Photo by David Bernal/ISIphotos.com
With the New York Red Bulls fighting for their postseason lives, the club is in need of anything that will tilt the scales in its favor.
The Red Bulls received a bit of a boost with the word that Landon Donovan (strained quadriceps) didn't travel with Los Angeles for the highly anticipated match at Red Bull Arena (8 p.m., ESPN2). Donovan's absence isn't a huge surprise after he withdrew from the U.S. national team for the friendlies against Honduras and Ecuador with the ailment. Donovan joins Robbie Keane and Chris Birchall (international duty) among the inactives for the Galaxy, who can clinch their second consecutive Supporters' Shield with a victory.
New York, meanwhile, is barely hanging on to the final wildcard spot following its draw with Toronto over the weekend. The Red Bulls are even on 40 points with the Portland Timbers through 31 games but have the edge in goal differential. D.C. United trails both teams by two points but has a game in hand, and resurgent Chicago trails both New York and Portland by three points through the same amount of games.
The Galaxy and Red Bulls played to a 1-1 draw at the Home Depot Center in their other meeting this season, with Donovan and Thierry Henry trading goals in a memorable early-season match.
Here are a few more items from around MLS to kick-start your day:
IMPACT START TO TAKE SHAPE
The Montreal Impact will join MLS in 2012, and the club announced its first signing to its MLS roster on Monday by inking central defender Nelson Rivas.
Rivas, a 28-year-old Colombian, formerly played with Inter Milan and River Plate after a few seasons with clubs in his native Colombia.
He made 28 appearances for Inter between 2007 and 2011 and was twice sent on loan during his time with the Italian power. The Impact made a point to announce that his deal with the club is not a Designated Player deal.
The Impact also added to its coaching staff, with longtime former USL and MLS goalkeeper Preston Burpo signing on as goalkeepers coach.
WEAVER OUT FOR SEASON
The Houston Dynamo lost Cam Weaver for the rest of the season after the team announced that the forward will undergo hip surgery on Thursday.
Weaver had been playing through the pain for the better part of the season, but the injury is at the point where it requires the procedure.
————————–
Who do you see winning the Galaxy-Red Bulls match considering Los Angeles' absences? What do you think of the Impact's first signing? Think the Dynamo will miss Weaver?
Share your thoughts below.