Columnist Nick Green has written 100 Percent Soccer
since 2005. A
native of England, he began writing about soccer in
the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat
in the stands for one in
the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home
Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas
USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer.
Married to a long-suffering soccer widow, he has a cat
named Pele.Galaxy, Chivas USA Saturday Gameday & More
Galaxy-Sydney
The Galaxy plays the final game of the Pan-Pacific Championship in Hawaii tonight in a game ESPN Classic airs at 8 o'clock (the Houston Dynamo-Gamba Osaka championship game follows immediately after).The island newspapers are avoiding much mention of the event and even the increasingly secretive Galaxy seem uninterested; no press releases or updates to the club blog. Deep discounts on tickets too.
Here's a preview (such as it is).
Chivas USA-Crew
Closer to home, Chivas USA takes on the Columbus Crew in Santa Clarita in a charity game that kicks off at 5 p.m.From the Chivas USA press release:
All proceeds from the match will benefit the Michael Hoefflin Foundation, a non-profit which provides financial and emotional support to children and their families facing childhood cancer in Santa Clarita and the surrounding area.The match will be played in Cougar Stadium at the College of the Canyons in Valencia, and tickets are available at prices of $20 for adults and $15 for children.
Fans should note that, due to the Tour of California cycling race, there will be a number of road closures and detours in the area near the College of the Canyons. These will occur mostly prior to game-time, but full information can be found on the City of Santa Clarita’s Web site.
Striker Alecko Eskandarian may make his first appearance in a Chivas USA shirt, while Swiss defender Raphael Wicky has resumed training this week, but isn't expected to play, team officials said. Also unlikely to get on the field: Jonathan Bornstein, Francisco Mendoza and Lawson Vaughn.
The Crew played Friday night against the San Jose Earthquakes in San Luis Obispo and so are likely to rest Rolling Hills Estates' Robbie Rogers and Argentine Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Columbus Coach Sigi Schmid said via e-mail. He expects to mix and match different combinations tonight.
Sigi recommends fans keep an eye out for newcomer Nigerian attacking midfielder Emmanuel Ekpo who is on trial with the club.
The long-time South Bay resident and former Galaxy coach has also offered to blog occasionally this season and so I thought I'd get that into print and hold him to it.
The Crew also plays the Ventura County Fusion Monday in Ventura.