A full slate of MLS games returns for the penultimate weekend of play after the WCQ break with the Galaxy on the road against the Dynamo (noon Sunday TeleFutura) and Chivas USA at home Saturday against the San Jose Earthquakes (7:30 p.m. KAZA, delayed 11:15 p.m. Prime), a team that returns to L.A. Oct. 24 to play the Galaxy.
How important are these games this weekend in determining playoff positions?
Check out the playoff standings.
Incidentally, Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena told reporters this week that midfielder Dema Kovalenko, who has had a right Achilles tendonitis issue, could figure in Sunday’s game, while midfielder Stefani Miglioranzi is out for the last two games of the regular season with a left groin strain.
While we’re at it, here’s the latest Chivas USA injury report (not including the half dozen long-term absentees):
QUESTIONABLE: GK Lance Parker (R quad strain); FW Maicon Santos (R knee injury); GK Zach Thornton (lower back strain); PROBABLE: FW Justin Braun (lower back strain); MF Paulo Nagamura (L foot contusion); FW Jess Padilla (R ankle sprain)
Meanwhile, Chivas USA defender Jonathan Bornstein continues to be the talk of the town – um, make that parts of Central America – in the wake of his equalizing goal for the U.S. Wednesday against Costa Rica.
Plenty to watch on TV, too.
The full slate of games is at the link to the right as always, but here are the ones I’ll be checking out in addition to the two already mentioned.
Saturday
4:30 a.m. ESPN2 Aston Villa-Chelsea
6:30 a.m. GolTV Freiburg-Bayern Munich
7 a.m. FSC Sunderland-Liverpool
11:30 a.m. FSC Montreal Impact-Vancouver Whitecaps (USL final, second leg)
1 p.m. GolTV Valencia-Barcelona
3 p.m. FSC New England-Chicago Fire
Sunday
8 a.m. FSC Wigan Athletic-Manchester City
11:30 a.m. FSC AC Milan-Roma
Monday
11:55 a.m. ESPN2 Fulham-Hull City
Prefer live college action?
The Long Beach State women (5-7-2) lost 3-2 in overtime up in Santa Barbara Thursday, but here are your options for games in the L.A. area this weekend:
Men’s Games
3 p.m. today Loyola Marymount-Santa Clara
4:30 p.m. today CSUDH-UC San Diego
7 p.m. today UCLA-California
11:30 a.m. Sunday CSUDH-Cal State East Bay
2:30 p.m. Sunday UCLA-Stanford
3 p.m. Sunday Loyola Marymount-Saint Mary’s
3 p.m. Sunday Cal State Northridge-UCSB (rescheduled from Saturday)
Women’s Games
12:30 p.m. today Loyola Marymount-Gonzaga
3 p.m. today Pepperdine-Portland
7 p.m. today CSUDH-UC San Diego
Noon Sunday Loyola Marymount-Portland
1 p.m. Sunday Pepperdine-Gonzaga
2 p.m. Sunday CSUDH-Cal State East Bay
Enjoy the weekend.
