Thursday Wrap: Galaxy, Guzan & Goners
First the Goners:
*Germany is out of the Under-20 Women's World Cup after losing 1-0 to the U.S. today on a Sydney Leroux strike. The UCLA forward added to her tournament-leading goal total, which now stands at five. The U.S. plays North Korea in Sunday's final.
*Landon Donovan has gone from the Galaxy on loan to Bayern Munich until March 15, according to the German club's Web site. From the Galaxy: silence.
*Alleged striker Roberto Nurse has left Chivas USA for good, according to Spanish-language Web site Mediotempo. Colleague Luis Bueno helpfully translates Nurse's whining comments on his Web site here. From Chivas USA: silence.
(Updated: Chivas USA officials confirmed Friday afternoon that Nurse was informed his option for next season would not be picked up).
I must respectfuly disagree with Luis' assertion that Nurse should have got more of an opportunity here, though.
Nurse started all of two games for Chivas USA, produced just three shots on target and looked hopelessly ill-equipped to handle MLS. The moral of the story: fringe top-flight players in Mexico's top league are not good enough for MLS, something Chivas USA should have learned in their inaugural season.
Meanwhile, former Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan was between the posts as EPL club Aston Villa slumped to a 2-1 defeat in the UEFA Cup at the hands of lightly-regarded Slovakian side MSK Zilna. However, Villa still progressed to the next round on aggregate and Guzan wasn't to blame for either goal from the reports I've seen.
Lastly, the Galaxy has relaunched its Spanish-language Web site lagalaxfutbol.com. More upgrades are in the works.
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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.
You'd think they'd have learned that... but no...
Nurse wasn't even a fringe player in the top Mexican division. He was in the 2nd division.