7:00 pm, Home Depot Center TV: Fox Soccer Channel Radio: Spanish 1330AM
In the first of three matches this week involving Galaxy players, Los Angeles shall face Puerto Rico Islanders of the USSF Division 2 Pro League in the first leg of the preliminary round. A return leg shall be player in Puerto Rico next week, with the winner moving on to the Champions League group stages.
This is only the third year of the CONCACAF Champions League tournament, and the Galaxy's first appearance under the new name and rules. The previous tournament, known as CONCACAF Champions Cup, ran from 1962 to 2008. The LA Galaxy won this small, 8 team tournament in 2000 with a victory over CD Olympia of Honduras, qualifying them for the 2001 FIFA Club World Championship. The tournament was never played due to financial constraints. The tournament resumed play in 2005. CONCACAF rebranded and expanded their tournament in 2008 after the model of the UEFA Champions League.
The Galaxy's last appearance in the tournament was in 2006, where they lost an aggregate goal series to Saprissa of Costa Rica.
Should the Galaxy advance past Puerto Rico, winners of the 2010 Caribbean Football Union Club Championship, they will be placed in Group D, along with Mexican champion Toluca, CD Olympia, and the winner between FAS of El Salvador and Xelaju of Guatemala.