Saturday, August 29, 2009

Beckham Goal Gives LA 1-0 Win and SuperClasico Title

LA Galaxy 1, Chivas USA 0
Saturday, August 29, 2009
The Home Depot Center — Carson, Calif.

Scoring Summary:
LA – David Beckham 1 (Omar Gonzalez 1, Todd Dunivant 2) 80’

Misconduct Summary:
CHV – Marcelo Saragosa (Yellow Card) 26’
CHV – Maykel Galindo (Red Card) 82’
LA – Chris Klein (Yellow Card) 90’
CHV – Paulo Nagamura (Yellow Card) 92+

Lineups:
LA Galaxy: Donovan Ricketts, A.J. DeLaGarza, Gregg Berhalter, Omar Gonzalez, Todd Dunivant, Stefani Miglioranzi, Eddie Lewis (Chris Klein 68’), Landon Donovan©, David Beckham, Mike Magee (Chris Birchall 86’), Jovan Kirovski (Alan Gordon 75’).

Subs Not Used: Josh Saunders, Leonard Griffin, Tony Sanneh, Bryan Jordan.

Chivas USA: Lance Parker, Marcelo Saragosa, Yamith Cuesta, Carey Talley (Eduardo Lillingston 81’), Jonathan Bornstein, Jesse Marsch© (Bojan Stepanovic 84’), Paulo Nagamura, Jesus Padilla (Chukwudi Chijindu 88’), Sacha Kljestan, Maicon Santos, Maykel Galindo.

Subs Not Used: Kevin Guppy, Ante Jazic, Shavar Thomas, Michael Lahoud.

Notes:
• With the win, the Galaxy are now 9-4-11 on the season, giving them 38 points. LA remains in second place in the Western Conference, two points behind first place Houston and four points ahead of third place Seattle.
• Bruce Arena made no changes to the team that drew 0-0 at D.C. United last weekend. Arena used the same starting 11 and began the game with the same seven available substitutes as he did in that game.
• The Galaxy were without five players for tonight’s game, with Edson Buddle, Alecko Eskandarian, Sean Franklin, Dema Kovalenko and Julian Valentin all missing the game through injury.
• The win gives the Galaxy the Honda SuperClasico title with a 2-0-1 record on the season against Chivas USA. This is the fourth time in the five years of the competition that the Galaxy have won the title.
• Donovan Ricketts made three saves for his fifth shutout of the season and second straight. Ricketts was not credited with a clean sheet in the 2-0 win at Chicago on August 19 because he did not play the full 90 minutes.
• The shutout was the Galaxy’s third straight clean sheet this season, their longest stretch without giving up a goal since June 24-July 15, 2006 when they went five straight games without giving up a goal.
• LA has now gone 306 minutes without giving up a goal, dating back to the 54th minute of the 2-0 loss to Seattle on August 15.
• The Galaxy now have eight clean sheets on the season, three shy of the club record of 11 set in 1999.
• David Beckham’s goal in the 80th minute was his first of the season and first-ever against Chivas USA.
• The Galaxy did not allow a goal in any of the three games that they played against Chivas USA this season. It is the first time that the Galaxy did not allow a goal against a team in an entire season since 2001 when LA shutout Dallas and D.C. United in both games that they played against those clubs.
• Chris Klein entered the game in the 68th minute, replacing Eddie Lewis, stretching his MLS record consecutive games played streak to 139.
• Landon Donovan did not record a goal or an assist against Chivas USA this season for the first time in his MLS career.
• MLS League Pool Goalkeeper Kevin Guppy was the backup for Chivas USA on the night in place of the injured Zach Thornton. A former starter at Cal State-Northridge, Guppy typically trains with the Galaxy and was on the club’s backup goalkeeper for two games earlier this season, including LA’s 1-0 win over Chivas USA on July 11, while Donovan Ricketts was away on international duty at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
• The attendance for today’s game was a sell out of 27,000. This was the Galaxy’s first home sellout this season.
• The Galaxy are off next weekend but return to action on Saturday, September 12 when they host FC Dallas at The Home Depot Center. The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. and can be seen on tape delay on FS West starting at 10 p.m.
• For more about tonight’s game, please visit www.lagalaxy.com.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Terrible game by LA again. What is wrong with Landon. He has not been the same for3 or 4 games. Defense held up well and David was the best out there for LA and that is not saying much.

charlesj27 said...

Thank you, LA Galaxy players for pulling it together and walking away from this game as victors of the 2009 SuperClassico series and winners of an important 2009 MLS season game. Once again, Sir Don - all praise and MVP (in my view) to you, steady keeper! I was in sheer bliss and the level of commitment and hustle by David in tonight's match. Exquisite. Landon, yet again, was handled and marked away in this match. Many of us must see and realize that Landon's speed, smartness, and positioning alone is not going to be enough in today's MLS competitions. MLS players are getting more tactically aware, more fit, and more assured in their challenges and marking. I really, really hope that Landon gets a good, hefty contract with either Spanish team or a Portuguese team. In my mind, these two leagues/areas would help him greatly with ball-handling and ball-shifting during the run-of-play and in counter-manuevers.
Once again, so ecstatic that the LA Galaxy team managed to get the points and some cushion in Western Conference standing. Thanks LA Galaxy players; and, much appreciation to HC Bruce, Dave, Cobi, and trainers! Hope to see Alecko, Edson, and Sean out there soon at some point - but, get fully recovered and fit, first.

Anonymous said...

gotta sit Magee down Bruce. If all you want to do is launch long balls all game long then a small and slow forward is not an answer. Put Gordo up there with Kiro for height or Jordo for some speed to pick up the erand long balls by David and company. You've got away for a few games with him but you're luck is about to run out. Wise up.

Anonymous said...

I disagree with anonymous - Gordo cannot turn the ball when his back is to the goal. What we really need is for Edson and Alecko to return to the front. Please get better!!!!!