Mexico, Jamaica finish Rose Bowl’s Copa America Centenario slate

Mexico, seen celebrating a goal during its 3-1 victory over Uruguay on Sunday, has won 20 consecutive international matches. (Ross D. Franklin/The Associated Press)

Mexico, seen celebrating a goal during its 3-1 victory over Uruguay on Sunday, has won 20 consecutive international matches. (Ross D. Franklin/The Associated Press)

The Mexican national team will feel right at home in Pasadena on Thursday night in front of what is expected to be a large, overwhelmingly pro-Mexico crowd at the Rose Bowl.

After a 3-1 victory over Uruguay, Mexico will play CONCACAF foe Jamaica at 7 p.m. with a chance to clinch a Copa America Centenario quarterfinal berth. If El Tri wins, they secure a top-two finish in Group C.

The game is a rematch of the 2015 Gold Cup final when Mexico won 3-1 in front of yet another boisterous green, red and white-clad crowd in Philadelphia.

“Every time we play here in the United States, we are very privileged,” Mexico defender Hector Moreno said in Spanish. “We are very blessed to have the support of the people here. Whether it’s in Los Angeles or any major (U.S.) city, they come to support us. We take that as extra motivation rather than that being a disadvantage (for other teams).”

The stakes for Jamaica are high as the island nation would be eliminated from quarterfinal contention with a loss. However, Jamaica forward Giles Barnes, who plays for the Houston Dynamo, said the potential for elimination is not on the team’s radar.

“We’ve got the fire in our belly from the Gold Cup final,” he said. “We’re thinking that we’re going to be here for the long run.”

Mexico has a 20-game unbeaten streak, the longest active streak in the world. The Reggae Boyz have only four wins against Mexico in their history, with the most recent coming in 2008 in World Cup Qualifying. Playing in its second straight Copa America, Jamaica has yet to earn a single point in a Copa match. The team lost 1-0 to Venezuela in its opening game this year and lost all three of its group games in 2015 by the same score.

There is a difficult task ahead, but Jamaica coach Winfried Schaefer said his team is not afraid of the challenge. He remembers how his team was able to sway some of the Mexican supporters at last year’s Gold Cup and earn their applause by the end of the match. He hopes the game in the Rose Bowl will end with similar praise, but a different result.

“I hope after one hour, the Mexico people come to us,” Schaefer said. “It’s possible.”

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How the United States can advance to quarterfinal at Copa America Centenario

United States' Clint Dempsey (8) celebrates after a goal during a Copa America Centenario group A soccer match against Costa Rica at Soldier Field in Chicago, Tuesday, June 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

United States’ Clint Dempsey (8) celebrates after a goal during a Copa America Centenario group A soccer match against Costa Rica at Soldier Field in Chicago, Tuesday, June 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

The United States got a much-needed win against Costa Rica on Tuesday to stay in contention to advance out of Group A at Copa America Centenario. The 4-0 win puts the United States in the best position to take the second quarterfinal spot out of Group A after Colombia became the first team to sew up its quarterfinal berth with a win over Paraguay on Tuesday.

With one group game left, the United States can advance to the quarterfinals with:

  • a win over Paraguay
  • a draw against Paraguay AND a win from Colombia over Costa Rica OR a Costa Rica win with a margin of victory equal or less than six

With one group game left, the United States can advance as the top seed out of Group A:

  • A win over Paraguay with a margin of victory more than two AND a Colombia loss to Costa Rica

Group A and Group B are paired together in the quarterfinals.

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Galaxy offense a no-show in scoreless draw at home

L.A. Galaxy's Sebastian Lletget battles for possession against Sporting Kansas City's Benny Feilhaber. (USA TODAY Images)

L.A. Galaxy’s Sebastian Lletget battles for possession against Sporting Kansas City’s Benny Feilhaber. (USA TODAY Images)

The L.A. Galaxy mustered just one lowly shot and no goals in a scoreless draw at home against Sporting Kansas City on Thursday.

It was the second straight home game in which the offense struggled to score as the team previously needed an own goal against San Jose to salvage a draw last month. The Galaxy back into the Copa America break on a four-game winless streak, which prompted a classic Bruce Arena postgame moment.

When asked if the recent results are cause for concern, Arena said sarcastically: “Yes, we’re probably going to fold the franchise.”

Arena’s quote was probably the most interesting part of the night. The Galaxy took only one shot total during the game and it didn’t fall on goal. Sporting took 15, but most came from long range.

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Galaxy Game Day: Brian Rowe, L.A. trying to rebound stoppage-time loss

After giving up the game-winning goal against Montreal last week, goalkeeper Brian Rowe, pictured in a game against the New England Revolution, is focused on moving past his mistake. (Thomas R. Cordova-Southern California News Group)

After giving up the game-winning goal against Montreal last week, goalkeeper Brian Rowe, pictured in a game against the New England Revolution, is focused on moving past his mistake. (Thomas R. Cordova-Southern California News Group)

On a long free kick from Montreal’s Didier Drogba in the 94th minute on Saturday, Brian Rowe could either punch the ball out or catch it to preserve the 2-2 tie. He ended up doing neither.

The 27-year-old keeper “got caught between minds” at the worst possible moment when Drogba’s 28-yard free kick bounced off Rowe’s hands and into the back of the net. It snapped the Galaxy’s nine-game unbeaten streak.

Now Rowe and the Galaxy (5-2-5) are left to pick up the pieces for a 7:30 p.m. home game Thursday against Sporting Kansas City (5-8-2) after another late goal proved extremely costly.

The Galaxy have given up five goals after the 75th minute and stoppage time this year and both of their losses have been on goals scored in stoppage time. The team has given up late goals in two straight games, both of which changed the outcome of the game (turning a win against San Jose into a draw and a draw against Montreal into a win).

Read more here.

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Drogba’s free kick snaps Galaxy’s nine-game unbeaten streak

Montreal's Didier Drogba celebrates his game-winning goal against the L.A. Galaxy on Saturday. Photo courtesy @MLS Twitter

Montreal’s Didier Drogba celebrates his game-winning goal against the L.A. Galaxy on Saturday. Photo courtesy @MLS Twitter

Brian Rowe hasn’t made many mistakes in goal this year for the L.A. Galaxy, but the 27-year-old goalkeeper made a costly one at the most inopportune time on Saturday.

A long free kick from Montreal’s Didier Drogba in the fourth minute of stoppage time squirted through Rowe’s hands and into the goal for the game-winner in the Impact’s 3-2 victory over L.A. It snapped the Galaxy’s nine-game unbeaten streak and was just the team’s second loss of the season. Both of the losses have come via stoppage-time game-winners as Colorado’s Marco Pappa handed the Galaxy their first loss of the season.

“It’s definitely a frustrating one,” Rowe told LAGalaxy.com. “As a goalie, you don’t want to have that type of influence on a game one way or the other. You just want to do your job and not get any of the credit, either bad or good. It’s definitely a difficult one to swallow.”

Throughout their nine-game unbeaten streak, the Galaxy readily admitted they didn’t always play their best. Some games were ugly, but they somehow grabbed at least a point. But on Saturday, head coach Bruce Arena said the team “deserved what happened in the end. We weren’t good enough on the night.”

Said midfielder Steven Gerrard: “We got ourselves to blame for the result over the 90 minutes. We turned over possession too many times, and we made this a very difficult game. We should have won this game comfortably, so we’re disappointed in the performance as a whole.”

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Galaxy game day: L.A. tries to sustain unbeaten streak without Keane, Zardes

Mark J. Terrill/The Associated Press

Mark J. Terrill/The Associated Press

The L.A. Galaxy have only one loss on their record and own a league-leading nine-game unbeaten streak heading into Saturday’s game in Montreal at 5 p.m. The team hasn’t lost since the second game of the season, and even then, came within seconds of escaping with a draw. But when it comes to the recent undefeated results, the Galaxy aren’t completely pleased.

“To me, it’s just statistics,” defender Jelle Van Damme said.

The Galaxy have tied five of their past nine games, including a disappointing 1-1 draw against San Jose last week at home.

To continue the unbeaten streak, the team will have to do without forwards Gyasi Zardes and Robbie Keane, who have joined their respective national teams for international competition.

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Galaxy draw at home against San Jose

Despite having 11 days between games, the L.A. Galaxy turned in what midfielder Mike Magee called a “lethargic” performance in a 1-1 draw against San Jose at home on Sunday.

The Galaxy were outshot 12-8, and despite taking a late lead on an own goal in the 83rd minute gave up the equalizer four minutes later. Although L.A. has a league-leading plus-12 goal differential, the team still only has one shutout on the season.

“I think we were four minutes away from what we wanted which was three points and that clean sheet we spoke about during the week,” midfielder Steven Gerrard told reporters. “But by no means did we play to our standards. I thought we were average early and lacked a bit of energy and a bit of creativity in the final third.” Continue reading “Galaxy draw at home against San Jose” »

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Dos Santos focused on Galaxy, San Jose after Mexican national team drama

Giovani dos Santos reportedly declined a call-up to the Mexican national team for next month's Copa America Centenario

Giovani dos Santos reportedly declined a call-up to the Mexican national team for next month’s Copa America Centenario

Giovani dos Santos stirred up controversy this week when Mexican national team manager Juan Carlos Osorio left the 27-year-old Galaxy forward off the federation’s roster for next month’s Copa American Centenario. According to Osorio, dos Santos declined the invitation, choosing club over country.

After Osorio released the roster Tuesday, dos Santos declined to speak about the situation this week, saying his main focus will be on the Galaxy leading up to a Cali Clasico match with San Jose at home at 4 p.m.

PREVIEW: Sebastian Lletget does ‘dirty work’ for Galaxy

“The only thing that I can say is that I’m very concentrated on my team,” he said. “I’m working really hard, and I’m looking forward to the game on Sunday. I feel great right now.

The midfielder has been in impressive form recently with five goals and five assists in the past five games.

He has not played for Mexico since the CONCACAF Gold Cup last summer when he missed the final three rounds due to injury and Mexico won the title. Continue reading “Dos Santos focused on Galaxy, San Jose after Mexican national team drama” »

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Gyasi Zardes called up for Copa America

USA’s Gyasi Zardes, right, scores the 1-1 goal past Netherlands’ Daryl Janmaat during an international soccer match between Netherlands and the US at ArenA stadium in Amsterdam, Friday, June 5, 2015. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)

USA’s Gyasi Zardes, right, scores the 1-1 goal past Netherlands’ Daryl Janmaat during an international soccer match between Netherlands and the US at ArenA stadium in Amsterdam, Friday, June 5, 2015. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)

L.A. Galaxy forward Gyasi Zardes was called up to the U.S. men’s national team on Saturday for the next month’s Copa America Centenario.

Zardes made 19 appearances for the USMNT in 2015, tying Claudio Reyna’s 1994 record for most caps by a U.S. player in their debut year with the National Team.

With the Galaxy this season, Zardes has four goals and four assists in 10 games started.

The national team opens the tournament against Colombia on June 3 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., and plays games against Costa Rica in Chicago at Soldier Field on June 7, and Paraguay on June 11 in Philadelphia.

U.S. Roster By Position:
GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), 12-Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids), 22-Ethan Horvath (Molde IK)

DEFENDERS (8): 5-Matt Besler (Sporting KC), 3-Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), 6-John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), 20-Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), 21-Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), 23-Fabian Johnson (Borussia Moenchengladbach), 14-Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana), 2-DeAndre Yedlin (Tottenham Hotspur)

MIDFIELDERS/FORWARDS (12): 15-Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), 11-Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), 4-Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), 8-Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), 13-Jermaine Jones (Colorado Rapids), 16-Perry Kitchen (Heart of Midlothian), 10-Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), 17-Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund), 18-Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes), 7-Bobby Wood (Hamburg SV), 20-Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy), 19-Graham Zusi (Sporting KC)

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Giovani dos Santos left off Copa America roster, declined call, says Juan Carlos Osorio

Photo by Steve McCrank/Staff Photographer

Photo by Steve McCrank/Staff Photographer

Giovani dos Santos will not represent his country in next month’s Copa America Centenario because the 27-year-old L.A. Galaxy midfielder declined the national team call-up, according to Mexico national team manager Juan Carlos Osorio.

Osorio announced the roster Tuesday, but chose to keep the specifics of his conversation with dos Santos private.

Dos Santos declined to comment on the national team situation while on Sirus XM Radio with Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl.

The midfielder has been in impressive form recently as he has five goals and five assists in the past five games. The Galaxy are unbeaten in their past eight games heading into a home match against San Jose this Sunday.

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