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Chivas’ Galindo may sit

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Times Staff Writer

Chivas USA, already without scoring threat Ante Razov, probably also will be missing its leading goal scorer, Maykel Galindo, for Saturday’s playoff game against Kansas City.

Galindo revealed Tuesday he has a sports hernia and may face surgery. “But in all honesty I can’t get operated on” yet, he said in Spanish. “I think treatment and [rehab] work, after all that’s what’s easing my pain, is the best thing for now.”

Any surgery will have to wait until after the playoffs, he said. Galindo was diagnosed with an abdominal strain about six weeks ago. He said the pain is so great that it prevents him from running fast, making sharp cuts or kicking with his left foot.

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The forward played in the team’s season finale against Houston and was barely able to walk the day after. On Friday, he practiced in Kansas City, but was scratched from the lineup on game day.

On Monday, Galindo was examined by team physician Michael Gerhardt and said he was diagnosed with the hernia, a weakening of muscles in the lower abdomen area.

Chivas Coach Preki said the report he received is that Galindo has a light abdominal strain. “Whatever it is, it’s the injury that he has, so he has to find a way to deal with it,” Preki said.

Galindo and Razov accounted for half of the team’s goals this season.

Galindo’s absence further complicates matters for Chivas, which heads into Saturday’s return-leg game against Kansas City at the Home Depot Center down 1-0 in overall aggregate score. Razov will “for sure” miss his fourth consecutive game since spraining his left knee Oct. 11, Preki said.

“It will be difficult, no doubt,” Preki said, “but I still feel we have enough.”

Preki said he is considering starting defender Jonathan Bornstein at forward.

jaime.cardenas@latimes.com

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