The Los Angeles Galaxy haven't caught many breaks this season. Between a litany of injuries, the occasional sending off, or a penalty decision that's gone against them, LA has seemed short stacked all season long. But the chips finally fell the Galaxy's way on Sunday evening when they defeated FC Dallas 2-1.
It marked the first time all season the Galaxy have managed to come from behind to win in any competition. They fell behind after just 11 minutes through some shoddy defending, allowing FCD's Dax McCarty to get to a ball in the area and turn home a shot. LA quickly shored things up in the back after the goal though, allowing just two more shots on goal the rest of the way.
Solid play at the back allowed the Galaxy to press the issue offensively -- and a couple of errors by FC Dallas left fullback Chris Gbandi opened the door for them to get their fifth win of the season.
In the 21st minute Gbandi got into an altercation with Kevin Harmse, earning him a yellow card. Two minutes later he was called for dragging down Chris Klein in the penalty area, getting his second yellow of the game and setting the stage for the Galaxy to get the tying goal in the process.
It was the kind of sequence that had been going against the Galaxy all season long, and while both cards were justified, was a welcome relief from what had been happening all season long.
"Sometimes you need the breaks to win, but to be fair they were legit," said Klein, who then scored the game winning goal in the 72nd minute. "We had a couple of breaks tonight but I thought they were well deserved tonight and we were unfortunate not to get three or four goals."
Landon Donovan's equalizing penalty kick was another place where the Galaxy caught a break, after a series of bizarre events.
FCD goalkeeper Dario Sala came well off his line and saved Donovan's first shot. Donovan got to the rebound and scored, but the referee had first ruled the penalty had to be retaken. Donovan buried his second spot kick, earning a yellow card in the process after he drove the ball into the net a second time, after it bounced back out.
"When I went up to hit the first shot (Sala) was jumping around off his line. I'm assuming (the ref) called it back because he was jumping off his line, but you would think that he would wait and play the advantage," said Donovan. "After the first shot Sala had some interesting words for me in Spanish. After I scored I wanted to make sure he knew not to get me riled up."
After the goal, and up a man, the Galaxy seemed a little flat to close out the first half. The Galaxy went into the locker room tied at 1-1, but came out a renewed team and dominated the second half. The rebound had a lot to do with the halftime talk in the locker room.
"We had a good chat at halftime and we were very tentative for 20 minutes once they got the red card," said Galaxy head coach Frank Yallop. "I said to the guys at halftime 'you won't get a better chance to get three points in a game at home against 10 men. And they're tired.' I thought in the second half we at least looked like we wanted to win it."
Even with the man advantage, the Galaxy failed to put the game away. Several good chances were squandered and it took a glorious strike from Klein late in the game to seal the win.
Getting on the end of a cross that had rolled all the way through the penalty area to his foot about 25 yards from goal, Klein took a touch and fired a highlight reel goal into the upper corner of the net.
"I actually thought about hitting it first-time, but I took a touch and was able to keep my head down and just hit it hard on goal," said Klein. "There were a couple of guys that had a chance on it. It squirted free to me, and I just put it hard on goal."
The win against FC Dallas keeps the club's faint playoff hopes alive, but things don't get any easier over the next two weeks as LA embarks on another three-game road swing. If the playoffs are going to remain a reality, then the Galaxy will have to come up with another first this season -- a road win.
Greg Daurio is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
