D.C. United (10-11-3) at the Galaxy (6-10-8)
First off, my thoughts are with Palos Verdes Peninsula resident Bill Mason this evening, a long-time AYSO referee and a score board operator for the Galaxy, who I discovered tonight had a stroke last Sunday and is in intensive care at Torrance Memorial Medical Center. Bill has struggled with ill health for some time and certainly didn't need this, so let's hope he's back in the press box soon.
Back to business: the mediocre meets the truly awful tonight in a game that could realistically spell the end of the Galaxy's season without three points.
D.C. United come into the game occupying the eighth and final MLS playoff spot, although they are winless in their last five games and have just one win in their last five games.
The antidote may be the Galaxy, without a win in a dozen games now and counting, although they began the day just four points out of the third and final guaranteed playoff spot in the Western Conference.
David Beckham and Landon Donovan are playing together at Home Depot Center for the first time since July 10.
The Galaxy lineup: Wicks, Klein, Franklin, Roberts, Jazic, Beckham, Donovan, Vanney, Lewis, Buddle, Gordon.
Bryan Jordan drops to the bench after last week's depressing loss to the Wizards.
United starts former Galaxy midfielder Santino Quaranta, while Luciano Emilio - fourth on the MLS goal-scoring charts with 11 goals - is up front.
The game is on Fox Soccer Channel.
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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