Galaxy-Chivas USA SuperClassico
Lovely evening to watch, if not play soccer at the HDC, with the temperature at kickoff hovering around 86 degrees.
The Galaxy and Chivas USA come into the game tied at four points and know that only once in the history of the series has the team that scores first gone on to lose the game.
Galaxy Coach Ruud Gullit has made two changes from the starting 11 that drew with Houston last weekend, with Josh Tudela sitting out and Abel Xavier coming in for his second start of the year in the center of defense. Joey Franchino replaces Alan Gordon in midfield, while Mike Randolph moves to midfield from the back four.
Steve Cronin is in goal as usual, with Chris Klein, Sean Franklin, Xavier and Greg Vanney in front of him.
David Beckham, tied for the MLS lead in assists with three, is in midfield alongside Franchino, Brandon McDonald and Randolph. Edson Buddle and Landon Donovan, who needs one more goal to become the 12th player in the league to score 70 goals in a career, are up front.
Chivas USA Coach Preki has made two changes to the team that lost 2-0 to Dallas last weekend, Panchito Mendoza and Sacha Kljestan both returning from suspension in midfield.
That prompts Lawson Vaughn to drop to the back four with Claudio Suarez, Shavar Thomas and Jonathan Bornstein and Brad Guzan between the posts.
Jesse Marsch and Paulo Nagamura line up in midfield with Kljestan and Mendoza, while Maykel Galindo and Justin Braun are up front. Ante Razov, still struggling with an injury, is on the bench.
Forgot to mention: Stevie "2 Pounds" Forbes (33-5, Nine KO's), prepping to fight Oscar de la Hoya May 3
at the HDC, will make the ceremonial coin toss at the start of the game.
About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. 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 and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
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