Real Salt Lake

The Major League Soccer schedule stretches into December for the first time this year, making the season more of a marathon than it's been in the past. For the defending champion Galaxy, however, it's starting off with a sprint. When the Galaxy opens its league season Saturday night at the Home Depot Center against Real Salt Lake, it will be playing the second of four games in a 12-day stretch, a test of stamina brought on by the overlapping schedules of the CONCACAF Champions League and MLS. "It is what it is," Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena said after Friday's hourlong practice.

When: 6 PDT. Where: Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah. On the air: TV: KWHY, Prime Ticket. Records: Chivas 0-2, Real Salt Lake 2-0. Record vs. Real Salt Lake (2011): 0-2. Update: Chivas USA is the only team in the Western Conference without a win this season. And it's one of just three teams without a goal. But wait, it gets worse because Chivas figures to play this game without striker Juan Pablo Angel, who did not make the trip to Utah and will miss his second consecutive match with post-concussion symptoms.

When: 6 PDT. Where: Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah. On the Air: TV: Prime Ticket (delayed, 10:30 p.m.); Radio: 1150, 1330. Records: Galaxy 1-0-1; Real 1-0-0. Record vs. Real (2010): 1-1. Update: Landon Donovan is with the U.S. national team for Saturday's game against Argentina in New Jersey, so David Beckham will wear the captain's armband for the Galaxy. Goalkeeper Josh Saunders will be in the nets for the third game in a row because Donovan Ricketts still is overcoming a hamstring strain.

The Galaxy unveiled its 2011 championship banner to considerable fanfare before a sellout crowed Saturday at Home Depot Center. Given the way the team played in the game that followed, it may be a while before it gets a chance to celebrate another title. Sloppy on defense for much of the night, the Galaxy completely unraveled late in the second half, allowing Real Salt Lake to rally from a one-goal deficit to a 3-1 win in the Major League Soccer season opener for both teams. The Galaxy boasted the league's best defense last year, giving up less than a goal a game.

Chivas USA tonight AT REAL SALT LAKE Time : 6 p.m. On the air : TV: FSN West; Radio: 690. Where : Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah. Records : Chivas USA 10-7-3, Real 7-9-6. Record vs. Real : 1-0. Update : Back-to-back 2-0 victories over New York and Toronto have lightened the mood considerably in the Chivas locker room, with the players' confidence restored after five consecutive losses. Coach Preki said the signing of Brazilian forward Maicon Santos and Mexican midfielder Jesus Padilla also has boosted the club.

One momentary lapse in concentration cost Major League Soccer's Real Salt Lake everything on Wednesday night. That moment came in the dying seconds of the first half at Rio Tinto Stadium, in Sandy, Utah, where Real came into the second leg of its CONCACAF Champions League final against Monterrey of Mexico unbeaten at home in 37 games since 2009. But the streak crumbled and Real's hopes of winning the regional championship and advancing to the FIFA Club World Cup in December fell apart at the feet of veteran Chilean striker Humberto Suazo.

A cold night, two exhausted teams, overtime inconclusive, penalty kicks underway and a national championship on the line. That was the scenario at Qwest Field on Sunday night when Landon Donovan stepped up to take his penalty. The Galaxy and Real Salt Lake had played each other to a 1-1 standstill after 120 minutes, including a half-hour of overtime, in front of a wind-chilled crowd of 46,011 in Major League Soccer's 2009 title game. It had all come down to spot kicks from 12 yards, kicks that saw the Utah side prevail, 5-4, to win its first MLS title in only its fifth season of existence.

The Major League Soccer schedule stretches into December for the first time this year, making the season more of a marathon than it's been in the past. For the defending champion Galaxy, however, it's starting off with a sprint. When the Galaxy opens its league season Saturday night at the Home Depot Center against Real Salt Lake, it will be playing the second of four games in a 12-day stretch, a test of stamina brought on by the overlapping schedules of the CONCACAF Champions League and MLS. "It is what it is," Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena said after Friday's hourlong practice.

By the time the Galaxy hoisted Major League Soccer's championship cup last November, it was recognized by many as the best team in MLS history. Then it got better. So when the defending champions open the league's new season at the Home Depot Center against Real Salt Lake on Saturday night, the Galaxy will do so knowing that anything short of a second consecutive title will be a failure. "We need to perform like we did last year. If not better," said midfielder David Beckham, whose team had the best record in the regular season (19-5-10)

Chivas USA has signed Mexican striker Cesar Romero and two other players as it prepares for next month's Major League Soccer season opener. Romero, 22, last played for Murcielagos FC de Guamuchil in Mexico's second division. Chivas also added midfielder Peter Vagehas and defender Rauswhan McKenzie. Vagenas, 33, of Pasadena, a 12-year MLS veteran, played 16 matches for the Vancouver Whitecaps last season after spending two years with the Seattle Sounders and nine with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

As confetti and fireworks rained down on a chilly Home Depot Center on Sunday night, marking the Galaxy's 3-1 win over Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer's Western Conference final, Robbie Keane stepped atop a hastily constructed platform at midfield, taking his place alongside Landon Donovan and David Beckham. That's the way the Galaxy envisioned things would be when Keane joined the team in mid-August on a transfer from Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League: Keane, Donovan and Beckham standing head and shoulders above their teammates and leading the way to a league title.

There will be no need for introductions or name tags when the Galaxy and its old foe Real Salt Lake square off in Major League Soccer's Western Conference final Sunday at the Home Depot Center. "We know each other well, there's no doubt," Galaxy captain Landon Donovan said. "We know how they play, they know how we play. " Added Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena: "It's not like we need to alert our players who we're playing, who's on the field, what they do. " Or what they do at this time of year, since both teams are also quite familiar with the playoffs.

Over the last three seasons no Major League Soccer team has won more regular-season games than the Galaxy. But over that same period few teams have been more disappointing in the postseason than the Galaxy, who last won a title six years and five coaches ago. Now, however, things are setting up nicely for that streak to end. With Mike Magee scoring in the first half and Landon Donovan adding a penalty-kick goal late in the second, the...

Maybe it was a punishing schedule that had the Galaxy play eight games in 26 days. Maybe it was a dogged Real Salt Lake team that has traditionally given the Galaxy fits. Or maybe it was simply the law of averages finally taking hold. Wherever you place the credit, or blame, it took a second-half goal that bounced off a Real Salt defender for a fatigued and frustrated Galaxy to rally for a 2-1 victory Saturday at a sold-out Home Depot Center, preserving their unbeaten record at home.