Home-Field Atmosphere Helps Galaxy
The Galaxy’s home-opening win last Saturday was barely a few minutes old when Coach Sigi Schmid, his guarantee of a victory to christen the Home Depot Center a reality, was asked if he had any more predictions for his team’s next game.
“I don’t know if I can be Nostradamus,” Schmid said sheepishly, realizing that the Galaxy would next be playing host to Major League Soccer’s hottest team, the Kansas City Wizards, tonight. “I do know that we plan on winning. We owe them.”
The Wizards upended the Galaxy, 2-1, at Arrowhead Stadium on an 89th-minute goal by Preki on May 24, contributing to the Galaxy’s misery of an eight-game season-opening trip that yielded no wins.
“We owe a lot of teams,” Galaxy captain Cobi Jones said. “We were put in a tough situation at the beginning of the season, so now it’s time to even things up.”
And what better way to do that than by using a newfound home-field advantage in Carson? After all, the Galaxy carved out a home record of 14-1-2 at the Rose Bowl last season, including the playoffs.
The Wizards bring more to the table than Colorado, the team the Galaxy beat, 2-0, a week ago. Kansas City, which has lost only once and is tied for the league’s best record with New York/New Jersey at 17 points, is a helter-skelter team that not only leads the league in scoring (19 goals) but in goals allowed (15).
Preki, who turns 40 on June 24, is the leading MLS scorer with 15 points, recording six goals and three assists. He also has been a scoring machine against the Galaxy, lighting it up for eight goals and seven assists overall.
“He’s an ageless wonder,” Schmid said. “He should be doing ginseng commercials.”
The Home Depot Center, meanwhile, has done wonders for the Galaxy’s psyche, which was a bit bruised after going 0-4-4 in its first eight matches.
“We’ve begun to gain confidence, which is good,” goalkeeper Kevin Hartman said. “I thought that last week a lot of the guys came out and showed a much more true effort. It was good to see.”
As was the full house of 27,000.
“Obviously the ambience last week was tremendous,” Schmid said. “If we come close to replicating that this weekend, that would be a nice plus.”
U.S. Streak on Line
In what will be its second-to-last match before Coach April Heinrichs selects her team for the Women’s World Cup, the United States will field a veteran-filled roster for today’s match against Ireland in Salt Lake City. Such regulars as Brandi Chastain, Mia Hamm and Tiffeny Milbrett were selected, as was high school senior Heather O’Reilly, for what will be the U.S. team’s first game on an artificial surface.
Ireland, in Group 5 of qualifying for the 2005 European Women’s Championship, has beaten Bosnia-Herzegovina, 6-0, played Croatia to a scoreless tie and thumped Romania, 19-0, in its first three matches.
The U.S., which is riding a 20-game home unbeaten streak at 18-0-2 dating to Dec. 10, 2000, beat Ireland, 5-0, in the only other meeting between the teams, with Milbrett scoring twice.
Barca Beckons Beckham
Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta, who made a campaign promise to land David Beckham should he win the election, dismissed stories Friday that rival Real Madrid was about to spirit away the world’s most popular player from Manchester United.
Laporta claimed that he has a standing deal with Manchester and the only way Real can land Beckham is if he vetoes a sale to Barcelona and then Real beats Barca in a bidding war.
Laporta was undaunted by fellow candidate Josep Martinez-Rovira’s claim that the England captain already had a house in Madrid and was looking for a school for his children.
“He can look for ... whatever he wants, but [any] agreement between [Manchester and Real] is blocked because Manchester has given us first option,” Laporta said. “Madrid does not have a deal with Beckham.”
Beckham, though, had a deal with Queen Elizabeth II on Friday as he was awarded the OBE -- Officer of the Order of the British Empire -- for services to English soccer.
Albania Gets Win
Because Ireland used an ineligible player in its 2-1 win over Albania in the European under-21 championship on June 6, the Albanians were awarded a 3-0 forfeit win. The UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body ruled that the Irish should not have played Liam Miller, who had been suspended after repeated cautions. Ireland can appeal by Monday.
Times wire services contributed to this report.
