Friday Kicks: Chivas USA’s Dan Kennedy gets new contract & more

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Nick Green

Old news if you follow me on Twitter @lasoccerblog, but Staff Writer Phil Collin has the story of the cornerstone of Chivas USA sticking by the club.
Tickets for the Ventura County Fusion’s May 14 U.S. Open Cup game at Ventura College are now on sale. The opponents will be the winner of the Fresno Fuego Future-FC Hasental clash, a game played three days after the Fusion’s PDL home opener against the BYU Cougars.
Lawndale’s Kei Kamara will attempt to ensure the EPL status of Norwich City at 6:30 a.m. Saturday against former Canaries boss Paul Lambert and Aston Villa on Fox Soccer, while Manchester United and Chelsea clash at 7:30 a.m. Sunday on the same channel.
Chivas USA visits Sporting Kansas City Sunday (2 p.m. UniMas), while the Galaxy caps off the weekend with an 8 p.m. game Sunday in Carson that is a rematch of last year’s MLS Cup against the Houston Dynamo (live on ESPN2). More on these games later.

Wednesday Kicks: Lampard, Boxx & more

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Nick Green

*San Jose Earthquakes forward Steven Lenhart was suspended for two games and fined an undisclosed amount by MLS today for his conduct in the above incident that “endangered the safety” of opponent Mario de Luna in the 68th minute of the game against Chivas USA Saturday in Carson.

Lenhart won’t appeal the suspension. He wasn’t give a card of any color for the incident in the game, but coach Frank Yallop yanked the hot-headed Lenhart two minutes later to ensure he didn’t get sent off.

*Torrance’s Shannon Box is out for six weeks after undergoing surgery today.

*Those Frank Lampard to the Galaxy rumors? Not going to happen this summer, according to this report out of England.

*For the first time ever, adult players will participate in AYSO’s National Games next year when the event is held in Torrance and Riverside.

Will Lawndale’s Kei Kamara slay Manchester United again — this time in the EPL?

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Nick Green

EPL side Norwich City are picking up fans in Sierra Leone and the native of the war-torn nation, Kei Kamara, of South Bay high school and Cal State Dominguez Hills renown, is doing the same in England after two brief, but galvanizing performances for the top tier club.

The Canaries play EPL leaders Manchester United this weekend (live at 7 a.m. Saturday on ESPN2) and Kamara’s performance for Sporting Kansas City against the Red Devils in a friendly a couple of years ago is among the local media’s talking points ahead of the big game.

Kamara is still expected to come off the bench Saturday as he works his way toward match fitness, despite the hype, but he sounds like he’s thoroughly enjoying the limelight so far:

It’s really a Dream/Blessing to be on a train in United Kingdom and seeing someone reading an article bout u in the newspaper. #butterflies

— KEI KAMARA (@keikamara) February 27, 2013

Video Weekend Rewind: David Beckham, Kei Kamara & More

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Nick Green

*David Beckham’s first game since leaving the Galaxy was an eventful one this weekend.

Watch here.

*Chivas USA closed out their preseason Saturday with an emphatic win over the LA Blues. Watch here.

*Galaxy striker Jose Villarreal of Inglewood had the winner for the U.S. U-20 team over Costa Rica, scoring the lone goal of Friday’s game. Watch here.

*Did you see Lawndale’s Kei Kamara score his first EPL goal Saturday? Watch here.

*And if you missed how the Galaxy concluded their pre-season Friday in Santa Barbara, watch the highlights here.

MLS starts Saturday. I’ll have more in Tuesday’s column.

Weekend Preview: Galaxy in Santa Barbara Tonight & more

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Nick Green

The Galaxy play their final preseason game before the MLS season opens next weekend in Santa Barbara tonight against the Colorado Rapids. The Galaxy, of course, are without Landon Donovan (seen above talking to a USC class as was widely reported Thursday), while the Rapids will miss former Galaxy striker Edson Buddle, who is out injured (sound familiar?).
Chivas USA play their last preseason game at 11 a.m. Saturday in Carson against minor league team the LA Blues at the Track & Field Stadium. Fans are welcome to attend.
Inglewood’s Jose Villarreal and the U.S. Under-20 team play at 6:30 p.m. on Fox Soccer seeking to top their group at the regional championships.
Lawndale’s Kei Kamara could perhaps make his first start for Norwich City Saturday against Everton (live at 7 a.m. on FoxSoccer2Go or delayed on Fox Soccer at 9 a.m.). In other games Manchester United faces relegation-threatened QPR at 7 a.m. on Fox Soccer, while Club Tijuana faces Atlante at 7 p.m. Saturday on Galavision.

Lawndale’s Kei Kamara could make his EPL Debut Saturday

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Nick Green

Watch the video:

Or read about what he had to say here.

Norwich City plays Fulham live at 7 a.m. Saturday on FoxSoccer2Go or delayed at 11:30 a.m. Saturday on Fox Soccer.

Thursday Kicks: David Beckham Plays for Free at PSG & more

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Nick Green

Brand Beckham’s latest public relations move, er, club move sees him head to petro-dollar backed Paris Saint Germain where he will play for free through June in hopes of clinching a multimillion dolllar ambassador role for the World Cup in Qatar (well, that’s my guess).
Here’s the reaction of Lawndale’s Kei Kamara to joining EPL club Norwich City.
Here’s how Chivas USA fared Wednesday in their second preseason scrimmage.
Chivas USA forward Bradford Jamieson of Los Angeles will join the U.S. U-17 team for a camp in Carson that includes a scrimmage Friday against the Galaxy. Full roster here.

Lawndale’s Kei Kamara Flies MLS Coop for EPL Club Norwich City

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Nick Green

Kei’s House: Carrow Road, home of EPL club Norwich City and now Lawndale’s Kei Kamara (and yes, that’s me on the right being given a personal tour of the stadium by a very kind Norwich City employee back in 2006).

Lawndale’s Kei Kamara has completed his journey from refugee in war-torn Sierra Leone, which forced him to flee to Lawndale, to the EPL with Norwich City (full disclosure: I grew up in Norwich and continue to support my hometown team) completing a move from Sporting Kansas City first publicly broached last week:

This is Surreal. I said it at draft day and saying it again Dreams do come True. Allah is Great. #heartshapedhands

— KEI KAMARA (@keikamara) January 30, 2013

Tuesday Kicks: Beckham, Fraser & more

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Nick Green

*LONDON (AP) — David Beckham is training with Arsenal as he considers his playing future.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says the former England captain called to ask if he could work on his fitness at the club’s training base outside London.

Beckham is without a club after leaving the Galaxy at the end
of a six-year stint in MLS..

Wenger stressed Tuesday that Beckham is only training with Arsenal and will not be signing with the club.

The 37-year-old Beckham, a former Manchester United star, is mulling offers from clubs around the world.

*Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez is getting his third U.S. cap tonight as the 6 p.m. game against Canada on ESPN2 gets under way.

*Former Chivas USA coach Robin Fraser has reportedly surfaced with Red Bull New York.

*The Galaxy announced Monday that former player Chris Klein will head up the Galaxy’s front office as club president, which may be a different title, but is essentially the same job as the one the fired Tom Payne used to hold.

*FC Santa Clarita storm provides the opposition for Chivas USA’s second preseason scrimmage set for 11 a.m. on field 6 at Home Depot Center. Fans are welcome to attend.

*Seven organizations in Southern California have received more than $130,000 in U.S. Soccer Foundation grants including the cities of Manhattan Beach, El Monte and the El Rancho Unified School District.

Thursday Kicks: Canaries Eye Lawndale’s Kei Kamara & more

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Nick Green

Lawndale’s Kei Kamara could be on his way to England (AP Photo).

EPL club Norwich City have admitted interest in Sporting Kansas City striker Kei Kamara, who emigrated from Africa to the South Bay and played at Cal State Dominguez Hills before turning pro. Full disclosure: I’m hopelessly biased as a Norwich fan, but seeing him partner Grant Holt up front would no doubt give the goal shy City attack much more substance.
Here’s an update from the U.S. Men’s National Team in Carson where coach Jurgen Klinsmann is talking beer and um, balls, in revealing it was his choice — not Landon Donovan’s — to keep the Galaxy playmaker out of the U.S. camp while he mulls his future.
Designated player Shalrie Joseph, who arrived at Chivas last year in mid-season only to see the club promptly collapse defensively, is reportedly on his way out of the club.
Finally, here’s one I missed: a Hawthorne resident, former South Bay Force player and Galaxy Academy player has joined what is generally regarded as the top team in Guatemala.

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Soccer in and around Los Angeles

Category Archives: EPL