Sunday Soccer Galaxy Gameday & More
Landon Donovan metaphorically rolls up his sleeves Saturday after practice at the HDC ahead of tonight's sold out Inter Milan AC Milan game. (AP Photo).
Arrive early this evening for the Galaxy-AC Milan friendly at Home Depot Center that was a condition of the Galaxy extending David Beckham's loan to the Italian club.
The Galaxy, which routinely inflates attendance figures in the 24,500-seat stadium, might actually have to do the opposite tonight to stay within fire code given that they've sold out the grass berm, standing room only seats - everything.
Bet the local residents are thrilled; they had to put up with a near-capacity crowd for a Coldplay concert last night that as usual will likely leave the field in a horrible condition and confirm to the European visitors soccer's lowly status in this country.
Milan arrived at LAX at 5 p.m. Saturday after an 11-hour flight from Italy and immediately headed out to UCLA's Spaulding Field to stretch their legs, according to the club's Web site.
Beckham showed up to welcome his former teammates to Southern California, while Milan Coach Leonardo gave a short interview in which he indicated the club wouldn't be averse to having Becks back.
Of course, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are also rumored to be interested in the England midfielder.
(Manchester City don't want Beckham though - but the club still hasn't given up on Chelsea's John Terry.)
Defender Yohance Marshall has returned from his loan spell to USL Austin and will get some playing time tonight.
Kickoff is at 7 p.m.; coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. on FSN. I'll blog from the game as usual.
Also:
* At 3 p.m. on FSN it's Chivas USA-New England Revolution. Both teams need a boost: Chivas USA hasn't won in seven games, the Revs in three MLS contests.
* Chelsea beat the Sounders 2-0 Saturday in Seattle. The English team faces Inter Milan Tuesday at the Rose Bowl.
*Finally, U.S. Women's National Team player Abby Wambach is looking for international goal No. 100 at noon on ESPN against Canada.
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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.
Random thoughts:
Don't know who to boo more Beckham or Leonardo for almost killing Tab Ramos in Paulo Alto in 94.
Abby Wambach could go for her 100th goal or 3rd set of broken legs in one season.
A shame that 65000 Seattlites go see a pedestrian Chelski go through their motions but only 15000 of them showed up for the USMNT in a competition. How long must I dream of a packed pro-US stadium? It's a shame that these boys, be it the A,B or C team, are playing so hard with so much sacrifice and get no love from their own country men/women. Shame on us. I am really in AWE of the El Tri supporters.
Go US and Go gaLAxy...in that order!
Nick,
The sold out game tonight is vs. AC Milan, not Inter, see your first paragraph.
Thanks,
Steve Lesse
Ambassador
LA Galaxy
Nick replies: Thanks, Steve. Hard to keep track when blogging without finishing that first coffee (for a neutral) with both AC and Inter in town!
I think Steve Lesse is more of an ambassador for the gaLAxy than David Yahoo.
I'm wearing my training top for this, the practice, game tonite.