Late Wednesday Night Kicks: Chivas USA racial discrimination lawsuit & more

*Could you see this one coming? I guess it’s the obvious end game of Chivas USA’s renewed philosophy on its Mexican heritage in a sense: respected former Anglo U.S. internationals and club youth coaches claim racial discrimination by the club and file a lawsuit.

*The U.S. and the Galaxy’s Omar Gonzalez got stomped by Belgium tonight, but coach Jurgen Klinsmann sounded positively upbeat: “I would rather play Belgium 10 more times than El Salvador 100 times because that is when you learn,” he said. School is in here.

*The LA Galaxy reserves lost tonight, too, in the U.S. Open Cup to the same minor league team that have ousted them before although I’m guessing the absent Bruce Arena doesn’t really care now that he won’t have to worry about midweek distractions and the annoyance of playing Chivas USA in the next round. Come to think of it, that applies to me, too. Game story here.

*Much rumored, but unseen Galaxy midfielder Frank Lampard scored for England to draw 1-1 with actual and oft-seen Ireland-led Galaxy striker Robbie Keane subbed out disappointingly relatively early on. Game story.

 

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Wednesday Kicks: Real Madrid at Dodger Stadium, Galaxy, U.S. Open Cup & more

*The Galaxy announced today that the first-ever soccer games played at 51-year-old Dodger Stadium are set for Aug. 3 when Real Madrid plays either Everton or Juventus in a doubleheader with the Galaxy, which will take on one of those two latter teams in the second game of the night. The four teams are part of the west region of the previously announced Guinness International Champions Cup.

From the press release: Dodger Stadium has seen many legendary baseball moments through the years, while hosting more than 147 million fans since it opened its doors. Dodger Stadium has also played host to events such as the 1984 Olympic Games baseball competition, the 2009 World Baseball Classic Final, a Mass conducted by Pope John Paul II, concerts by the biggest names in the business like The Beatles, Michael Jackson and U2 as well as a basketball game and championship boxing match. These will be the first professional soccer games played and come January, 2014, the stadium will host its first National Hockey League game between the Kings and Ducks.

*Chivas USA came from behind to beat minor league outfit the LA Blues in Fullerton Tuesday night, but needed goalkeeper Dan Kennedy to help them at both ends of the field to secure the win.

The Goats will face the winner of tonight’s Carolina Railhawks-Galaxy match (live at 4 p.m. on Time Warner Cable) in the next round.

*In other televised games, the Galaxy’s Robbie Keane is leading Ireland against England on Fox Soccer as I write this, while the U.S. faces Belgium at 5 p.m. on ESPN.

 

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Chivas USA travels to OC tonight to face LA Blues in U.S. Open Cup

usopencuplogoTickets to the 7:30 p.m. game at Titan Stadium in Fullerton are still available for $5 to $8 each.

Struggling Chivas USA beat the struggling local USL Pro team 5-1 in preseason, but has lost six of its last seven MLS games. The Blues punted GM Warren Barton last week.

The winner of the game plays the victor of the Wednesday U.S. Open clash  between the Galaxy and Carolina RailHawks June 12 at Home Depot Center.

More on the tournament is here.

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Sunday Soccer: Chivas USA, Seattle Sounders & more

  • Here’s the Seattle Sounders perspective on the possible debut tonight of new Galaxy midfielder Robbie Rogers, in a story written before the midfielder received the needed MLS paperwork this morning. More on that and complete coverage and reaction to Rogers’ Saturday signing is here.
  • Chivas USA played last night — and suffered yet another loss. Highlights are here.
  • Lastly, the final teams were named to join the Galaxy in the field for the Guinness International Champions Cup.
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Thursday Kicks: Sounders, Keane & Gonzalez

*The Seattle Sounders face a challenging few days that includes their trip to Southern California Sunday to face the Galaxy.
*Fair is fair: Here’s why Robbie Keane will miss MLS games with the Galaxy to play in exhibitions for Ireland.
*Meanwhile, the Galaxy’s Omar Gonzalez hasn’t left for U.S. National Team duty yet either. He will sign autographs in Carson from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at the AT&T store, 20810 Avalon Blvd.

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LA Galaxy, Chivas USA learn U.S. Open Cup opponents

usopencuplogoThe Galaxy will play the Carolina Railhawks for the second consecutive season after the NASL club beat the Carolina Dynamo Tuesday night to reach the third round if the U.S. Open Cup. Kickoff is at 4:15 p.m. next Wednesday in Cary, N.C.

Chivas USA, meanwhile, will face the LA Blues after the USL pro outfit downed the Ventura Fusion 5-1 in Fullerton in the biggest blowout of the night Tuesday in the knockout competition. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Titan Stadium.

Chivas USA reached the semifinals last year before falling to eventual champion Seattle.

Later Wednesday U.S. Soccer released the fourth round draw, which paired the winner of the Chivas-Blues game with the winner of the Railhawks-Galaxy game.

The important part of this equation for local fans: if the Galaxy win they will host the fourth round game 7:30 p.m. June 12.

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Weekly Soccer Column: Landon Donovan, USMNT, UEFA Champions League & more

You can read the weekly soccer column here.

Noted: I received an email today from U.S. Soccer observing that the Gold Cup is not precisely “utterly superfluous” as I wrote in today’s column given this April announcement. Point taken. Now it’s just mostly superfluous (and, of course, the Confederations Cup is so highly rated, too). Ahem.

In other news today:

  • Palos Verdes Estates’ Christen Press, who leads the USWNT with six goals, was unsurprisingly named today to the national team roster for the June 2 game against Canada.
  • Chivas USA couldn’t beat Real Salt Lake’s first team over the weekend, but defeated their reserve squad 3-2 Monday on goals from Carlos Alvarez, newly-signed Gabriel Farfan and Jose Manuel Rivera. Only just though: Chivas USA took a three-goal lead only to see RSL roar back to within one and hit the woodwork in second half stoppage time before running out of time. Next for Chivas USA reserves: Seattle Sounders 11 a.m. June 2 at the HDC.
  • Chivas USA defender Steven Purdy has been called up by El Salvador’s National Team for a Wednesday game against Venezuela.
  • Seattle Sounders midfielder Brad Evans was called up today by the USMNT, but will not join the squad until after Sunday’s game in Carson against the Galaxy.
  • LA Blues General Manager Warren Barton left the USL Pro club by mutual consent Monday, one day before the PDL Ventura County Fusion visit Fullerton’s Titan Stadium in a U.S. Open Cup game. Kickoff is at 6:30 p.m. The winner meets Chivas USA next Tuesday in the third round.

 

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LA Galaxy react to David Beckham’s retirement

Today’s not unexpected news that former Galaxy midfielder David Beckham will retire at the end of the European season, elicited these responses today from the Galaxy:

“The LA Galaxy would like to congratulate David Beckham on the completion of his 20-year career in the sport of soccer,” Galaxy President Chris Klein said. “His six seasons with the Galaxy saw the club reach unprecedented heights, highlighted by our back-to-back MLS Cup championships in 2011 and 2012. David was a tremendous ambassador for our club and our league and it was an incredible honor in having him wear the Galaxy colors. We join the world in celebrating all of his achievements in the sport and look forward to continuing his relationship with our club.”

 

Today is a day to celebrate David Beckham and the completion of his fabulous career,” said coach Bruce Arena. “In addition to being such a great player, David is also a great personality, a great teammate, a great friend and family man. He is a person that you cannot replace, on the field or off and our club is in a better position for having him play for us in the six years that he did.”

Check out highlights of his Galaxy career on YouTube here.

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