UCLA product Michael Stephens, seen here fending off Real Salt Lake’s Tony Beltran (another former Bruin) Saturday, had a solid MLS debut (AP Photo).

*Reporter Phil Collin spoke to Galaxy rookie Michael Stephens (and also learned more about the severity of the injury midfielder Sean Franklin sustained in the game).

*If you haven’t voted in Tuesday’s poll regarding strikers Edson Buddle and Herculez Gomez and their World Cup chances go here.

The Galaxy face the Wizards Saturday in Kansas City and striker Kei Kamara of Lawndale. In this YouTube video interview, Kamara explains why he chose to sign a new contract with the club:

In other news:

*As expected, the U.S. will hold its pre-World Cup camp on the East Coast. The eight-day camp begins May 15 at Coach Bob Bradley’s alma mater, Princeton University. The U.S. meets the Czech Republic May 25 in East Hartford, Conn., and Turkey May 29 in Philadelphia.

*The Los Angeles Unified School District, Chivas USA, the LA84 Foundation and the Los Angeles Dodgers will announce today a major fund-raising effort for competitive athletic activities in the district. The goal is to off-set the 25 percent budget cut the budget-strapped district was recently forced to announce by raising $1.3 million to support the more than 35,000 student athletes in 72 schools across the city.

*The second largest beach soccer event in the world returns to Oceanside May 15-16. More than 20,000 people will hit the beach at Oceanside Harbor for the Beach Soccer Championships. Register/more info here.

*Also next month, the fourth annual Croatian Small Goals tournament is back May 20 as the Croatian Hall of San Pedro hosts its 20th annual Independence Day Street Party.

The registration fee is $300 for six-sided teams in two divisions, competitive and recreational.

Games will consist of 5 field players and one goalie per team. More information at 310-548-1446 Ext: 107.

The stadium in Cape Town, seen here Wednesday, – as well as others in South Africa – are ready to host the games, organizers insisted today (AP Photo).

I’m guessing though they didn’t need this sort of publicity today.

Now, if they can just sell the rest of those unsold tickets:

KIMBERLEY, South Africa (AP) — Chief local organizer Danny Jordaan marked the 50-day countdown to the World Cup on Wednesday, saying the tournament was one of South Africa’s “most important defining moments.”

Jordaan said hosting soccer’s showcase tournament was one of a series of “significant moments that have shaped the country we live in today,” comparing it to Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in 1990 and South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994.

Jordaan was in Kimberley, in the country’s Northern Cape province, with South African
President Jacob Zuma to mark the 50-day countdown to Africa’s first World Cup.

A series of celebrations are planned at the Galeshewe Stadium on Wednesday, 50 days before the host nation kicks off the 2010 tournament against Mexico on June 11 at Soweto’s Soccer City Stadium.

Jordaan said South Africa will defy the skeptics who thought the country was incapable of hosting the tournament because of its high rate of violent crime and erratic transport
system.

“The world has heard so many stories about us (since 1994), sometimes more negative than positive,” Jordaan said. “But this World Cup gives all South Africans the opportunity the show the world who we really are 16 years into our democracy.”

Zuma has said the country was “more than ready” to host soccer’s biggest event.
Jordaan said the 10 World Cup stadiums were ready, and the needed infrastructure was in place.

He also said tickets “were selling fast” despite worries over empty stadiums when organizers put 500,000 unsold tickets on sale on April 15.

Edson Buddle: heading to the World Cup? (AP Photo).

Should in form Galaxy striker Edson Buddle be given a chance to make Bob Bradley’s World Cup squad?

What about former Galaxy striker Herculez Gomez, who is tied for the scoring lead in Mexico?

Hercules Gomez, left, made his Puebla debut in Carson during InterLiga against Monterrey in January. (AP Photo)

Read the column.

Then take the poll:

Feel free to explain the reasoning behind your vote.

More from Gomez here.

And let’s do a little video review:

Buddle 2 Real Salt Lake 1 Saturday in Carson:

And here’s a recap of the goals of Herculez Gomez in Mexico:

Updated

True Locker Room Reaction #1 (and a correction)

Funny thing. When I asked Landon Donovan after last weekend’s game about how an in form (or recently discovered) player coming from out of the blue to claim a World Cup spot can affect the national team I mentioned the experience of David Regis in 1998. Donovan corrected me, saying that occurred in 2002 (I just listened to the recording again).

I was pretty sure Donovan was wrong, but thought it prudent to check. So I did. He was wrong. It was 1998 when Coach Steve Sampson discovered Regis and drafted him in at the expense of Jeff Agoos. (Regis also made the 2002 squad, but didn’t play). So then I wrote the column and inexplicably wrote 2002 instead of 1998. Go figure.

Thanks to alert reader Taylor Canel for pointing out the error/typo.

True Locker Room Reaction #2

Which reminded me that I asked Buddle after his two-goal performance what the first thing was Bruce Arena said to him after the game, expecting it to be some recognition of his scoring streak. Buddle replied that Arena told him he was fined $100 for missing the post-game meeting in the locker room. Buddle was signing autographs for the crowd. That will keep you grounded.