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Angel, L.A. ready for showdown with New York

May 7, 2011 - 2:41 AM Carson, CA (Sports Network) - Juan Pablo Angel spent the last four years with Red Bull New York and scored more goals than any other player in Major League Soccer during that span. But, apparently, he's no Thierry Henry.

New York parted ways with Angel after last season and the man who had at least 12 goals in each of his four seasons for the Red Bulls will face his old team as a member of the Los Angeles Galaxy for the first time Saturday night.

Angel, who had 58 goals in four years in New York, has one goal and one assist this season to help L.A. (4-2-3) accumulate the most points in MLS so far this season. New York (4-1-2), meanwhile, sits atop the Eastern Conference.

The Red Bulls now rely on Henry, the former Arsenal and Barcelona hitman, Luke Rodgers and emerging U.S. international Juan Agudelo to produce the goals. The trio has scored eight of the team's 10 goals to date.

Although Angel left a team featuring Henry and Mexican captain Rafael Marquez, he joined a team featuring David Beckham and Landon Donovan.

Angel has started slow, albeit with just five starts, but Donovan has a team- high three goals, and Beckham has a team-high three assists, and once the ex- Aston Villa man settles in, the new trio will be complete in California.

Despite having the most points in MLS, L.A. has played more games than all the other teams so far, and considering the defense has leaked nine goals, manager Bruce Arena still has plenty of kinks to work out as the season rolls on.

The Galaxy lost their last fixture, 2-1 to FC Dallas, which scored the winning goal in the 88th minute after a one-hour lightning delay.

"Obviously it was a weird game," Donovan said. "It's not something either team is used to playing in, that weather and then having a lengthy delay. We're all disappointed and upset, but not really sure what to be upset about."

Los Angeles will know what to be upset about Saturday if the Red Bulls win at The Home Depot Center, as the visiting team has claimed the last three matches in the series.

New York enters the battle between conference leaders on a three-match winning streak, having edged Sporting Kansas City 1-0 last week at Red Bull Arena. The Red Bulls have one less point than L.A., and have played two fewer matches.

Although Henry, who has three goals and three assists in the last three games, Rodgers and Agudelo have drawn most of the attention, manager Hans Backe has assembled a solid defense led by Marquez and Tim Ream in central defense.

The Red Bulls have allowed just two goals so far this season, and head to L.A. without a goal allowed over the last 292 minutes of match time, which is more than three complete games.

Angel might just end that streak this weekend.