Galaxy Looking for More Payback

Who’s next?

How about the San Jose Earthquakes?

After all, the Galaxy has already earned retribution in the form of home-field victories the last two games over Colorado, which had upended the Galaxy a week earlier, and Kansas City, which used a late goal to keep the Galaxy winless through its first eight games.

Now the Galaxy’s in-state rivals, who handed the defending Major League Soccer champion its first loss of the season, come to the pristine Home Depot Center for a midweek match to close out the Galaxy’s three-game homestand.

“There’s a good, healthy level of respect and a good, healthy level of competition between the teams,” Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid said. “The rivalry has really flourished recently because the quality of play has improved.”

San Jose had been a league bottom feeder until winning the MLS Cup in 2001, and while the Galaxy has long been a league power, it will be short-handed tonight.

Defender Danny Califf and midfielder Simon Elliott, who are representing their native countries, the United States and New Zealand, in the Confederations Cup in France, are out and defender Hong Myung-Bo might not play because of a bruised knee.

Most damaging to the Galaxy, though, is the absence of playmaking midfielder Mauricio Cienfuegos, who picked up two yellow cards in Saturday night’s 2-1 victory over Kansas City.

Cienfuegos, who has recaptured some of his all-star form in his final season, was so incensed at the officiating in the game that he had to be restrained from going after referee Ricardo Salazar after the final whistle and was summarily hit with his second yellow card.

With Cienfuegos out against the Earthquakes, Schmid figures to start Gavin Glinton, normally a forward, wide in the midfield.