Saturday, May 3, 2008

Galaxy 2, RSL 2

It's all over in Salt Lake and here's you recap.

LA Galaxy 2, Real Salt Lake 2
May 3, 2008
Rice-Eccles Stadium – Salt Lake City, Utah

Scoring Summary:
RSL – Fabian Espindola 1 (Javier Morales 3) 6’
RSL – Kenny Deuchar 2 (Javier Morales 4) 18’
LA – David Beckham 2 (Landon Donovan 3, Alan Gordon 3) 36’
LA – David Beckham 3 (Unassisted) 40’

Misconduct Summary:
LA – Brandon McDonald (Yellow Card) 66’
LA – Alan Gordon (Yellow Card) 88’
RSL – Jamison Olave (Yellow Card) 89’

Lineups:
LA Galaxy: Steve Cronin, Greg Vanney, Troy Roberts, Sean Franklin, Chris Klein, Brandon McDonald, Joe Franchino, Mike Randolph, David Beckham©, Landon Donovan, Edson Buddle (Alan Gordon 12’).

Subs Not Used: Josh Wicks, Julian Valentin, Michael Gavin, Peter Vagenas, Josh Tudela, Bryan Jordan.

Real Salt Lake: Nick Rimando, Tony Beltran (Robbie Findley, 74’), Nat Borchers, Jamison Olave, Chris Wingert, Dema Kovalenko, Andy Williams (Matias Cordoba 90’), Kyle Beckerman©, Javier Morales, Kenny Deuchar, Fabian Espindola (Yura Movsisyan 79’).

Subs Not Used: Chris Seitz, Ian Joy, Matias Mantilla, Kenny Cutler.

Notes:
· With the draw, the Galaxy’s record stands at 2-2-2 on the season, giving them eight points and leaving them in second place in the Western Conference standings.
· David Beckham scored twice for the Galaxy giving him three on the season. This was the first multi-goal game of his MLS career.
· This is the fourth consecutive game in which the Galaxy have had a player score more than one goal, setting a new team record. Prior to today, the club record had been three straight games, which was first set on June 4, June 7 and June 18 in 1998 and then matched by Landon Donovan over the past three games.
· Galaxy goalkeeper Steve Cronin tied a career-high with five saves in the match.
· Edson Buddle was forced to leave the game in the 12th minute with a right hamstring strain. He was replaced by Alan Gordon.
· Defender Troy Roberts made his first start of the 2008 MLS season for the Galaxy. He is the 19th different player to start a game for the Galaxy this season. Only Charles Alamo, Vito Higgins, Ante Jazic, Bryan Jordan, Israel Sesay, Julian Valentin and Josh Wicks have not started a game for the Galaxy this season.
· The attendance for tonight’s game was 25,500.
· The Galaxy are back in action on Saturday, May 10 when they host the New York Red Bulls at The Home Depot Center. The match will kick off at 7:30 p.m. and can be seen live on FSN West.

The reserves are back in action on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. (PT). We'll have more on that one tomorrow.

4 comments:

charlesj27 said...

Again, we came away with a TIE result solely because of Beckham's gifted free-kick ability and LUCK! Yes, our Galaxy played pressured (posession-based) soccer... But, ONLY after the first 20 - 25 minutes. The first twenty minutes, our LA Galaxy team played like "they just stepped out from a dark room into a bright, shiny, lighted field... such that the body and eyes were trying to orient itself". That is not good, folks! Our LA Galaxy is now into the SIXTH week of the MLS season. We cannot afford to be slow. We cannot afford to be casual and comfortable. Our LA Galaxy team must play pressured, full-posession based, directed, forward-playing soccer from the very start of the game to the final whistle. While our offensive maneuvers came back to life (had some spirit) - our defense and goal-stoppage got RIPPED apart and TOSSED around again. Chris Klein was indeed working very hard and trying to cover defense as well as midfield opportunities. This meant we were left with a three-men back-line. And, our opposing teams in MLS only needs a few minutes to figure that out and "pick our defense" completely apart. I'm sorry to say this - as much as Greg Vanney is an MLS veteran and professional and left-footed player... Greg just does not have the QUICKNESS, SPEED, and AGILITY to catch-up and stop advances as they are just beginning to happen.

Here is the Line-Up I would suggest for the 1st Half and part of 2nd Half (up to minute 60):
GK = Josh Wicks
DEF = [RGHT-to-LEFT] Chris Klein, Julian Valentin, Sean Franklin, Ante Jazic
MID = [RGHT-to-LEFT] David Beckham, Alvaro Pires, Joey Franchino, Ely Allen
FWD = [RIGHT-to-LEFT] Landon Donovan , Alan Gordon
After 60 - 62 minutes / 2nd Half :
GK = Josh Wicks
DEF = [RIGHT-to-LEFT] Chris Klein, Julian Valentin, Sean Franklin, Ante Jazic
MID = [RIGHT-to-LEFT] David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Joey Franchino, Mike Randolph
FWD = [RIGHT-to-LEFT] Carlos Ruiz, Ely Allen

Our coaches, players, and trainers have got to realize how physical and challenge-based MLS games and teams are... This is why our LA Galaxy team must have members on the field during game time that can perform to the level the other teams are surely bringing.

We cannot lose urgency and focus - we have to maintain our standing & momentum. Go GALAXY !

Anonymous said...

Beckham's first career multi-goal game? You mean his MLS career, not his whole career?

Anonymous said...

Galaxy had the "deer in the headlight look" going early in the first half. RSL came out with some real good energy that we had trouble matching initially.

At first I couldn't believe that this was the same team that whipped Chivas only a week ago?

Thank you Becks! Absolutely brilliant on those two kicks. Vintage.

I thought we had some good chances in the second half to get a 3rd goal, but it just wasn't meant to be this weekend.

I'm proud of how the team fought back from a 2-0 deficit to at least tie, and get us a point!

25,500 for the game? That's awesome!

BRING ON RED BULL!

Anonymous said...

of course it's Becks' first MLS career multi-goal game. he has scored several multi-goal games while with Man U, both of the goals usually like we have seen against the RSL. i'm not really sure about England and Real Madrid though, but he sure scored many single goals for them too.