Keane joins Gerrard on the sidelines for Galaxy vs. Vancouver

Posted on March 31, 2016 by Jaime Cardenas

Galaxy captain Robbie Keane. (Photo by Brittany Murray / Daily Breeze)

LA Galaxy captain Robbie Keane underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Thursday. The Irishman is expected to miss four to six weeks.

Despite news of another injury to another Galaxy designated player, Keane seemed to be in good spirits after the operation. He posted a photo on his Instagram account saying he was hopeful for a “speedy recovery” and vowing to come back “stronger” soon.

Operation done speedy recovery hopefully back soon stronger #lagalaxy #irlelang

A photo posted by Robbie Keane (@robbiekeane) on Mar 31, 2016 at 2:16pm PDT

The Galaxy have been hit hard with injuries in the early going of the season. Along with Keane, Giovani dos Santos (left quad injury), Steven Gerrard (left calf) and goalkeeper Dan Kennedy (groin) are all dealing with injuries.
The Galaxy, without DP’s Keane and Gerrard, will take on the Whitecaps Saturday in Vancouver at BC Place, where Didier Drogba recently refused to play due to concerns over the artificial turf. The club is in third place of the Western Conference standings with six points.

100 Percent Soccer Column: U.S. World Cup qualifying campaign teetered on brink of catastrophe, but few noticed

Posted on March 31, 2016 by Nick Green

Read this week’s 100 Percent Soccer column here.

USMNT Olympic and World Cup Qualifying Gameday Video Preview

Posted on March 29, 2016 by Nick Green

It feels good to be home. #RoadToRussia pic.twitter.com/wUEa1eMeIM

— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) March 29, 2016

Landon Donovan says Jurgen Klinsmann should be fired if #USMNT lose to Guatemala again. https://t.co/johuzkr4jM pic.twitter.com/hNGmMnzDfn

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) March 29, 2016

.@omar4gonzalez wants you to head to @toyotastadiumtx tomorrow night to support the U-23 #USMNT on the #RoadToRio!https://t.co/o1FD4SC6NB

— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) March 28, 2016

#MéxicovsCanadá ⚽ #CLIMA (8pm.) CDMX 25° Puebla 24° @patoaguilar73 @ebravo87 @TDContacto @TV3Noticias pic.twitter.com/1YJmhV5czP

— Alma Valdivia (@almavatv3) March 29, 2016

International Soccer Weekend TV Video Preview: Guatemala hosts the U.S. at 7 p.m. Friday on beIN Sports, Mexico plays Canada at 6:30 p.m. on UniMas

Posted on March 25, 2016 by Nick Green

Here's everything you need to know about today's @Olympics qualifier in Colombia: https://t.co/8mi0xiciSi pic.twitter.com/MlsdAsme70

— U.S. Soccer YNT (@ussoccer_ynt) March 25, 2016

The #USMNT will advance to the final round of CONCACAF WC Qualifying with wins both Friday & Tuesday vs Guatemala: pic.twitter.com/y0lwQ8srpB

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 25, 2016

The #RoadToRussia resumes in Guatemala at 10 p.m. ET on @beINSPORTSUSA.

MATCH PREVIEW: https://t.co/2SGYmWFb2W pic.twitter.com/bqy837KxZj

— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) March 25, 2016

Tim Howard to face Marco Pappa in a World Cup qualifier in Guatemala on Friday https://t.co/9UStuYkmDc #rapids96

— Denver Post Rapids (@rapidsnews) March 25, 2016

Don’t miss the #WCQ Canada vs Mexico #RoadtoRussia TONIGHT 10pm ET LIVE on #UDN, @UniMas & https://t.co/OIMYWreu0b!

— UniMás (@UniMas) March 25, 2016

Esta noche #ElSalvador y #Honduras quieren acercarse al hexagonal final de la #CONCACAF
⌚️ 9PM/8PMc/6PMp
Telemundo pic.twitter.com/66d4qJXrYJ

— Telemundo (@Telemundo) March 25, 2016

PREVIEW: @CBF_Futebol make plans to spoil @LuisSuarez9 return for @Uruguay: https://t.co/c9Wqx5EyUD pic.twitter.com/LrZwPIyFbG

— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) March 25, 2016

100 Percent Soccer Column: Tim Howard, Omar Gonzalez, Gyasi Zardes and Bobby Wood are four to watch for U.S. in World Cup qualifying

Posted on March 24, 2016 by Nick Green

Hot shot: A stunning 13 saves against Belgium in the 2014 World Cup suddenly brought veteran goalkeeper Tim Howard into the public consciousness, but he’s not done yet (Associated Press file photo).

Read this week’s 100 Percent Soccer Column here.

Video tribute: Former LA Aztecs NASL MVP, Dutch Total Football maestro Johan Cruyff dies age 68

Posted on March 24, 2016 by Nick Green

FILE – In This June 19, 1974 file photo, Netherlands Johan Cruyff, left, dodges the tackle from Sweden’s Kent Karlsson during a World Cup soccer match in Dortmund, Germany. Dutch soccer great Johan Cruyff, who revolutionized the game with the concept of ‘Total Football,’ died Thursday March 24, 2016. He was 68. (AP Photo/File)

Johann Cruyff, who spent one season with the North American Soccer League’s LA Aztecs in 1979, and was known as the star of perhaps the best national team never to win a World Cup in the 1970s — the Netherlands — has died at age 68.

A heavy smoker in his younger days, Cruyff lost a long battle against lung cancer.

Aztecs attendance peaked during Cruyff’s long year with the club, according to the Aztecs Wikipedia entry.

Cruyff was part of the versatile Dutch team that prompted the term total football, such was their silky teamwork, and starred for manager Rinus Michels in a starting XI that included such greats as Johan Neeskens (his son, John Neeskens, just joined LA Galaxy II) Johnny Rep and Rob Rensenbrink.

He also played a major role as a Barcelona player and coach in making the club what it is today

Tributes, reaction and video after the jump.

Continue reading “Video tribute: Former LA Aztecs NASL MVP, Dutch Total Football maestro Johan Cruyff dies age 68” »

LA Galaxy injury notes: Steven Gerrard ‘week-to-week,’ coaches U18s

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Thuc Nhi Nguyen

Photo by Steve McCrank/Staff photographer

Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said Tuesday after training that midfielder Steven Gerrard, who injured his left calf in the first minute of the team’s 3-1 win over San Jose on March 19, will be “week-to-week” with a calf strain. Gerrard was not training with the team Tuesday as he was running the training session for the LA Galaxy Academy’s Under-18 team.

@LAGalaxy first team player Steven Gerrard running the training session this morning for the LA Galaxy Academy U18s pic.twitter.com/mn28AkJRp4

— LA Galaxy Academy (@LAGalaxyAcademy) March 22, 2016

Forward Giovani dos Santos, who suffered a muscle strain in his left leg during the season opener, was present at training Tuesday and walked off the field with a bag of ice on his left quad.

Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy (groin) and Jeff Larentowicz, who underwent offseason hernia surgery, were both on the field Tuesday. Kennedy returned to the training field for the first time since getting injured in the season opener against D.C. United, but did leave training early.

Jose Villarreal, the oft-injured 22-year-old forward, is battling a right knee injury and trained Tuesday.

The team is taking this weekend off for the FIFA break and resume MLS play on April 2 in Vancouver against the Whitecaps.

Forwards Robbie Keane and Gyasi Zardes and defender A.J. DeLaGarza are on international duty this week. Keane is playing for the Republic of Ireland in a pair of friendlies, while Zardes (United States) and DeLaGarza (Guam) will represent their respective countries in FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches.

SoCal 2016 Summer Soccer: Chelsea-Liverpool at Rose Bowl July 27, Leicester City-Paris Saint-Germain in LA July 30

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Nick Green

#ICC2016: @ChelseaFC vs. @LFC

July 27th, Rose Bowl, Pasadena @RoseBowlStadium

— Int Champions Cup (@IntChampionsCup) March 22, 2016

#ICC2016: @PSG_inside vs. @LCFC

July 30th, Los Angeles, CA

— Int Champions Cup (@IntChampionsCup) March 22, 2016

Complete details on this year’s version of the International Champions Cup is here.

All matches will air live on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPN Deportes.

Gyasi Zardes called up for USMNT World Cup qualifying

Posted on March 20, 2016 by Thuc Nhi Nguyen

One day after scoring his first two goals of the MLS season, Galaxy forward Gyasi Zardes was called up for the U.S. men’s national team’s World Cup Qualifying matches against Guatemala.

Zardes is one of 26 players to make the cut for the critical qualifying matches. The team travels to Guatemala for a 7 p.m. matchup on March 25, then play the second leg of the series on March 29 at 4 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio. L.A. is taking an international break during the weekend.

“I see it as an opportunity to keep working hard and keep learning,” Zardes said after scoring twice the Galaxy’s 3-1 win over San Jose on Saturday. “Every time I get with the national team, I learn so much, not only from the coaching staff, but from the other players who play in different leagues, who play in the Bundesliga or the EPL. Just playing alongside those guys really helped me progress as a player and as I keep going, I just hope to get better.”

The United States is tied with Trinidad and Tobago for the top spot in Group C with four points and need to finish in the top two to advance to the next round of qualifying. The team plays its final group stage qualifying matches in September, facing St. Vincent and The Grenadines on Sept. 2 and Trinidad and Tobago on Sept. 6.

Former Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez was also called up to the national team.

Full roster

Robbie Keane unimpressed by Galaxy offense in 3-1 San Jose win

Posted on March 20, 2016 by Thuc Nhi Nguyen

Galaxy forward Robbie Keane takes a shot on goal as San Jose defender Marvell Wynne watches Friday in San Jose. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/The Associated Press)

Galaxy forward Robbie Keane, pictured in a match against San Jose in 2015, has scored twice in the first three games of the 2016 season, but only on penalty kicks. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/The Associated Press)

Although the Galaxy outshot San Jose 17-6, including a 7-1 advantage in the first half when the sides where an even 11 vs. 11 on the field, during Saturdays’ 3-1 victory, captain Robbie Keane was not impressed.

“I wouldn’t say it was a great day for us, apart from the win,” Keane told Time Warner Cable after the game.

In a tactical change from previous games, Sebastian Lletget played up top next to Keane with Mike Magee sliding back into the right midfield. The Earthquakes were very compact during the first half before Simon Dawkins got sent off with a red card, limiting the Galaxy’s looks at goal, but there was good passing between Magee, Lletget and Gyasi Zardes.

Yet Robbie Keane, the King himself, has yet to score a goal within the run of play this year. The forward has two goals in the first three games of the season, with both coming on penalty kicks. He has five combined shots in the first three games of 2016 when last year, he averaged three shots a game.

“Create more chances, keep the ball,” Keane said of what the offense needs to do to improve. “That’s two games that I haven’t touched the ball very often … so changing the system or something because when you play the front on your own, naturally you don’t get many touches as a number nine. But what you should be doing is getting some chances in and I haven’t gotten any chances in the last few games so that’s a bit disappointing. So hopefully that will change in the next few weeks.” Continue reading “Robbie Keane unimpressed by Galaxy offense in 3-1 San Jose win” »

100 Percent Soccer

Soccer in and around Los Angeles

Monthly Archives: March 2016