More from Portland, plus a look forward

We’ve got one eye in the rear-view mirror and one eye on the road this morning.

Looking back to Friday night’s victory over the Portland Timbers, we note that the Oregonian has a match report online. It’s a pretty Timbers-centric story, though, so there’s really no need to read it unless you simply must read everything written about the Quakes.

Looking forward to the 2008 season, we’ll pass along a preview from the Miami Herald and another from Grahame Jones of the L.A. Times, who has this to say about the Quakes:

The San Jose Earthquakes, who open their season against the Galaxy at the Home Depot Center on Thursday night, will not be a typical expansion team.

Under the guidance of Coach Frank Yallop, the former Galaxy coach, the Earthquakes have compiled a 5-1-2 preseason record against professional opponents, the latest victory being a 2-1 win over the Portland Timbers on Friday night.

Yallop’s starting lineup showed strength in all areas. It featured Joe Cannon in goal, Jason Hernandez, Ryan Cochrane, Nick Garcia and Eric Denton in defense, Ronnie O’Brien, Ned Grabavoy, Ramiro Corrales and Ivan Guerrero in midfield, and Kei Kamara and Shea Salinas up front.

We couldn’t help noticing that those words are distinctly more complimentary than what Jones wrote about the Galaxy’s 4-0 loss to the Rapids last night:

In a victory as surprising as it was comprehensive, the injury-riddled Rapids, missing half a dozen, toyed with and ultimately embarrassed Los Angeles, 4-0, in the opening match of the Major League Soccer season for both teams.

The Galaxy, embarrassed? Oh Grahame, we love it when you talk that way. Go on.

Colorado was faster to the ball, more lively and inventive in its approach, quick to close down defensively and, in the end, hungrier for the victory.

Mmm hmmm. Anything else?

Everything that could go wrong for the Galaxy did go wrong.

Defender Abel Xavier got a red card for “abusive language” and will sit out Thursday’s home opener against the San Jose Earthquakes at the Home Depot Center. “The ref was a disgrace,” the Portuguese veteran said afterward.

Forward Carlos Ruiz suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee near the end and is questionable for Thursday.

Things don’t seem to be going well for the Super Club, but we can only take so much pleasure from their travails. Still, missing Xavier could be a big problem for the Galaxy on Thursday. As last night’s score indicates, L.A. did not look solid in the back and taking away one of their top defenders is not likely to improve the situation. As for Ruiz, we’ve seen just enough horror movies to know that you can never believe the villain is out of the picture until the closing credits roll, so we’ll withhold judgment on that for now.

We can hardly wait for Thursday night, though. We’ll have complete coverage of the Quakes’ season opener from Home Depot Center in Carson. We won’t be able to do this for every Quakes road game, but we knew we had to be there for this one. See you then? Good!