Colorado Rapids-Galaxy at Home Depot Center
Good evening from sparsely populated Home Depot Center, where the power of the U.S. Open Cup apparently fails to match the draw of the Lakers (surprise, surprise).
As usual for the U.S. Open Cup, both teams are exploring their respective depth charts.
The Galaxy, missing both Landon Donovan and David Beckham for the first time this season, makes five changes to their starting 11.
Long-term injury victims Ante Jazic and Carlos Ruiz are back in defense and attack respectively, while veteran Pete Vagenas also returns.
Coach Ruud Gullit opts for a three-man attack, with Edson Buddle and Alan Gordon alongside Ruiz.
Rookie Ely Allen is in midfield.
The Rapids have just three holdovers from their weekend game: Kosuke Kimura, Colin Clark and Nick LaBrocca.
Conor Casey makes his first start of the season in attack, while former Chivas USA goalkeeper Preston Burpo makes a start. Rafael Gomes also makes his first start of the season in defense.
The Rapids left six starters at home including Pablo Mastroeni and Ugo Ihemelu.
Herculez Gomez is on the bench.
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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