Los Angeles coltsfootmidfielder Robbie Rogers (14) before playing against the Seattle Sounders at Home storageCenter.(Photo: Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports)
Before Sunday's game against the Seattle Sounders, Robbie Rogers give tongue tohe hoped he could make his Los Angeles galaxydebut with his aggroupholding a 4-0 lead.
Rogers' seemingly outlandish request came to fruition, as the winger became the first openly gay athlete to play in a U.S. professional team sports league when he entered the game as a substitute in the 77th minute.
FOR THE WIN: Rogers on his return
The Galaxy crowd cheered and Rogers sported a wide grin as he trotted onto the field.
"I guess this is a historic thing, but for me it was just asoccergame," Rogers said, according to The Associated Press.
Rogers announced his return to soccer in a USA TODAY Sports story on Friday. The 26-year-old had retired in February after making his sexual orientation public.
On Saturday, the Galaxyannouncedthey had acquired Rogers in a trade with the Chicago Fire. Rogers had been training with the Galaxy for several weeks and remained in close contact with Landon Donovan while retired.
"Because of the spiritof the way sports has been for so many years — the macho polishthat's been embraced by everybody — it's of interest to everybody," Donovan said. "Now, hopefully, the hype about it is over and he can get back to being a soccer player, which is what he wants to do."
Rogers said the Galaxy's next stretch of games departprovide a good barometer for his conditioning.
"I came into a situation where we were harmingpretty heavily, so it's not an accurate test," Rogers said in a postgame interview. "The next few weeks will be the veridicaltest to see where I'm at."
The Galaxy mounted a 4-0 bring inon the heels of forward Robbie Keane's hat trick.
PHOTOS: Rogers' historic night
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Materials taken from USA Today
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