The matches are real tonight in Major League Soccer, and they will be again a week from now.
But not all the passing and shooting will be of the most serious variety.
In fact, the thought of Alexi Lalas chasing some 17-year-old around the field …visions of Cobi Jones testing the wheels along the right side … the possibility of Clint Mathis of today channeling Clint Mathis 2002 and reliving his famous strike against South Korea … yeah, all of that sounds like a real hoot, eh?
The LA Galaxy just announced its roster for the team’s annual Alumni Night. A team backstopped by Kevin Hartman, a starting MLS goalkeeper this time last year, will take on the Galaxy’s under-18s. (They’ll play before the younger Galaxy guys take on Real Salt Lake at the StubHub Center in Carson.)
Prediction: We’ll see if Hartman still has it. He’ll be busy.
The Galaxy alums will wear the club’s colors from 1996, the league’s inaugural season.
Here is LA’s complete alumni roster:
GOALKEEPER: Kevin Hartman
DEFENDERS: Dan Calichman, Paul Caligiuri, Alexi Lalas, Danny Pena, Greg Vanney
MIDFIELDERS: Alex Bengard, Mauricio Cienfuegos, Simon Elliott, Adam Frye, Cobi Jones, Chris Klein, Eddie Lewis, Jesus Ochoa, Peter Vagenas, Brad Wilson
FORWARDS: Jovan Kirovski, Clint Mathis, Pat Noonan, Ante Razov