Goalkeeper Brian Rowe is the latest Galaxy starter sidelined by injury
The Galaxy’s injury woes continued to mount Thursday with the team saying goalkeeper Brian Rowe will miss six to eight weeks with a groin injury. That comes a day after the team announced center back Daniel Steres will be out several weeks with a hamstring strain.
As a result, the Galaxy flew to Washington, D.C., for Saturday’s game against D.C. United with more first-team starters on the sidelines than in uniform. Also out are midfielders Jermaine Jones (MCL sprain), Sebastian Lletget (foot fracture) and Baggio Husidic (broken fibula), while defender Robbie Rogers (foot) was placed on the season-ending injury list last month.
Ten starters have missed at least one game to injury this season, with Jones, who rejoined the Galaxy in training this week, the only one currently sidelined who is expected back within the next four weeks.
“Whenever there’s a player out, it’s an opportunity for someone else to step up,” Galaxy coach Curt Onalfo said. “So that’s how we deal with it. We’re a group that always tries to find solutions. We don’t make excuses.
“It’s just put the next guy in. That’s how we’re looking at it.”
In the case of Rowe, with backup goalie Clement Diop off on international duty with Senegal, the next guy in is third-string keeper Jon Kempin, who hasn’t appeared in an MLS game since 2015.
Rowe injured himself Monday while putting in some extra work on his own. The former UCLA keeper is 3-2-2 with a 1.57 goals-against average in seven starts this season
Steres will be replaced by Dave Romney, who will make his fourth start of the season Sunday at his fourth position on the backline.
“Obviously it’s unfortunate,” Romney said of the injuries. “But you just think about all the successful teams in sports — the Patriots or the Spurs — when guys go down, it’s the next man up. That’s something we’ve done a pretty solid job of this season.”
The Galaxy (5-5-2) left for Washington and their third East Coast trip of the year riding a five-game unbeaten streak that includes three consecutive road victories. The Galaxy have never won four straight road games in as many weeks.
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