CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy play in their first U.S. Open Cup home match since 2010 on Wednesday when they host PSA Elite at StubHub Center (7:30 p.m., streamed live on LAGalaxy.com).
No, that’s not a misprint.
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“They must have made a mistake in their blind draw,” Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena mused after training Tuesday as his side prepared for its fourth-round match of the competition, now in its 101st year.
“It’s nice not to have to travel cross country again. We’ve been across the country enough this year, so it’s good to be home.”
The Galaxy will be taking on the Cup’s lone remaining amateur side that would like nothing better than to knock off the MLS powerhouse.
Arena, however, didn’t appear to be concerned with such prospects.
“What else is new?” he said when asked if he dreads matches like this one. “We’ve played 17 games like that.”
The Galaxy, who won the Cup in 2001 and 2005 and lost in last year’s fifth round to the Carolina RailHawks in extra time in Cary, N.C., are 25-14-1 all-time in the competition and reached the final on two other occasions. PSA Elite, based in Irvine and a member of the United States Adult Soccer Association, got to this point by defeating Ventura County Fusion 3-1 in the third round.
PSA Elite is led by Mats Bjurman, has outscored its Cup opponents 11-3 and is no stranger in these parts. They defeated Galaxy II 3-1 on penalty kicks in the third round a year ago.
Arena admitted he doesn’t know “a whole lot” about Wednesday’s opponent but is intent on winning the match.
“I think the most important thing is our team is ready to play,” he said.
The Galaxy’s Gyasi Zardes echoed that sentiment.
“This game matters 100 percent,” he said. “I want to treat this like any other game. It’s a very important Cup game.
“We’ve been unsuccessful the last couple years I’ve been here, so I really want to win Open Cup this year and every game I want to give it my all.”
Sebastian Lletget, who scored his first goal as a member of the Galaxy in last Saturday’s 1-1 tie with the Columbus Crew, promised the Galaxy will be ready Wednesday.
“We have to be really prepared,” he said. “We’re not taking this lightly in any shape or form. We want to win this one. We’re really focused on this game.”
LA Galaxy (MLS) vs. PSA Elite (USASA)
Time/Location: 7:30 p.m. PT; StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.
LA Galaxy Previous Appearances/Best Finish: 14 (2001, 2005; Champions)
LA Galaxy Overall USOC Record: 23-12-1
PSA Elite Appearances/Best Finish: 3 (2014; Fourth Round)
PSA Elite Overall USOC Record: 5-3-2
Broadcast: U.S. Soccer YouTube
- Two-time U.S. Open Cup champions LA Galaxy return to the competition following their 1-0 extra time defeat to the NASL’s Carolina RailHawks in last year’s Fifth Round.
- LA Galaxy defender Todd Dunivant is the last remaining player from the club’s 2005 U.S. Open Cup championship squad, while Edson Buddle also won the competition with Columbus Crew SC in 2001.
- LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena led D.C. United to their first U.S. Open Cup title in 1996. Associate Head Coach Dave Sarachan won two tournament titles as the head coach of the Chicago Fire in 2003 and 2006, while assistant Pat Noonan and goalkeeping coach Matt Reis were part of the New England Revolution’s 2007 championship team. Noonan later won two more titles while with Seattle Sounders FC in 2010 and 2011.
- The last remaining amateur team in the competition, PSA Elite has already equaled their best finish from 2014, where they advanced to the Fourth Round.
- PSA Elite advanced to this stage via a 7-1 victory over Golden State Misioneros (First Round), a 2-1 upset of USL’s OC Blues (Third Round) and 2-1 win vs. the PDL’s Ventura County Fusion (Third Round).
- PSA Elite’s Mats Bjurman is tied for second on the tournament’s Golden Boot list with three goals in as many matches.
- Following a 0-0 draw, PSA Elite defeated LA Galaxy II 3-1 on penalty kicks in the Third Round of the 2014 competition.
- The LA Galaxy are 3-0-0 all-time against Open Division (amateur teams), while PSA Elite are 0-1-0 against MLS sides in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
- The LA Galaxy played to a 1-1 home draw with Columbus Crew SC on Saturday and are currently sixth in the MLS Western Conference with a 5-5-7 record (22 points).
