SOCCER NOTEBOOK: GALAXY WANTS TO END ROAD WOES.

Byline: Daily News

CARSON - It's not like the Galaxy has an aversion to playing on the road, but it has had more than its share of troubles away from Home Depot Center in recent years.

The Galaxy did not win a road game in 2003 and claimed just three away victories last season. Its most recent win on the road was 1-0 in Chicago last June 27.

Since coach Steve Sampson took charge last August, the Galaxy is 0-6-1 in road games, including two playoff losses last fall.

The Galaxy on Saturday plays its first game away from Home Depot Center since a season-opening 3-0 loss at Columbus, taking on expansion Real Salt Lake at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. L.A. is ready to change its road fortunes.

``What lack of success? What are you talking about?'' midfielder Pete Vagenas joked after practice Wednesday. ``My gut feeling is telling me is we're almost a victim of our own success at home. We know in the back of our minds we're a good team, and at the end of the day, playoff teams are going to have to go through Home Depot Center.

``We feel we can beat anybody at any time, and it's almost a fault because (playing at home) is kind of a safety net. It's something we need to change. ... We need to break up that rhythm on the road. It's paramount for this team this year to establish an identity on the road, and we must do better in getting results, whether that's one point or three points.''

Six of the Galaxy's next 10 games and 12 of its next 19 are on the road.

Sampson said the Galaxy must change its approach tactically on the road. A cautious approach won't work, he noted.

``Historically, teams play not to lose on the road rather than play to win,'' he said. ``I think that's maybe an attitude we have to change. The players are confident, the chemistry is great and they feel very good about themselves.''

- Larry Morgan

--Chivas USA believes: Chivas USA coach Thomas Rongen scribbled a note to his players that read, ``Believe in yourselves,'' prior to last weekend's 1-0 victory over Real Salt Lake, the team's first MLS victory.

After starting the season 0-4-1, Chivas has been criticized for how it drafted, for having too offensive an approach, and for having a backline and goalkeeper (Brad Guzan) that was torched for 12 goals in its first five games.

The players kept it all in perspective. MLS schedule-makers hadn't been kind, having Chivas open the season against defending champion D.C. United, followed by games against Western Conference powers FC Dallas and the Galaxy in the first month. After that, they had to go to New England, where they took the Eastern Conference leader to the 88th minute before losing 1-0.

``We have been feeling all along that our record doesn't show what kind of team we are,'' defender Ezra Hendrickson said. ``Through this, we never lost confidence. Being an expansion team, everyone expects you to lose every game. But the coaches have been great in keeping our confidence up, and now we feel like we're right back in the mix.''

Rongen also scribbled the number of points he believed was realistic for Chivas to earn during a three-game stretch: nine. Wins at Colorado on Saturday and at Real Salt Lake next Wednesday would provide the nine points.

- Fred J. Robledo