Monday Kicks: Chivas USA, Galaxy updates & more

*How many players will 0-1 Chivas USA be without for Saturday’s game against the Colorado Rapids at Home Depot Center and the following Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup game against the Timbers in Portland because of the full slate of internationals? Four.

Starting striker Alejandro Moreno is with Venezuela for its game against Jamaica; starting defender Zarek Valentin is with the U.S. Under-20 team; defender Michael Umaa will be with Costa Rica for matches against China, Argentina and Mexico; and Andrew Boyens will join New Zealand for its match against China.

Incidentally, this has to be frustrating for the likes of Chivas USA Coach Robin Fraser who is trying to build a foundation and that’s never easy when pieces temporarily go missing.

Here’s what MLS Commish Don Garber said on the subject Sunday in Carson when asked about so many of the league’s best players being absent in just the league’s second week of play:

“I’d like to get to the point where we take off for evey FIFA date,” he said. “We just can’t do it and continue to have the number of games teams want to play.

“It’s frustrating, particularly when we had such a great opening weekend, that you might be missing some players. (But) we’re going to take off more this year than any non-World Cup year.”

Also on international duty: Chivas USA U-18 goalkeeper Diego Chacon who is at the CONCACAF U-20 Championship with Guatemala.

*Early and undefeated MLS leaders the Galaxy are on the road Saturday taking on Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium in a stadium that will be televised delayed at 10:30 p.m. on Prime. Their absentee: Landon Donovan, who will play for the U.S. against Argentina at 4 p.m. Saturday in New York. More than 59,000 tickets have been sold for the game, U.S. Soccer announced today.

Also missing will be newly-signed striker Adam Cristman who was placed on the disabled list Thursday the club belatedly disclosed after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. He isn’t eligible to return until April 17.

*Juninho’s cracker against Seattle is up for MLS Goal of the Week.

*Lastly, ESPN and ESPN2 will broadcast live all 32 matches at the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany, the network announced today.

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About Nick Green

South Bay-based Los Angeles News Group soccer columnist and blogger Nick Green writes at the 100 Percent Soccer blog at www.insidesocal.com/soccer and craft beer at the Beer Goggles blog at www.insidesocal.com/beer. Cheers!