MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER: GALAXY SEEKS REDEMPTION.Byline: Larry Morgan Staff Writer The Galaxy was embarrassed 3-0 in its season opener April 2 in Columbus. Things have been far different for both teams since. The struggling Crew (3-5-0) is fourth in the Eastern Conference after snapping a four-game losing streak, has scored just seven goals in eight games and only one in three road losses. The Galaxy (5-2-0), unbeaten at home, is battling first-place FC Dallas FC Dallas is a professional soccer (football) club based in Frisco, Texas, that participates in Major League Soccer. The club was known as the Dallas Burn from 1996 to 2004. The initials "FC" stand for Football Club. (5-1-3) for supremacy in the West. Galaxy players insist revenge isn't on their minds for tonight's 7:30 rematch at Home Depot The Home Depot (NYSE: HD) is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services. Headquartered in Vinings, just outside Atlanta in unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia, Home Depot employs more than 355,000 people and operates 2,164 big-box Center. Coach Steve Sampson Steve Sampson (born January 19, 1957 in Salt Lake City, Utah) is a soccer coach and the former head coach of the United States men's national team and the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer. says it's about redemption. ``(The first game) was an aberration from what this team has done and can do,'' he said. ``But I understand it from a coaching standpoint, why things didn't click against Columbus.'' The Galaxy was still waiting for players to arrive, and a kick-around the morning of the game was staged so new teammates would have some sort of rapport. Temperatures were in the 30s during the game; snow was cleared from the field just before kickoff. ``That really was the first time the team had trained or played together,'' Sampson said. ``Now we see the importance of that and continuity, communication. ... We want to erase that memory, and the best way to do that is to win on Wednesday night.'' The Galaxy is without Landon Donovan Landon Timothy Donovan (born March 4, 1982 in Ontario, California), is an American professional soccer player on the Los Angeles Galaxy, who is the joint all-time leading scorer for the U.S. National Team (along with Eric Wynalda). , Major League Soccer's second- leading scorer (5 goals, 4 assists), who is with the U.S. national team for Saturday's friendly against England and World Cup qualifiers next week against Costa Rica Costa Rica (kŏs`tə rē`kə), officially Republic of Costa Rica, republic (2005 est. pop. 4,016,000), 19,575 sq mi (50,700 sq km), Central America. and Panama. Columbus is the only MLS See multilevel security. team with a winning all-time record against the Galaxy, at 11-8-4. ``The Crew, for us, historically has been tough ...,'' said Galaxy captain Peter Vagenas, a former UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX star. ``The only games at home I can remember losing have been to the Crew, really. A team coming in here that's humbled us before, we want to right the ship against them.'' --United Nations? Players from 19 different countries will be represented today when AC Milan and Liverpool meet in the UEFA UEFA Union of European Football Associations UEFA n abbr (= Union of European Football Associations) → U.E.F.A. Champions League final in Istanbul, Turkey. Six-time champion Milan will field a lineup with three Brazilians, two Dutchmen, a Ukrainian and an Argentine, with a Dane, Georgian and Portuguese in reserve. Four-time winner Liverpool likely will have nine different nationalities in the starting lineup. --Lewis to return: U.S. midfielder Eddie Lewis (UCLA), who had an emergency appendectomy Appendectomy Definition Appendectomy is the surgical removal of the appendix. The appendix is a worm-shaped hollow pouch attached to the cecum, the beginning of the large intestine. April 23, will be available for World Cup qualifiers June 4 against Costa Rica and June 8 in Panama. Lewis returned May 15 to English club Preston North End. Midfielder DaMarcus Beasley, who suffered a knee injury April 29 playing for Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, also might return for the games. Associated Press contributed. Larry Morgan, (626) 962-8811, Ext. 2272 larry.morgan(at)sgvn.com CAPTION(S): box Box: GALAXY vs. COLUMBUS - Daily News |
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