Final Result: Galaxy-Terrible Turtles
Galaxy 2 Oita Trinita 0
Jovan Kirovski converted a 53rd minute penalty after defender Omar Gonzalez was allegedly brought down on a corner kick that frankly looked like a dubious call with minimal contact.
Notable individual performers included:
*Hard-working Chris Klein, the best Galaxy player on the night, and Mike Magee who sparked a couple of scoring chances after coming on as a second half substitute.
*Goalkeeper Josh Wicks, who did well to get a hand to a 35-yard blast from Shingo Suzuki that appeared to be heading for the corner of the net in the 71st minute. Have we seen the last of Steve Cronin, who was uninjured?
*Omar Gonzalez and Tony Sanneh were quietly competent in central defense, although to be fair their opponents offered little in the way of dangerous scoring threats; right back Sean Franklin, however, was dispossessed in midfield at one point, bringing a concerned Bruce Arena to his feet.
The attendance: just 5,624.
The Galaxy win means they will face Korea's Suwon Samsung Bluewings, which dispatched China's Shandong Luneng Taishan 1-0 in the earlier game, in the final at 8 p.m. Saturday.
More later, but there's no locker room access, which usually means players take their time getting to the mixed zone, so don't hold your breath.
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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.
Thank you, Nick for your all your hard work in bringing the news to us. I visit several times a day and you always deliver the goods. Just wanted to say it is greatly appreciated!
Nick replies: You are welcome. Thanks for reading.
Thanks Nick.
Well one keeper will go, question only is, what is Saunders doing here (loan extended, signed with LA, just here to get play time and training)?
Imo neither Wicks nor Cronin are trustworthy back ups, so fingers crossed Ricketts won't be injured and on Nats team duty... and we keep Saunders.
Shame about so little attending people, maybe more would have come If it would have been free entry for school classes, kids and the likes.
Nick replies: Yeah, and no $15 parking (!) would have helped, too. That amount for a preseason game is a joke - although all Galaxy merchandise is 40 percent off and will be Saturday, too, if it's any consolation.
To answer your question about Saunders: Here's here to train and if the Galaxy want him this season they will have to buy him outright from the USL's Miami FC.