Weekend rewind: Hits, misses and coincidences

i-612d29bafc9f37414f6cfff23e65202d-portlandfan.jpgCheer and beer: The Galaxy will welcome Portland Timbers fans to Home Depot Center next weekend for the first time. The Timbers won their first-ever MLS home game Thursday against the Chicago Fire (AP Photo).

Observation and speculation to get the week under way:

*Was that the Galaxy unexpectedly playing its most complete game of the season Sunday in the road win over Chicago without David Beckham, Landon Donovan and Juninho? Yes, it was.

The stand-ins followed the script. Oft-maligned forward Chad Barrett scored (although, in truth, he was set-up so beautifully it would have been a criminal miss) and central defender Omar Gonzalez proved he is a still evolving offensive threat from set pieces.

But will any Galaxy fans miss central defender Leonardo if indeed he is out for the season (we should know more later today or Tuesday). The Brazilian yet again played a pivotal role in conceding the Fire goal and never looked comfortable on the ball (yet again).

Next for the Galaxy: at home at 8 p.m. Saturday against the expansion Portland Timbers.

*Cal product Chris Cortez of Mission Viejo scored for the Chivas USA reserves in a 1-1 draw Sunday against Vancouver.

Next for Chivas USA: at San Jose Saturday against the Earthquakes.

*Have your say about Benny Feilhaber coming (or not) to Chivas USA. U.S. fans have always seemed split over whether Feilhaber is a midfielder luxury or an effective contributor and the voting in our poll so far seems to reflect that difference in opinion.

*Local USL Pro team the LA Blues picked up a victory in their first-ever competitive game Saturday in a 3-0 win over Sevilla FC in Puerto Rico.

The opening goal came just after halftime when Cesar Rivera hit the target from all of 40 yards out, veteran Argentine star Walter Gaitn created the second for Gerardo Bravo-Benavides 10 minutes from the end of regulation and then added the third himself in the 88th minute.

Next for the Blues: Antigua Barracuda FC Sunday in Antigua and Barbuda.

*Finally, do you think MLS players read what the media writes? In the wake of last Tuesday’s column:

Rolling Hills Estates’ Robbie Rogers scored to give the struggling Columbus Crew a much-needed 1-0 win (he now has two on the year, producing half the team’s scoring output) over Sporting Kansas City.

Charlie Davies scored his league-leading fifth goal of the season as D.C. United swept past Toronto, 3-0.

Thierry Henry recovered from a supposedly “chronic” Achilles injury to score New York’s third and final goal just before the final whistle as the Red Bulls downed San Jose, 3-0, and gave his “best performance so far for Red Bull,” said Coach Hans Backe.

Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy picked up his second consecutive shutout for Chivas USA in their 0-0 tie with Vancouver.

Hmmm? Coincidence?

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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!