The Galaxy's Guam Connection
Who knew?
Galaxy Under-18 midfielder Josh Borja was in Guam Sunday playing a starring role in a momentus achievement for Guam's national team at the East Asian Football Championship. (Guam are one of seven unranked nations in the world. And this time the ranking really does mean something, um, nothing).
The San Diego-born Borja, who qualifies to play for Guam via his father, clinched a place in the semifinals of the competition for Guam after scoring two goals in consecutive games - and just days after making his debut last Wednesday in a 1-0 win over Mongolia in the tournament opener.
Borja scored his first international goal in Guam's 2-1 win over the Northern Mariana Islands Friday and then added yet another in a 2-2 draw with Macau Sunday that clinched first place in the preliminary competition for the country. (Guam tied the game up deep into second half stoppage time).
This is a big deal in little Guam as you might imagine. (Looks like a fairly laid-back crowd in the picture though).
The semifinals are in August against Chinese Taipai (Taiwan), Hong Kong and North Korea in Taiwan.
If Guam can win that group, they will move onto the 2010 East Asian Football Championship in Japan, against China, South Korea and the host nation.
Sounds like Guam is doing better than the Galaxy U-18 team; they're 6-8-2 on the season.
BTW, the U-16 (10-4-2) and U-18 Galaxy teams host Real SoCal at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday respectively on field No. 5 at Home Depot Center. The games are free and open to the public.
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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.
Go Taiwan! =)
GREAT JOB JOSH!!
THAT'S MY BOY :)