The big news this morning for Galaxy fans anticipating Saturday’s home game against the expansion Union at Home Depot Center is that Philadelphia could be without top scorer Sebastien Le Toux.
The former Sounders player, who has four goals in four MLS games to start the season, added another Tuesday in Philadelphia’s 2-1 U.S. Open Cup loss to Red Bull New York before being injured and stretchered off .
“He probably has an MCL sprain, but this is probable and we have to run the tests tomorrow to see what the verdict is going to be,” Coach Peter Nowak told the MLS site after the game. “I can’t tell you right now, it’s too early. He feels some pain, we’ll see how the swelling is going to come. He just got hit in (a) stationary (position) and his (left) leg actually got shifted to the right. It was a late play, that’s why (Andrew Boyens) got the yellow. (Le Toux) already played the ball and then got kicked.”
I’ll provide an update on Le Toux’s status later in the day, assuming the Union releases more information.
In other news this morning:
*Excellent article from the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Mark Ziegler on Galaxy reserve and San Diego County native Jovan Kirovski as his playing days wind down. Kirovski never fulfilled his potential. I recall talking to him at the outset of his first Galaxy stint way back in 2004 and he said then his goal was to make it back into the national team picture. Despite scoring eight goals in his first MLS season that never really happened.
*For what it’s worth Brazil has reclaimed the top spot from Spain in the latest FIFA rankings released today. The U.S. is 14th, up two places, and six behind England, the Americans’ first World Cup opponent. Complete table here.
*Speaking of international football, don’t miss the last of the UEFA Champions League semifinals today (11:30 a.m. Fox Soccer Channel) when defending champion Barcelona seeks to claw back a 3-1 first leg deficit to meet Bayern Munich in the final. Bayern beat Lyon Tuesday.
*Meanwhile, the under the radar CONCACAF equivalent wraps up today with Pachuca seeking to overcome a 2-1 deficit to Cruz Azul (5 p.m. FSC).
*Cal State Northridge announced today it has signed seven players to national letters of intent. The main prize: the aptly named Sam Ball of Westlake High who was named Marmonte League MVP last season after scoring a record 22 goals. Other locals signed were midfielder Carlos Benavides of Woodland Hills’ El Camino Real High and defender Shawn Berenji of Sunland’s Village Christian High.
*Chivas USA hosts a soccer tournament before its May 8 game against the Houston Dynamo at the HDC. The $195 fee includes five tickets to the game. More info here.
*Finally, the Conejo Valley-based Santos FC Academy is moving to Oak Park and merging its two U-13 boys teams under the auspices of the California Stars Soccer Club of Calabasas.
From the news release:
Santos FC Academy plans to further develop these existing teams and build the boys and girls under 11-14 teams with community players, and welcomes youth soccer players to Wednesday & Friday clinics at Oak View High School Field from 5:30-7:00. Cost is $15 per person. Tryouts for the U13 Silver & Bronze teams are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30-7:30pm.
More information here.
