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Galaxy-Wizards Preview

Apr 23, 2010 - 6:18 PM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

Los Angeles (4-0-0) at Kansas City (2-1-0), 8:30 p.m. EDT

If Edson Buddle keeps it up, he may not be playing MLS games come summer.

Buddle, whose unprecedented start has lifted the Los Angeles Galaxy to an unbeaten record, can continue making his case for a spot on the U.S. national team in a matchup with the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday night.

Buddle has scored all seven of Los Angeles' goals to help it go 4-0 for the first time since winning its first nine games in 1998. The veteran forward is the first player to score seven goals in the first four games of a season.

"It's going to open up a lot of other players," Buddle said. "We have some surprises coming. Right now, I'm scoring but I'm not going to score the whole season."

He is starring on a Galaxy club that includes U.S. national team regular Landon Donovan. Buddle may very well join Donovan at the 2010 World Cup this summer, having put himself into consideration for next month's final training camp.

A preliminary 30-may roster is due May 11. Buddle hasn't played for the United States since 2003, having been held back by inconsistent play.

After scoring 15 goals in 2008, injuries limited him to five last season. He's healthy now, benefiting from spending the offseason in California working out rather than returning home to New York.

"When you are consistently injured, you lack confidence in a lot of things. So being healthy for a long period of time, he's more confident and more consistent without having to start fresh all the time," coach Bruce Arena said. "I think the biggest thing about him is he's a big, strong mobile forward that can hold the ball and score goals, and he's good in front of the goal."

Buddle is on a deep team, and it's only a matter of time before Donovan gets his first goal. Donovan has a league-high four assists.

Buddle and Donovan will be tested by one of the league's best defensive clubs. The Wizards (2-1-0) have given up one goal, tying the Galaxy for fewest allowed.

Los Angeles and Kansas City played twice last season, tying both contests 1-1.

"It's going to be a good measuring stick for us very early on in the season," coach Peter Vermes told the Wizards' website. "We're up for the challenge."

Kansas City's Jimmy Nielsen had 270 shutout minutes to open the season before a 1-0 loss to Seattle last Saturday night. The Wizards now return home, where they have outscored opponents 5-0.

Kansas City, though, may be without defender Jimmy Conrad, leaving Matt Besler and Pablo Escobar to try and stop Buddle. Conrad's status is uncertain after suffering a strained calf versus the Sounders.