Los Angeles Galaxy Will Face Shamrock Rovers For Preseason
Dec 8, 2014; Hermosa Beach, CA, USA; A youngster holds No. 10 as a tribute to Los Angeles Galaxy forward Landon Donovan (not pictured) at the 2014 MLS championship victory celebration at Hermosa Beach Pier. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Fresh off a successful MLS Cup-winning campaign, Bruce Arena’s Los Angeles Galaxy will be opening their preseason on Feb. 21, 2015 against Pat Fenton’s Shamrock Rovers F.C. of the FAI League of Ireland Premier Division at Tallaght Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. GMT/8 a.m. PT. The game marks a homecoming for defending MLS MVP Robbie Keane, who was raised in Tallaght. Keane has made 138 caps for the Republic of Ireland National team, with over 60 goals to his name.
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Shamrock Rovers F.C. have won a record 17 League of Ireland titles, 24 Football Association of Ireland Senior Challenge Cups (FAI Cup) and 18 League of Ireland Shields. This past season, Shamrock finished fourth with a record of 18-8-7, behind league champions Dundalk, Cork City and St. Patrick’s Athletic.
Galaxy forward Chandler Hoffman was selected by the Houston Dynamo last Thursday in the second stage of the 2014 MLS Re-Entry Draft. Hoffman, 24, was acquired by LA in a trade with the Philadelphia Union in March 2013. Hoffman, originally selected with the 13th pick of the 2013 MLS SuperDraft by Philadelphia, made eight appearances for the Galaxy in 2014. He led Galaxy II in goals this year with 13 during the regular season.
The San Jose Earthquakes and Houston Dynamo were the busiest teams in Stage 2 of the MLS Re-Entry Draft on Thursday, with each club selecting two players to try and bolster their squads ahead of 2015. The Quakes picked up veteran defender Marvell Wynne and winger Sanna Nyassi, while the Houston Dynamo also grabbed journeyman midfielder Nathan Sturgis.
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Veteran defender Bakary Soumare was the first player taken overall in the draft, by the Montreal Impact. FC Dallas also selected a familiar face in veteran forward/winger Atiba Harris, who played for the team in 2009-10 and started up top in the 2010 MLS Cup final.
The New England Revolution used their first-round pick on forward Tristan Bowen, while 2015 expansion side Orlando City SC selected Josh Ford, a former backup goalkeeper with the Seattle Sounders who has yet to make an MLS appearance. Here is the list of selections from the second stage.
MLS Re-Entry Draft Stage 2 Selections:
Montreal Impact – Bakary Soumare (D)
San Jose Earthquakes – Marvell Wynne (D), Sanna Nyassi (MF) (2nd round)
Houston Dynamo – Chandler Hoffman (F), Nathan Sturgis (MF) (2nd Round)
FC Dallas – Atiba Harris (F/MF)
New England Revolution – Tristan Bowen (F)
Orlando City SC – Josh Forde (GK)
Finally, the Galaxy will open the 2015 Major League Soccer season on Mar. 6 at home against Frank Yallop’s Chicago Fire at StubHub Center. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT and will be broadcast by UniMas. This match will mark the 40th time that the Galaxy have faced Chicago in the MLS Regular Season and just the second time the clubs will face each other in the opening game of the season.
The previous match also occurred when the Galaxy were the returning MLS Cup champions as the clubs played on March 3, 2013. The Galaxy are 9-8-2 all time in opening matches. In 2014, the Galaxy went 12-1-4 at StubHub Center during the regular season, scoring 44 goals and allowing just 14. Below are the list of home openers for Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 10.
WEEK 1
Friday, March 6
LA Galaxy vs. Chicago Fire (StubHub Center)
Saturday, March 7
D.C. United vs. Montreal Impact (RFK Stadium)
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Toronto FC (BC Place)
Houston Dynamo vs. Columbus Crew SC (BBVA Compass Stadium)
Philadelphia Union vs. Colorado Rapids (PPL PARK)
Portland Timbers vs. Real Salt Lake (Providence Park)
FC Dallas vs. San Jose Earthquakes (Toyota Stadium)
Sunday, March 8
Orlando City SC vs. New York City FC (Orlando Citrus Bowl)
Sporting Kansas City vs. New York Red Bulls (Sporting Park)
Seattle Sounders FC vs. New England Revolution (CenturyLink Field)
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WEEK 2
Saturday, March 14
Chicago Fire vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Toyota Park)
Real Salt Lake vs. Philadelphia Union (Rio Tinto Stadium)
Columbus Crew SC vs. Toronto FC (Columbus Crew Stadium)
Sunday, March 15
New York City FC vs. New England Revolution (Yankee Stadium)
WEEK 3
Saturday, March 21
New England Revolution vs. Montreal Impact (Gillette Stadium)
Colorado Rapids vs. New York City FC (Dick’s Sporting Goods Park)
Sunday, March 22
New York Red Bulls vs. D.C. United (Red Bull Arena)
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Chicago Fire (Avaya Stadium)
WEEK 4
Saturday, March 28
Montreal Impact vs. Orlando City SC (Olympic Stadium)
WEEK 10
Sunday, May 10
Toronto FC vs. Houston Dynamo (BMO Field)
*Home opener to follow BMO Field renovations