Another soccer-filled weekend is on tap, so let’s get to it.
*The Galaxy are out of town in New York where Claudio Reyna retired this week and the Red Bulls signed two South American midfielders who could make their debuts Saturday.
The game airs live at 3:30 p.m. on Fox Soccer Channel and a crowd of more than 45,000 is expected to turn out largely to see David Beckham who continues to prove why he’s nicknamed Golden Balls.
Need a reminder why so many people want to see the game? Check out the highlights from last year.
*Meanwhile, they’re expecting a similarly large boost in attendance in Kansas City on Sept. 13 when Becks and the Galaxy visit so the Wizards announced Thursday they are moving the game from the 10,000-capacity CommunityAmerica Ballpark to vast Arrowhead Stadium.
*Chivas USA are at home at 5 p.m. Sunday playing at Cal State Fullerton’s Titan Stadium in the third and final SuperLiga game (live on Telefutura) where three teams in Group B could finish tied with six points by the end of the weekend.
How complicated is the picture for qualification for the next round? Here it is broken down from a New England perspective courtesy of the Revolution, but it also tells you what Chivas USA need to do:
A win or a draw on Sunday would assure the Revolution first place in the group, while a Pachuca loss to Santos Laguna in the group’s other game would also secure New England’s passage to the next round. Even if the Revs lose to Chivas USA and Pachuca defeats Santos, the possibility still exists that the Revolution could advance to the competition’s final four, because in that case, New England, Chivas USA and Pachuca would all be tied atop the group with six points. If that happens, the group would be decided on goal difference, and the Revs (+2) currently have a better goal difference than both Chivas USA (0) and Pachuca (0).
*Meanwhile, Chivas USA defender/midfielder/forward Jonathan Bornstein of Los Alamitos was named as a replacement for Olympics-bound players in the MLS All-Star Game even though he’s missed plenty of games this season and has not quite found the form he did last year (yet).
Plenty of other players are more deserving of course, such as D.C. United’s Luciano Emilio (third in the league in scoring) or the Crew’s Guillermo Barros Schelotto (the MLS assist-leader who had another two plus a goal Thursday in Columbus’ 3-3 draw with Kansas City). Yet another reason to question the game’s credibility.
*Also, Chivas USA has had Amber Hernandez, a 15-year-old member of the South Valley Chivas Academy in Porterville called up to the Mexican Under-17 National Team for the CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championship that began Thursday in Trinidad & Tobago.
*In other youth soccer news, the Los Angeles FC Under-18 boys team (led by U-17/18 Coach of the Year Rafa Moran) plays for the U.S. Development Academy championship at Home Depot Center live at 8 on ESPN2 tonight. Full details here.
*Over in the PDL, the San Fernando Valley Earthquakes are still in with a chance of making the playoffs after defeating the Ventura County Fusion Thursday.
The Quakes need a win Sunday against the Fresno Fuego in a 7:05 p.m. game at Calabasas High to make the playoffs.
Here’s why from the Quakes Web site:
The Fuego overwhelmed the Southern California Seahorses 5-2 Thursday to move into first place on 29 points; the San Francisco Seals, in second place, take on Bakersfield Brigade today, and will move to the top of the league on 30 points if they win. The Quakes now lie third, on 27 points, with Fusion in fourth, their playoff hopes virtually over.
*In the W-League tonight it’s Pali Blues at Los Angeles Legends in a 6 p.m. game at Esperanza High.
*U.S. striker Abby Wambach had surgery Thursday on
her broken leg.
*Finally, at least one Mexican club apparently does not know what the new national team coach looks like (exactly).
And if you liked that, then return later today for some Friday Football Funnies, true and strange soccer stories from around the world in the last week or so.
Enjoy your weekend.
