10Sep/110
MLS: Landon Donovan Powers LA Galaxy to 1-0 Victory over Colorado Rapids
It has come to my attention that there are some increasingly visible tears in the Colorado Rapids MLS Cup title defense. While there are still five games to go for Gary Smith's Rapids, and six for Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy, Colorado may find their defense to be an Achilles heel as they stumble towards the postseason, crashing into the finish line. On Friday night at the Home Depot Center, Landon Donovan's 36th minute goal powered the Galaxy to a 1-0 victory over the Rapids, in-front of a crowd of more than 20,000 at Victoria Street. The result was payback for the 3-1 defeat the Galaxy suffered at the hands of the Rapids last year at the Toolbox. In addition, LA became the first team to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs. "We are in the playoffs and it would be nice to win the Supporters’ Shield, that’s the next objective for us," Arena told reporters after the match. "Win the Supporters’ Shield and advance out of group play in the CONCACAF Champions League, which is going to be another big challenge for us. We have those objectives in the short term and certainly we want to go after the MLS ...8Sep/110
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Colorado Rapids Live Blog: Play-by-Play Analysis
Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy faced a must-win situation when they take on Gary Smith's Colorado Rapids in a Major League Soccer contest on Friday night at the Home Depot Center (kickoff: 8 p.m. PT/11 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Channel).Los Angeles defeated Colorado 1-0 thanks to Landon Donovan in the 36th minute of play. With the win, LA improve to 15-3-10 (55 points) and clinch a spot in the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs.Keep it right here on Bleacher Report for continuing coverage of the 2011 MLS season and all things World Football. Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com6Sep/110
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Colorado Rapids: Come Back Soon, Robbie Keane
After dropping two critical points on the road, Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy will hope that fortune smiles on them on Friday when they host the Colorado Rapids at the Home Depot Center. The Galaxy may have the best record in Major League Soccer at 14-3-10 (52 points), but with so many points dropped at and away from Victoria Street, the likes of the rival Seattle Sounders are holding sway. One obvious key to Friday's match is for Los Angeles to hang on to a lead as well as to play a complete 90 minutes of football. Actually, those are two obvious keys. "We got a good second goal and you think at that point we’re just going to say ‘Listen, we’re on the road, it’s one of those nights, don’t give up another goal and get out of here.’ We didn’t get it done," Arena told MLSSoccer.com's Luis Bueno on Monday after their 2-2 draw with Sporting Kansas City. "We made too many individual mistakes, too many mental mistakes over the last ten minutes or so." Team captain/midfielder Landon Donovan was also one to find excuses for the club laying an egg against Sporting. "It always happens this time ...6Sep/110
MLS: LA Galaxy’s Frankie Hejduk Lays Egg in 2-2 Draw with Sporting Kansas City
Oh, Frankie Hejduk. What a waste, pal. You ruined what could have been a vital three points for Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy by sticking your arm out and, in the process, allowing Omar Bravo to redeem for his inability to finish. The Galaxy wasted a Sean Franklin brace with some decrepit defending en route to an embarrassing 2-2 draw before a capacity crowd at Livestrong Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas. You know, Frankie, I cannot wait for the day you finally retire from the Galaxy and from football, for all you're worth. You had to commit a penalty minutes from the end of the game. That cannot be tolerated when the MLS Cup Playoffs begin. Knowing how to position yourself when clearing a ball is fundamental. Where did they go? Did your brain get replaced by a can of Vienna sausages, as San Jose Earthquakes' fans suggested, Frank Yallop's cerebrum had been replaced by, Frankie? We all want to know the true story. Aside from the vitriol on a faded black hole in Los Angeles, the Galaxy should have lost this game 4-2. Twice, Sporting Kansas City had chances to equalize before Hejduk's Handballgate (actually it's Armballgate if ...5Sep/110
2011 MLS Power Rankings: Week 25
Ahhh, Labor Day Weekend. For some players, that means a call to national team duty—from 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification to international friendlies. For others, it's a time for players to recharge their batteries and prepare for the September and October gauntlets.Still for others, it's a time to focus on U.S. Open Cup duty, and maybe play a makeup league game or two.Whatever the case may be, this week's MLS Power Rankings don't have a lot of movement for once, with few teams in action. But you can be sure that in Week 26's edition, there will be plenty. Let's take a look at this week's MLS Power Rankings.Begin Slideshow2Sep/110
Los Angeles Galaxy Ins and Outs: September 1, 2011
Berhalter injury updateOn Tuesday, Los Angeles Galaxy defender Gregg Berhalter was diagnosed with a sprained right midfoot injury and was forced to wear a walking cast."We're going to work closely with the medical staff to try and get a gauge on it," Berhalter told MLSSoccer.com's Luis Bueno. "We'll take it week by week."The player-assistant coach noted that this was a "freak injury" and that a short-term memory was in the works heading into the match between Bruce Arena's Galaxy and Peter Vermes's Sporting Kansas City on Monday, Sept. 5 (Kickoff is at 3 p.m. PST and will be broadcast on the Fox Soccer Channel)."You can't control those things and I won't spend too much time worrying about the past," Berhalter said. "I just look forward, look to the future and do as much as I can to get back as soon as possible."With injuries to Leonardo, Sean Alvarado and now Berhalter, defenders like Sean Franklin and the relatively-untested Kyle Davies will play a key role in this grueling stretch of matches in September."Those are definitely options that we have [in Franklin and Davies]," Berhalter said. "We've been working at playing different guys in different positions. We can definitely get some ...31Aug/110
Los Angeles Galaxy Ins and Outs, August 31, 2011
Redemption Song for Chad Barrett The last time Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy forward Chad Barrett saw time on the pitch was in a scoreless draw with the Seattle Sounders, on July 4 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. Injuries to his knees prevented Barrett from seeing further time on the pitch. Until the CONCACAF Champions League tie with Alajuelense. Barrett scored in the 77th minute to give Los Angeles a 2-0 victory and plenty of momentum heading into next Monday's contest with Sporting Kansas City at Livestrong Sporting Park (kickoff: 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Channel). "That's what you want," Barrett told MLSSoccer.com's Luis Bueno. "You want a tap-in for your first goal back. It couldn't have worked out better for me." Juan Pablo Angel played forward since Barrett was sidelined, but would make way for Robbie Keane after he was traded to Chivas USA. The skills the Irish striker brings to the table have proven invaluable to the Galaxy's chances at success. "He hasn't even played with us for a week and you can tell how well he connects with us," Barrett said of Keane. "That's just because he's that type of gifted player. ...29Aug/110
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Sporting Kansas City: Into the Midwest Cauldron
Forget about August being the month from hell. That honor now belongs to September. Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy open a grueling month of matches on Monday, September 5 when they travel to Livestrong Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas to take on Sporting Kansas City in an important Major League Soccer encounter. Due to Hurricane Irene postponing the match between the Galaxy and the Red Bulls, teams have been creeping up on Los Angeles, who still lead Major League Soccer with a 14-3-9 record (51 points). In their last meeting with Sporting, the Galaxy scored a 4-1 victory at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. Landon Donovan scored a brace in the 44th and 46th minutes, Juan Pablo Angel added a third in the 64th minute and David Beckham added a fourth in the 87th minute of play. Donovan, forward Robbie Keane and midfielder Chris Birchall will be unavailable for action, due to international team obligations to the USA, the Republic of Ireland and Trinidad and Tobago, respectively. Beckham will, however, be available and is expected to wear the captain's armband on Monday night at Livestrong. He currently leads the team in assists with 11 on the season.Also ...28Aug/110
2011 MLS Power Rankings: Week 24
The 2011 Atlantic hurricane season got into full swing this past week with Irene making landfall, not only wreaking havoc physically, but also wreaking havoc on the 2011 Major League Soccer schedule.Unless a miracle happens in the East, the 2011 Supporters Shield winner will come from the MLS Western Conference. Four teams have a strong case at laying claim to this trophy. All four sit at the top of this week's MLS Power Rankings, led by the high-flying Seattle Sounders.No hurricane's going to stop these power rankings from making webfall. Onward!Begin Slideshow19Aug/110