Galaxy is feeling the hurt
For the Galaxy, today’s Major League Soccer match will involve high altitude and low expectations.
The injury-decimated team, still mathematically alive in its attempt to reach the playoffs, will be without an astonishing eight starters for its road game against the Colorado Rapids.
That’s eight out of 11, or 72%, and it includes the starting back line.
On Saturday morning, less than two hours before the squad was to leave for Denver, the coaching staff still did not know who would be aboard the flight.
“We’re still evaluating players,” Paul Bravo, the former assistant coach who Friday was named the Galaxy’s director of soccer, said at the Home Depot Center. “It’s almost like we’re throwing darts at this point to see who’s healthy.”
Then came the bad news from the medical staff: Not heading for the airport would be David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Chris Albright, Abel Xavier, Ty Harden, Ante Jazic and Kelly Gray -- all of them suffering one type of injury or another.
Also staying home was Kevin Harmse, who threw a punch and was red-carded in Thursday night’s 3-0 loss to Chivas USA and still was waiting to hear from the league whether his suspension will extend beyond today’s match.
Even the players who will take the field at sold-out Dick’s Sporting Goods Park will include several walking wounded. Pete Vagenas, Troy Roberts, Cobi Jones, Kyle Veris and Edson Buddle are going to have to play even though they normally might have been given more time off to recuperate from assorted injuries.
Trying to play too many games in too many places in too little time has played havoc with the Galaxy. Injuries and losses have been the result.
“I think if you look at the schedule you can kind of make that connection,” Bravo said. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that one out.”
Having won only three MLS games all season -- one in April, one in June and the most recent one on July 4 -- Los Angeles should be completely out of the playoff picture, but only seven teams are drawing clear of the pack, leaving the Galaxy to scrap with Columbus, Colorado, Chicago, Toronto and Real Salt Lake for the eighth and final playoff berth.
“We still can salvage our season,” Bravo said. “We still can get into the playoffs, and Colorado is the first step. We’re looking at this as an opportunity to get three points.”
The Rapids, whose roster features former Galaxy players Herculez Gomez, Ugo Ihemelu and Jovan Kirovski, have had their own troubles.
A 10-game winless streak put Coach Fernando Clavijo’s job in serious jeopardy, but subsequent victories over the defending champion Houston Dynamo and New England Revolution have relieved the pressure.
For the Galaxy, no such relief is yet in sight.
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TODAY
at Colorado, 4 PDT, FSNW, Galavision
Site -- Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, Colo.
Radio -- 1700, 830 (Spanish).
Records -- Galaxy 3-9-5; Rapids 6-9-6.
Record vs. Rapids -- 0-1.
Update -- The Rapids beat the Galaxy, 1-0, on a Ugo Ihemelu goal on May 26 and will play Los Angeles again in Carson on Sept. 8. The Rapids are 10 points ahead of the Galaxy.
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