that started in a 4-0 thrashing by Real in Utah -- while RSL were aiming to finish off a two-game road trip with a win after falling in Toronto the week before.
• Jaime Moreno scored from the penalty spot on either side of halftime to send United on their way. In the 31st minute, Marc Burch tried to put in a cross from the left and the ball struck the outstretched arm of Dema Kovalenko as he slid to try and cut it out. Moreno converted with the cheekiest of efforts, stabbing the ball with his toe and floating it into the center of the goal as RSL 'keeper Nick Rimando dove to his left.
• Moreno converted in the 52th minute after Luciano Emilio went down after bursting into the area through the combined challenges of Chris Wingert and Carey Talley. Moreno this time drove his spot kick into the upper left corner, adding to his MLS all-time goal-scoring lead with the 35th penalty kick of his MLS career.
• United then put the game away with a pair of superlative goals. In the 67th minute, Moreno hit an inch-perfect lob to the right post where Santino Quaranta came in to volley it home with a side-foot.
• Real pulled a goal back in the 77th minute when Talley bundled home a corner flicked on by Tony Beltran at the near post, but United saved the best for last. Burch flighted a high cross from the left and Marcelo Gallardo picked it out of midair with a full instep volley from a tight angle that thundered over Rimando and defender Nat Borchers into the roof of the goal.
• RSL head coach Jason Kreis made two changes to the team that lost 1-0 to Toronto FC the previous weekend. Jamison Olave made his MLS debut, coming into central defense in place of Matias Mantilla, and Carey Talley replaced the injured Nate Sturgis in a deep-lying midfield role.
• Here's Kreis's team (4-3-1-2): Nick Rimando - Chris Wingert, Nat Borchers, Jamison Olave, Ian Joy (Andy Williams 58) - Dema Kovalenko, Carey Talley, Kyle Beckerman (Tony Beltran 73) - Javier Morales - Kenny Deuchar, Robbie Findley (Yura Movsisyan 59). Substitutes Not Used: Matias Cordoba, Matias Mantilla, Tino Nunez, Chris Seitz
• "I think there were again quite a few guys didn't have a good night for us," said Kreis. "We have to realize that we need all of our players to have pretty decent nights or maybe just a few of them can have off nights but if there is too many of them out there that are having an off night we won't succeed."
TEAM NEWS
• It was the third loss in three matches away from Rice-Eccles Stadium this year. In their two home games, Real have a draw and a victory. In 50 league games all-time away from Salt Lake City, Real have just six wins and 34 losses.
• "It's a different game when you play on grass and we knew they were hungry for a win," goalkeeper Nick Rimando said. "We came out and played good and go at them and it looks like it's going to be a good game and they get a PK. We fall back a little bit and we start to chase the game and every time we to start to chase a game we open up and they get chances and they score."
• Kreis is hoping that a three-game homestand - the Open Cup play-in match against the San Jose Earthquakes ahead of back-to-back league matches - will allow his side to return to things that have brought them success this season.
• "I just feel we've lost our way a little bit about how we're pressuring," Kreis said. "We've lost our way a little bit about how we're possessing the ball. We've lost our way a little bit about how many scoring chances we're going to create in games. I don't think we did any of those three things well against D.C. United."
• Still, Real had some opportunities they didn't take advantage of early on, which could have put the game in a different spirit at the time of the first penalty.
• "It just shows we need to try and hop on teams early when we have the chance," right back Chris Wingert said. "We didn't have a ton of chances in the beginning, but we did have a ton of possession. We need to turn those into good chances and not only chances, but goals."
• On Wednesday, RSL won their first-round U.S. Open Cup play-in game, defeating the San Jose Earthquakes 4-0. Kyle Beckerman scored twice in the opening 33 minutes, Yura Movsisyan added a third just seconds after Beckerman's second, and Andy Williams scored in the final minute for the RSL victory. RSL will now face the Columbus Crew in the next round, with the winner playing the Chicago Fire for a place in the tournament proper.
• Here's Kreis's team Chris Seitz; Tony Beltran, Jamison Olave, Matias Mantilla, Chris Wingert (Dustin Kirby 64); Andy Williams, Matias Cordoba (Javier Morales 58), Kenny Cutler, Kyle Beckerman (Dema Kovalenko 46); Yura Movsisyan (Tino Nunez 75), Robbie Findley. Substitutes Not Used: Kyle Reynish, Kenny Duechar, David Horst
• "The brightest spot for me tonight was just the mentality of the group. They were very up for it, very bright in the first 20 minutes, and also were rewarded at the end of those 20 minutes by capitalizing and getting a goal," Kreis said. "We've gone through a lot of times this year where we've had that mentality and we've been bright and done a lot of things in their half and walked away with no goals, so it was nice that they ended up that period with a goal."
LOS ANGELES GALAXY
The Los Angeles Galaxy won for the second time on the season in resounding fashion, claiming a 5-2 victory against their Home Depot Center arch-rivals, Chivas USA, on Saturday evening. The Galaxy now have seven points from five matches, sitting in second place in the Western Conference, just a point behind FC Dallas.
LAST MATCH
• Both teams came into the first SuperClasico game of the season off somewhat rocky starts, each with two losses among their four matches played and both near the bottom of the league's defensive performances.
• In front of the usual pitched atmosphere in Carson, Donovan set the game alight with his 18th-minute opener. Latching on to a half-clearance, he popped the ball up with his right foot and lashed home a volley with his left from outside the area. But Sacha Kljestan pulled Chivas level in the 38th minute with another wonderful goal, running at a Galaxy defender on the right before hooking a masterful effort inside the right-hand post.
• After the break, the game exploded. Donovan scored his second and put the Galaxy back into the lead in the 59th minute, snatching a Mike Randolph cross that Claudio Suarez couldn't clear and putting it home from the spot on the half-turn. But Chivas were again level just three minutes later, Ante Razov netting his first of the year after a corner took a deflection right to him in the box.
• The Galaxy then scored three goals in a nine-minute span to put the game away. A cross was knocked straight up in the area, and Alan Gordon outjumped the punch attempt of Chivas goalkeeper Brad Guzan to loop home the third (76). A minute later Donovan finished off his hat trick in style -- a long ball from behind midfield chested down by Gordon for Donovan to drive inside the left-hand post for his eighth goal on the campaign.
• Gordon then sent the blue-and-yellow side of Victoria Street into rapture with his second after coming off the bench, tapping home from close range after Donovan relayed a David Beckham pullback from the right side toward the far post.
• Galaxy boss Ruud Gullit made two changes to the team that played to a 2-2 draw with the Houston Dynamo the week before. Abel Xavier made his return to the starting lineup and Joe Franchino made his first start since his return to the club, coming for Josh Tudela and Alan Gordon.
• Here's Gullit's team (4-4-2): Steve Cronin - Chris Klein, Sean Franklin, Abel Xavier, Greg Vanney - David Beckham, Joe Franchino, Brandon McDonald, Mike Randolph - Edson Buddle (Alan Gordon 70), Landon Donovan. Substitutes Not Used: Michael Gavin, Bryan Jordan, Troy Roberts, Peter Vagenas, Julian Valentin, Josh Wicks
• "For me, it was a match that you have a lot of ups and downs. Our team started out really, really good in the first half. I think it was good that we got the yellow cards immediately, so our midfielders had a little bit of the feeling that they couldn't really challenge. I do think they were yellow cards, by the way," Gullit said. "We scored some good goals. The sloppiness helped Chivas into the game."
TEAM NEWS
• It's been a remarkable early season already for Donovan. His eight goals this season match his total for all of last year, and he's only four goals behind his career single-season best with 25 games still to be played.
• "I feel like I'm being more assertive and more aggressive. I think I'm reaping the benefits of that," said Donovan. "In the past I got down on myself because I'm not aggressive and not taking shots. I know I have that ability. Lately in training I've been doing those things and it's transferring to the games and I'm going to keep doing it."
• Lost in the post-match reaction to Donovan's hat trick was the pair of goals scored by Alan Gordon in a 20-minute performance after coming off the bench.
• "We needed some strengthening up top. Edson (Buddle) did well; he worked really hard. He did his job," Gullit said. "I think Gordon did an excellent job in the game. I think it changed the game a bit. We were still in the game, but with his strengths and with his goals and assists."
• David Beckham contributed his fourth assist on the campaign, and while it was the first one that was finished off by Donovan, the U.S. international was still involved, relaying Beckham's pass for Gordon to tap home at the back post.
• "I think it's nice for both of us to be in the position we are in. Like Landon said, I take pressure off him, and he takes the pressure off me. He's scoring some great goals and goals that are winning us games. I can do my job; I can do my assists, and that's what I do," Beckham said. "Scoring goals is the important part and Landon is doing that. I'm sure we are going to come up against teams that will be two men marking us at games. Either two men on me or on Landon. We'll come up against that, and that's when other players are going to come into it, but you saw tonight when Alan Gordon came in."
• The Galaxy have still allowed 11 goals on the campaign - seven in their last three matches - and kept just one clean sheet on the season. Still, Gullit had high praise for a member of the back four.
• "I think that our best player is in the last couple of weeks is Sean Franklin. I think again he played an excellent game. If you see how he goes into midfield and gives long balls to David (Beckham) all the time. I think he's made a huge progress. That makes me happy," Gullit said. "Of course, to see the stars like David and Landon do what they need to - I'm happy for them. Landon's shape is incredible. But I also have to mention the other players. I think Sean Franklin has been the best player today."
