Crew, Galaxy Like Winning Feeling

The Los Angeles Galaxy and Columbus Crew are set to do battle on Saturday night at the Home Depot Center, both teams coming off much-needed wins in their last match.

For the Galaxy, it’s a chance to build on their 3-2 victory over Real Salt Lake last Sunday, a game that saw two players (Nate Jaqua, Edson Buddle) tally their first scores for the team. Buddle scored in his first appearance for the club, while Jaqua hadn’t scored since the semifinal round of the 2006 playoffs, an eight-game drought.

Columbus broke a seven-game winless streak on Wednesday with a 2-1 win over the Kansas City Wizards at Crew Stadium. Guillermo Barros Schelotto assisted on Stefani Miglioranzi’s eventual game-winner, extending the former Boca Juniors star’s streak to four-straight games with an assist.

Columbus continues to be short-handed, having to cope with the loss of Frankie Hejduk to Gold Cup and Tim Ward, Robbie Rogers and Danny Szetela, all to the U-20 World Cup. Striker Andy Herron, maybe the Crew’s most potent offensive threat, is out for this match, suffering from a left hip flexor strain.

The Galaxy will have reinforcements on the way. After missing three games with the Canadian national team for Gold Cup 2007, Ante Jazic and Kevin Harmse are set to make their return to L.A.’s starting XI against Columbus. The pair’s services became available after the U.S. eliminated Canada by a score of 2-1 in Thursday’s evening semifinal match.

Though the Galaxy will be without Landon Donovan once more, the team added two players in mid-week, officially signing Honduran forward Carlos Pavon and trading for Real Salt Lake’s Chris Klein. Pavon is not eligible to play in this match as he is awaiting his work visa. Klein, who has earned 21 caps and scored three goals with the national team, should be in the lineup.