Galaxy licking their wounds after season-opening win

The Galaxy medical staff was busy Monday, a day after the team’s season-opening 4-1 win over D.C. United at the StubHub Center.

Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy and midfielder Giovani dos Santos both came out of that game with what Coach Bruce Arena described as “muscle strains” in their legs and underwent MRIs Monday. Although Arena said that was standard procedure for players who come out of a game injured, both players are uncertain for Saturday’s game in Colorado.

“That’s the trainers’ and doctors’ jobs, to come back and give me a diagnosis and an evaluation,” Arena said. “They all get MRIs when they have an injury to make sure we know where we’re going.”

Kennedy left Sunday’s game in the 20th minute with the Galaxy down 1-0.

“We’re not exactly sure ... how long he’ll be out,” Arena said of Kennedy. But the Galaxy feel comfortable with his replacement, Brian Rowe, who made five saves and held United scoreless the rest of the way. Rowe started a career-high seven games last season, allowing nine goals.

“We’ve got a great backup in Brian, and he made a couple of great saves,” captain Robbie Keane said.

Dos Santos came out at halftime, and his replacement, Mike Magee, quickly changed the game, scoring twice and setting up two other goals to spark the comeback win. But despite Dos Santos’ lackluster first half, Arena said he would not have made the switch at that point if not for the injury.

“Fingers crossed the injury is not too bad,” Steven Gerrard said of Dos Santos. “But credit to Mikey. It was a man-of-the-match performance and he deserved all the applause he gets. He was sensational.”

Dos Santos was slowed by a right adductor injury at the end of last season, his first in Major League Soccer.

Forward Alan Gordon and defender Jelle Van Damme, neither of whom dressed for Sunday’s game because of injuries, are expected to be available Saturday. Gordon has been out more than a week with a neck injury sustained in training, and Van Damme has been nursing a sore ankle.

Rookie Daniel Steres took Van Damme’s spot at center back and played well, scoring the Galaxy’s first goal off a Magee corner kick.

“Definitely excited,” Steres said of his MLS debut.“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. We’ve got some great players and great coaches here, and they gave me confidence so I was just excited to get out there.”