Saturday, September 4, 2010

Late Gonzalez Goal Rescues 1-1 Draw for Galaxy

LA Galaxy 1, Chicago Fire 1
Saturday, September 4, 2010
TOYOTA Park – Bridgeview, Ill.

Scoring Summary:
CHI – Collins John 3 (Unassisted) 88’
LA – Omar Gonzalez 2 (Landon Donovan 12) 91+

Misconduct Summary:
CHI – Gonzalo Segares (Red Card) 21’
CHI – Logan Pause (Yellow Card) 63’
LA – Omar Gonzaalez (Yellow Card) 87’
CHI – Collins John (Yellow Card) 88’

Lineups:
LA Galaxy: Donovan Ricketts; Sean Franklin, Omar Gonzalez, Leonardo, Todd Dunivant (Mike Magee 81’); Dema Kovalenko, Jovan Kirovski, Tristan Bowen (Bryan Jordan 61’), Alex Cazumba (Eddie Lewis 71’); Edson Buddle, Landon Donovan©.

Subs Not Used: Josh Saunders, A.J. DeLaGarza, Chris Klein, Michael Stephens.

Chicago Fire: Sean Johnson; Steven Kinney, C.J. Brown, Wilman Conde, Gonzalo Segares; Logan Pause, John Thorrington, Patrick Nyarko (Collins John 82’), Mike Banner; Nery Castillo (Calen Carr 69’), Brian McBride© (Krzystof Krol 77’).

Subs Not Used: Andrew Dykstra, Kwame Watson-Siriboe, Corben Bone, Baggio Husidic.

Notes:
• With the draw, the Galaxy are now 13-5-5 on the season and remain in first place in the Western Conference with 44 points. They are now four points ahead of Real Salt Lake for first place in the Western Conference and three points ahead of Columbus for the best record in MLS, with both teams in action tonight.
• Because of the result, the Galaxy will remain in first place in the Western Conference heading into next week’s games. They have been in first place in the Western Conference all season long.
• The draw snapped the Galaxy’s two game losing streak.
• Bruce Arena made four changes to the team that fell 2-0 at home against Kansas City last weekend, with Tristan Bowen, Alex Cazumba, Jovan Kirovski and Dema Kovalenko all returning to the starting lineup replacing Chris Birchall, who was suspended for yellow card accumulation, as well as Chris Klein, Mike Magee and Michael Stephens, who all started the game on the bench.
• The Galaxy also played the game without defender Gregg Berhalter, who missed his third straight game because of viral complications and midfielders David Beckham and Juninho. Beckham remains on the Disabled List after undergoing surgery in March to repair a torn Achilles tendon, while Juninho returned to Los Angeles today after dealing with personal matters back in Brazil over the past two weeks. He was last in the lineup on August 21 at San Jose.
• Landon Donovan missed a penalty kick in the 23rd minute, with Sean Johnson saving the shot by diving to his left. That was Donovan’s first missed penalty in an MLS game since September 1, 2007 in a 2-1 home loss to Real Salt Lake. Since then, the Galaxy captain had 12 straight penalties in the regular season, including two against Johnson and the Fire at The Home Depot Center on August 1.
• The three penalty kicks for Donovan against Johnson are the most he has taken against a single goalkeeper in MLS.
• The Fire’s Gonzalo Segares was sent off for a foul on Leonardo that led to the penalty kick attempt. He is the fourth player to be sent off against LA this season, and the third to be sent off in the first half.
• LA is now 2-0-2 when the opposition has a player sent off, winning at Houston and vs. Philadelphia and drawing at home against Toronto FC.
• Omar Gonzalez tied the score for LA in the first minute of stoppage time, heading home a Landon Donovan corner kick.
• That goal was Gonzalez’s second of the season while the assist was Donovan’s MLS-best 12th.
• Gonzalez’s goal in the first minute of stoppage time snapped the Galaxy’s 350 minute scoreless streak dating back to Edson Buddle’s goal in the 10th minute of the 1-0 win at New York on August 14.
• This was the first time since August 14 and just the second time since July 18 that LA did not allow a goal in the opening half of play.
• Omar Gonzalez was booked in the 87th minute for a foul on John Thorrington. That was his seventh yellow card of the season, leaving him one caution shy of a mandatory one game suspension.
• Dema Kovalenko played the 240th game of his MLS career in the game, while Landon Donovan played his 225th and Todd Dunivant played his 180th.
• Michael Stephens did not enter the game for the Galaxy. This was the first time this season that Stephens did not play in a regular season game.
• LA is 0-5-2 now on the season when allowing the game’s opening goal, compared to 13-0-0 when scoring the first goal.
• The attendance for today’s game was 21,068.
• The Galaxy are back in action next Saturday, September 11 when they host the Eastern Conference leading Columbus Crew at The Home Depot Center. That game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. (PT) and can be seen live on Fox Sports West starting with Galaxy Live at 7 p.m.
• For more about today’s game, please visit www.lagalaxy.com.

4 comments:

charlesj27 said...

Clearly, without a shadow of a doubt - the MVPs of this match: Wilman Conde and Sean Johnson. Those two played superbly. Very confident on their moves and their game plan.

We had a 1-man up advantage for nearly 70 minutes of this match... And, we couldn't do diddly with it. We are not missing any players on international duty... yet, they are - missing two important players of their team.

Our captain, the one who dons the #10, for club and for country - again, missed, or faked, or fell, or just plain disappointed... AGAIN!!! Shameful! Really, he should take it upon himself to give up the #10 - it just tarnishes the historical power of that great honor.

Poor Buddle just keeps getting maraudered out there on the pitch; with our #10 prancing around like a show-horse on display with the glittery, studded armband. Ridiculous.

This is being written as a dwaw... a salvage from demise. Wake up, folks - we had a 1-man advantage against a team without 2 difference makers... and, we could not come up with a goal until our best defender said "Enough"... I'm gonna nail this!

I don't know how you're spinning this Bruce and Dave... but, both of you should be really soiled and worried about your leadership and stamp on the rest of the season.

Oh, and next week, we've glitz, glam, and camera flashes as the best in the East is coming to our home. That's okay... heck, it's only the Supporters Shield - we'll just hand that over like we did USOC and CONCACAF Champions League game.

Sorry, some folks are gonna ask me to calm down and be reasonable... sorry! sorry! I'm not gonna treat MLS like little league or a Sunday afternoon golf game.

Oh, and who all received their STH renewals in the mail this week - as they desperately got this out to us while this team is still somewhat ahead. Don't be gullible gents and ladies... this is all per their script of saving face and damage shift-cover-and-hide.

charlesj27 said...

By the way, BOTH Columbus and RSL WON... WON... WON their MLS matches this weekend! Which mean our LAG no longer have a "cushion" to speak of. Absolutely vile and tragic. But, why should it bother Bruce and Dave? They've got their cushy positions, their grand homes, and paycheck on direct deposit. This is all going to explode in their faces and they'll just disappear quietly via many back-doors.

It's so, so tragic that LAG cannot understand nor nurture nor encourage flowing, attacking football.

Anonymous said...

The Galaxy need to wake up & smell the coffee!, IF they really want to win The MLS Championship b/c there r several other teams that r much hungrier right now! ~ I still think that The Galaxy don't play well & want to put forth the maximum effort in the hotter weather!

Anonymous said...

Well there new midfielders didn't do shit, and its good omar scored when he did considering he is the one that caused the stupid foul for the free kick at the top of the box,so if it wasn't for his last 2nd goal,he would of been the cause of the lose. Omar needs to stop reading his press releases.

Rickett

A.J Franklin Omar Donivant

Birchall

Beckham Junhio Stevens

Buddle Donovan

THIS LINEUP will win you games !!!
I guess the coaching staff is afraid of changes.