CARSON, Calif. (Monday, July 1, 2013) – The LA Galaxy will open the Group Stage of the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League at home on Tuesday, August 20 when they host Costa Rican side Cartaginés at StubHub Center. For the second straight year, the Galaxy will open the competition with a pair of home games before heading on the road for the final two games of the round, closing out the Group Stage against Isidro Metapán of El Salvador on Thursday, October 24. The club’s complete Champions League Group Stage schedule can be found at the bottom of this release.
The Galaxy, who were drawn into Group 8, have advanced out of the Champions League Group Stage in each of the last two years, winning their group in both the 2011-12 and 2012-13 tournaments. They reached the semifinals of the Champions League for the first time ever in the 2012-13 competition, knocking off Costa Rican side Herediano in the Quarterfinals before falling 3-1 on aggregate to eventual champion Monterrey in the Semifinals. In 10 all-time Group Stage games, the Galaxy are 7-2-1, including a perfect 5-0-0 at home.
As a result of their involvement in the Guinness International Champions Cup, the Galaxy will not play in the first week of the Champions League schedule; with Metapán hosting Cartaginés on Thursday, August 8, one day after the International Champions Cup is completed in Miami.
The Galaxy will host Cartaginés, who are playing in the Champions League for the first time ever, at StubHub Center on Tuesday, August 20 to open their Group Stage schedule. Following that game, there will be nearly a month before the Galaxy return to Champions League play, hosting Isidro Metapán at StubHub Center on Wednesday, September 18. This will be a rematch of the two sides’ first meeting in the Group Stage last year with the Galaxy winning that game 5-2 behind a pair of goals from Juninho and single tallies from Robbie Keane and David Beckham as well as a Metapán own goal.
A week later, on September 25, the Galaxy will travel to Costa Rica to face Cartaginés for the second and final time. This will be LA’s third trip to Costa Rica in the Champions League, losing to a Marcelo Sarvas-led Alajuelense team 1-0 in September 2011 while playing to a 0-0 draw with Herediano in the first leg of their quarterfinal series on March 7, 2013.
The Galaxy will close out the Group Stage on Thursday, October 24 when they travel to El Salvador for the second straight year to face Isidro Metapan. Last year, despite having already clinched the top spot in their group, the Galaxy defeated Metapán 3-2 in El Salvador in the Group Stage finale with Jack McBean scoring a pair of goals and Michael Stephens scoring the eventual game-winner in the 79th minute.
All four of the Galaxy’s Group Stage games will begin at 7 p.m. (PT) and a complete television schedule for those games will be announced at a later date.
DAYDATEOPPONENTTIME (PT)
Tuesday August 20 vs. Cartaginés 7 p.m.
Wednesday September 18 vs. Isidro Metapán 7 p.m.
Wednesday September 25 at Cartaginés 7 p.m.
Thursday October 24 at Isidro Metapán 7 p.m.
