CARSON, Calif. – Robbie Keane has logged 80 minutes off the bench in his return from a groin injury that sidelined him for seven weeks, helping the LA Galaxy to successive shutout victories at home over the Houston Dynamo and Real Salt Lake.
Now LA head east to take on the New England Revolution on Sunday (7 pm ET; Fox Sports 1) in a rematch of last year's MLS Cup final. How many minutes will Keane see?
How about none?
That appears possible as the Irish striker continues to build game fitness following a prolonged absence, and how he feels about stepping onto the artificial surface at Gillette Stadium could be the determining factor.
“We'll have to see,” Keane said following Wednesday's 1-0 triumph over RSL when he was asked if he was looking for minutes in Sunday's clash in Foxborough, Mass. “We'll have to sit down with everybody and see where we stand.”
Keane, the Galaxy's captain, says he feels good and strong after coming on in the 56th minute and setting up Alan Gordon's winning goal in last weekend's 1-0 victory over Houston and then playing the second half against RSL.
“It always takes a little bit of time to, certainly, get to 100 percent,” he said, “but these minutes certainly do help. ... I'll just get stronger and stronger the more games I play, the more training I do. I only started training [on May 19], so it's only been [a little more than a week]. I've got nearly 90 minutes in a week after being out for seven weeks.
“I'm going to get stronger and stronger. I just continue to progress and continue to work hard off the field and on the training field and getting the minutes in.”
Galaxy coach Bruce Arena says Keane is coming along.
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“It's great to have him back,” Arena said. “As you can see, he's going to need some time. He's worked real hard to get to this point, and now we've just got to be a little bit patient and let him get him minutes in and let him get his touch back a little bit, his confidence. I would think in a matter of weeks, Robbie's going to be back in pretty good form.”
In the meantime, the team is being careful. Keane believes the turf at BC Place in Vancouver, where he was hurt in an April 4 loss to the Whitecaps, played a role in his injury, and he's long been vocal about his dislike of fake grass.
He was asked if he was ready to step onto artificial turf.
“Nope. Never,” he replied.
Arena said no decision has been made on whether Keane would be used.
“Turf is a consideration all the time with players that have an injury or are coming back from an injury,” Arena said.
LA will again be without outside backs Robbie Rogers (Achilles), Todd Dunivant (leg) and A.J. DeLaGarza (foot/groin) against the Revs.
Dunivant has returned to full training and might be available for minutes in the June 6 game against the Vancouver Whitecaps at StubHub Center if next week's training sessions go well. Rogers hopes to be training fully next week. DeLaGarza hasn't been seen at training since the May 17 loss to Orlando City SC.
