Mexican Star Sanchez to Play in L.A.

Local fans will be able to see two CONCACAF teams in a practice match Oct. 9 when El Salvador will meet Mexico at 8:30 p.m. at the Coliseum.

On Oct. 28, Mexico’s Club America and Costa Rica’s Club Alajuela will play for the title in the CONCACAF Tournament of Club Champions at 8 p.m. at the Coliseum.

Tickets are $15 for general admission and free for women and for children younger than six.

It will be the first chance in a long time for Los Angeles fans to see Mexican star Hugo Sanchez play.

Sanchez, 33, recently signed with Club America after seven years with Real Madrid in the Spanish League first division, where he won five scoring titles.

The former golden boy of Mexican soccer, Sanchez departed Spain embroiled in controversy. He was fined 1 million pesetas ($9,600) and suspended with a few matches remaining in the 1991-92 Spanish season for making comments the club thought were inappropriate and that threatened the authority of Coach Leo Beenhakker.

Sanchez, who is not on the Mexican national team that will face El Salvador, apparently upset the Dutch-born Beenhakker several times by telling reporters he would not sit on the bench as a substitute.

Beenhakker was fired by Real Madrid at season’s end.

Sanchez was honored in East Los Angeles in March, 1990, when the soccer field at Belvedere Park was named after him in a ceremony attended by the player, dignitaries and fans.