger prevails within them or not. Well, I can only hope that the game is going to be as spirited as the Toronto v. Dallas game played yesterday at Pizza Hut park.