Galaxy Week in Review: LA provides fireworks with 2 wins during 4th of July weekend

July 10, 2013

The Galaxy continued their climb up the standings this past weekend with two exciting wins at home.

Columbus versus LA

On the 4th of July, the Columbus Crew came to town to face-off against the Galaxy at the StubHub Center. Without Landon Donovan available due to U.S. National Team duty, the Galaxy were led by Robbie Keane and the always formidable backline of Omar Gonzalez, Todd Dunivant, Sean Franklin, and AJ DeLaGarza.

In the 24th minute, LA had a quality opportunity when Keane received the ball in the box and sent a pass through to Juninho, who shot with his left foot toward the far post.  However, his shot was a little wide of goal, going past the Crew's diving goalkeeper, Andy Greunebaum.

The Galaxy were again unlucky in the 56th minute when a Juninho corner-kick was headed on goal, but was thwarted by a Greunebaum save.

In a game that the Galaxy controlled, things suddenly went wayward for them in the 78th minute, as a Federico Higuain free-kick from quite a distance away found the head of Anor.  Anor's shot lacked pace, but was perfectly placed, eluding Galaxy keeper Carlo Cudicini, who could not get a hand on the ball.

The real fireworks soon started in the 85th minute when Keane passed to Marcelo Sarvas at the top of the 18-yard box. Sarvas tapped the ball ahead to a streaking Jose Villareal who was taken out by Greunebaum.  Keane converted the subsequent penalty-kick to tie the game at 1-1.

In the final few minutes, the Crew almost scored on a sideline throw-in, as the Galaxy defense and Cudicini failed to deal with the ball bouncing in the box. Fortunately for LA, Dunivant was alert and cleared the ball before it skipped into the net.

The Galaxy then raced up the field with an opportunity to score, as Villareal's cross back into the box found Keane, but Keane's shot hit the crossbar.

With the stoppage clock was winding down, Colin Clark crossed the ball into the box and Anor headed the ball away as his right arm was on the back of Keane.

With Keane on the ground, the head referee called for a Galaxy penalty-kick. Keane stepped up with the game and 3 points in the standings on the line, and made a clutch penalty-kick -- his second of the game -- for a thrilling 2-1 win.

Dallas versus LA

Three days later, following their 2-1 win versus Columbus, the Galaxy had another tough MLS match-up against Western Conference foe Dallas.

The Galaxy asserted control of the game from the beginning and produced numerous scoring opportunities throughout, but things weren't easy for LA, as Dallas played conservatively, packing defenders in the box and trying to score on counter attacks.

In the 5th minute, Gyasi Zardes and Marcelo Sarvas each had shots in the box, but they deflected off a Dallas defender. Further attacks from Keane, Robbie Rogers, and Zardes throughout the first half also failed to yield a goal.

LA came out with that same game-plan and intensity in the second half and finally caught a break.

In the 65th minute, Keane pulled off his usual offensive dribbling display, leaving his defender frozen and crossing the ball into the box for a Marcelo Sarvas' header and a 1-0 lead. Keane's assist made him the league leader in MLS for the season, and was another display of his unparalleled abilities.

Dallas' best chance came in the 76 minute when Jackson Goncalves shot 25 yards away from goal, but Cudicini made a leaping deflection of the ball.

The Galaxy put the game away in the 80th minute when a play involving Zardes, Keane, and Rogers concluded with Rogers passing to Hector Jimenez for a left-footed shot that found the net and gave LA the 2-0 win.

With the big wins at home over the holiday weekend, the Galaxy now sit in third place in the West, 1 point behind Dallas and 4 points behind Real Salt Lake at the top.

LA will look to continue its winning ways as the team travels to Portland for an away game on Saturday.

By Brian Kowalski
Staff Reporter for The Daily Sports Herald

No comments:

Post a Comment

We encourage all intelligent, passionate comments. Please refrain from any ignorant, racist, or offensive rants.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...