Chivas USA outshot the Crew 8-3 in the opening 45 minutes and as that figure suggests had the better attacking moments.
Ante Razov appeared to get his foot on a Maykel Galindo shot to claim the opening goal for Chivas USA in the 19th minute. Untidy, but they all count.
That former Galaxy player Stefani Miglioranzi popped up to head in a Guillermo Barros Schelotto corner kick for the equalizer four minutes later.
Kick off is at 7:30 p.m. at the HDC.
Former Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid, now with the Crew, is still without the trio of Danny Szetela, Tim Ward and Rolling Hills Estates’ Robbie Rogers, although they’ll be returning soon after the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team crashed out of the World Cup in soggy Toronto today to Austria.
Schmid starts two former Galaxy players, Stefani Miglioranzi and Alejandro Moreno, while two others are on the bench, Ezra Hendrickson and Ned Grabavoy. Striker Kei Kamara of Lawndale is also available as a sub.
Chivas USA has Brad Guzan, Sacha Klijestan and Jonathan Bornstein back after their return from U.S. National Team duty at Copa America.
The sound quality at Beckham’s presentation was so bad speakers sounded like adults on a “Peanuts” animated special.
Embattled Carson Mayor Jim Dear received a better reception than embattled Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who was roundly booed.
And David Beckham, smartly attired in (what looked like) a charcoal gray suit, said all the right, if totally bland, things in his Artful Dodger-like London accent.
“This is one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever taken on in my career,” said the former Real Madrid and Manchester United star. “I feel very proud to be part of this for the next five years.”
Oh goodie.
Now win.
A giant replica Galaxy jersey adorns the grass berm at one end of Home Depot Center, the latest hit by Scottish band The Fratellis lends a party atmosphere as it blasts from speakers and fans are chanting as if this is an English league game.
About 500 media and what appears to be more than 8,000 fans are assembled in a newly-rebranded HDC that now sports the Galaxy’s blue and gold color scheme awaiting the rebranded Galaxy’s new brand.
It’s hot and the smart press have retreated to the comparitive cool of the press box.
Hope Beckham doesn’t trip as he comes out on the stage.
David Beckham Inc. has deplaned.
A press conference with a presumably jet-lagged Beckham begins at 10 a.m. Friday at Home Depot Center live on Prime Ticket and ESPNews.
Depending on the HDC Wi-Fi, I’ll blog.
David Beckham arrives Friday, but as noted Wednesday his replica jersey is here already.
Here’s more on that from today’s Daily Breeze.
And here’s the Beckham view from Carson’s other MLS team.
From the (edited) U.S. Soccer press release:
U.S. Soccer has unanimously approved the addition of Fabian Nez to the board as the second of three independent directors. Nez, D-46th District, was elected to the California State Assembly in 2002 and sworn in as the State’s 66th Speaker on February 9, 2004. Now in his fifth year as Speaker, he has served longer than any other Speaker since Californians adopted term limits in 1990.
I have been a soccer fan my entire life and look forward to helping contribute to the remarkable growth of U.S. Soccer,” said Nez, an active soccer player who attended last year’s World Cup.
The U.S. defeated Uruguay 2-1 in the 107th minute of OT Wednesday on a Michael Bradley goal to advance to the quarterfinals of the U-20 World Cup in Canada.
A flat game for a U.S. team that includes Rolling Hills Estates’ Robbie Rogers it must be said.
But the U.S. prevailed to meet Austria at 11:15 a.m. Saturday on ESPNU.