D.C. UNITED v LOS ANGELES GALAXY
RFK MEMORIAL STADIUM, Washington, D.C.
7:30 p.m. ET (HDNet; KWHY)
Aug. 26, 2006 (WEEK 22) / MLS Game #142
Two teams who reached the final four in the U.S. Open Cup at midweek renew their rivalry at RFK Stadium, with both looking for victories, though for different reasons. D.C. United, holders of the league's best record for nearly the entirety of the season, haven't won in four games, their longest such stretch of the campaign. For the Los Angeles Galaxy, still in last place in the Western Conference, it's another in a string of near must-win games if they are to keep their ever-present streak alive in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
REFEREE: Mark Geiger. SAR (bench): Steven Taylor; JAR (opposite): Rob Fereday; 4th: Abbey Okulaja
MLS Career: 20 games; FC/gm: 31.3; Y/gm: 3.9; R: 3; pens: 8
MLS 2006: 4 games; FC/gm: 25.7 (avg: 29.0); Y/gm: 2.7 (avg: 3.53); R: 0 (MLS: 20); pens: 2 (MLS: 26)
Games involving United: P4 W2 L1 T1; FC/gm: 32.5; Y/gm: 4.3; R: 0; pens: 5
Games involving Galaxy: P3 W1 L2 T0; FC/gm: 29.0; Y/gm: 3.7; R: 0; pens: 1
INJURY REPORT: D.C. UNITED - OUT: DF Devon McTavish (knee surgery); PROBABLE: MF Christian Gomez (popliteus strain); DF Brandon Prideaux (MCL strain) ... LOS ANGELES GALAXY - OUT: FW Cornell Glen (L knee sprain); MF Kyle Martino (L hip strain); PROBABLE: DF Ugo Ihemelu (L knee sprain); DF Tyrone Marshall (R hip flexor strain)
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: DC: Alecko Eskandarian
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: DC: Bobby Boswell, Brian Carroll, Christian Gomez, Josh Gros, Ben Olsen ... LA: Chris Albright, Herculez Gomez
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (26 meetings): United 11 wins (1 shootout), 34 goals ... Galaxy 13 wins (0 shootout), 40 goals ... 3 draws
AT RFK STADIUM: (14 meetings): United 6 wins (0 shootout), 22 goals ...Galaxy 7 wins (0 shootout), 25 goals ... 1 draw
This is the second of two meetings this season between the long-time MLS powers, their only encounter at RFK Stadium.
A year ago, the teams split their two meetings, each winning on the other's home ground. The Galaxy have won games in Washington in six of the 10 MLS seasons.
United's win last year was their first in the series since 2003. They've won just three times in the last 12 meetings between the clubs.
While the Galaxy hold the upper hand in the league series, United of course have two victories in the MLS Cup Playoffs, both coming in MLS Cup Finals, in 1996 (3-2) and 1999 (2-0).
Coaches record: Frank Yallop v DC: P7 W4 L2 D1 ... Peter Nowak vs. LA: P5 W1 L2 D2
2006 (MLS)
6/11: LA 1, DC 1 (Jones 88 - Gomez 21)
D.C. United allowed a late equalizer on June 11 at The Home Depot Center as the Galaxy came back for a 1-1 draw on June 11.
Christian Gomez put United into the lead in the 21st minute with a candidate for Goal of the Year honors. Receiving a rolling ball with his back to goal and Ugo Ihemelu right on his back, he flicked the ball over himself and the L.A. defender, raced around to get it on the other side and hitting a dipping left-footed full volley from all of 25 yards that sailed over Kevin Hartman and dove underneath the crossbar.
But second-half substitute Cobi Jones, who hadn't played in three games with an Achilles injury, proved the difference two minutes from time. A long ball from Paulo Nagamura from the center circle took a fortunate bounce off a United defender and fell to Jones, who quickly rounded D.C. 'keeper Troy Perkins as he came off his line and stroked the ball into the empty net for the tying goal.
Here's Yallop's team (4-4-2): Kevin Hartman - Nathan Sturgis, Ugo Ihemelu, Tyrone Marshall, Todd Dunivant - Kyle Martino (Alan Gordon 46), Paulo Nagamura, Marcelo Saragosa, Josh Gardner (Quavas Kirk 80) - Herculez Gomez, John Wolyniec (Cobi Jones 67). [Substitutes Not Used: Marc Burch, Steve Cronin, Troy Roberts, Peter Vagenas]
Here's Nowak's team (3-4-1-2): Troy Perkins - Facundo Erpen, Bobby Boswell, Bryan Namoff - Joshua Gros, Brian Carroll, Clyde Simms, Freddy Adu - Christian Gomez (Domenic Mediate 81) - Jaime Moreno, Alecko Eskandarian (Lucio Filomeno 46). [Substitutes Not Used: Jeff Carroll, Matt Nickell, Brandon Prideaux, Nick Rimando, John Wilson]
D.C. UNITED
D.C. United were held without a victory for the fourth consecutive match, although they came back to claim a 1-1 draw with the Colorado Rapids on Saturday afternoon at RFK Stadium. United now have 47 points from 23 matches, still the best record in the league, 19 points ahead of the New England Revolution and Chicago Fire in the Eastern Conference and eight points ahead of FC Dallas in the race for the MLS Supporters' Shield.
LAST MATCH
D.C. United came riding their rockiest stretch of the campaign, winless in their last three games, while the Rapids had rebounded from a pair of 4-1 losses with a victory against the Los Angeles Galaxy in their last match.
Undefeated when scoring the first goal, the Rapids took the lead in a languid first half when Kyle Beckerman headed home his fifth goal of the season, nodding a Nicolas Hernandez corner kick inside the back post in the 32nd minute.
But United responded after the break with all guns blazing, and pulled level nine minutes after the break. An Alecko Eskandarian shot was deflected, but fell to Jaime Moreno all alone inside the penalty area. He drew Rapids goalkeeper Joe Cannon to him before sliding a pass square to Christian Gomez, who drove a shot that found the back of the net despite a near-miraculous recovery by Cannon.
United head coach Peter Nowak made one change to the team that played to a scoreless draw with the New York Red Bulls the weekend before. David Stokes came into the back three in place of the suspended Bryan Namoff.
Here's Nowak's team (3-4-1-2): Troy Perkins - David Stokes (Jamil Walker 46), Bobby Boswell, Facundo Erpen - Freddy Adu, Brian Carroll, Ben Olsen, Joshua Gros - Christian Gomez (Domenic Mediate 70) - Alecko Eskandarian (Rod Dyachenko 87), Jaime Moreno [Substitutes Not Used: Jeff Carroll, Brandon Prideaux, Nick Rimando, Clyde Simms]
"We were pretty pathetic in the first half. We tried to play between the defensive line, but there was no space to play. We didn't use our wings. When we used our wings we gave Colorado trouble, but that wasn't too much, so I wasn't happy with that," said Nowak. I think the team understands that and the second half was a good effort, we just need to be a little smarter, use more of the wings. Jamil [Walker] had a chance right after the restart in the second half; we had a couple good chances. We have to continue to work."
TEAM NEWS
With the suspension of Brian Namoff, David Stokes was given his first start of the season. "David was pretty good during the last couple of weeks. He played a very good game in New York - the reserve game - and that's why we decided to give him a shot," Nowak said. "I think he did very well. Unfortunately, we were behind and we had to change a little bit - change the lineup a little bit to give us some more speed on the wings, as I said unfortunately for him."
United have also once again gone to Argentina and picked up a player for the stretch drive in midfielder Matias Donnet. "It's going to be a few weeks [before he's eligible]," Nowak said. "Right now, we have to give him an idea of how we play and work on his fitness. As soon as he is eligible to play we're going to give him a shot."
After a remarkable start to the season, as United comes down the stretch they are faltering, without a win in four games.
"I was just disappointed in the way we played. The second half was better, but nothing like D.C. United usually plays. Definitely something that we have to talk about - think about what is wrong," Jaime Moreno said. "We don't want to go through something like last year in the playoffs. I think that this is happening right now, the last couple games we haven't played well, but there's time now to put things right. So we'll go back and track where we were and go back to the winning streak."
As poor as United felt they played in the first half, there was improvement over the second 45 minutes and they still could have come away with the full complement of points.
"It's pretty simple - the commitment we showed the second half, getting after the ball and getting forward is how we've gotten to where we are right now," Ben Olsen said. "The first half is complacency, maybe a little bit of fatigue setting in, but we as a team - D.C. United - even throughout the history of this team, when we don't pressure the ball well and we give other teams time, we're not good. We're good when we're on the offensive, and attacking and putting pressure on the other team. We didn't have the bite or the legs to do that in the first half. In the second half, we found it."
Behind Jamil Walker's two goals in the second half, D.C. United advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup with a 3-1 win Wednesday at RFK Stadium against the New York Red Bulls. With the score knotted at 1, Walker scored in the 64th minute on a header and later in the 84th minute. Josh Gros put D.C. on the scoreboard with a goal in the 37th minute, but New York's Amado Guevara tied the match four minutes later.
Here's Nowak's team: Nick Rimando, Bobby Boswell, Bryan Namoff, Facundo Erpen, Joshua Gros, Domenic Mediate (Jaime Moreno 60), Brian Carroll, Clyde Simms, Rod Dyachenko (Ben Olsen 59), Alecko Eskandarian (David Stokes 78), Jamil Walker (Matt Nickell 85)
LOS ANGELES GALAXY
The Los Angeles Galaxy returned to their winning ways, triumphing in their return to The Home Depot Center after a four-game road trip, defeating Western Conference leader FC Dallas 2-0 on Sunday evening. The Galaxy made up some ground in the chase for a playoff spot, now with 26 points from 23 matches, still three points behind fifth-place Real Salt Lake but now just five points out of the final playoff spot, held by Chivas USA.
LAST MATCH
The Los Angeles Galaxy had lost for just the second time under Frank Yallop in their last match while FC Dallas saw their four-game winning streak come to an end against Houston.
But the Galaxy kept alive their hopes of an 11th postseason in 11 MLS years with two goals before the break for the victory.
They broke through in the 26th minute when Greg Vanney failed to bottle up Donovan. Galaxy defender Troy Roberts sent a long ball from the Galaxy's third to the top of the penalty area, where Donovan beat Vanney to the ball and chipped over FCD 'keeper Dario Sala.
The lead was doubled just before intermission. Santino Quaranta fired a 30-yard bomb over Sala's head and into the back of the net for his second goal in three games since joining the Galaxy. The victory was the eighth for the Galaxy in eight meetings all-time against FC Dallas in Carson.
Galaxy head coach Frank Yallop made three changes to the team that lost to the Colorado Rapids 1-0 the week before. Nathan Sturgis and Santino Quaranta came into the midfield in place of Paulo Nagamura and Quavas Kirk, and Alan Gordon replaced Herculez Gomez in attack.
Here's Yallop's team (4-4-2): Kevin Hartman - Chris Albright, Ugo Ihemelu, Troy Roberts, Ante Jazic - Cobi Jones (Quavas Kirk 79), Nathan Sturgis, Peter Vagenas, Santino Quaranta (Josh Gardner 62) - Landon Donovan, Alan Gordon (Herculez Gomez 85). [Substitutes Not Used: Steve Cronin, Michael Enfield, Cornell Glen, Kyle Veris]
"We wanted to come out in this game and try to stamp our authority from the start. We were not going to sit back," Yallop said. "I was very pleased with our performance in all departments. We will take the result and move on to the next game. We didn't really have any tactics for this game I showed them the strengths and weaknesses of Dallas, I put our starting lineup out there and said 'let's go play.'"
TEAM NEWS
It was the first time the Galaxy scored multiple goals in a game since July 8 v Real Salt Lake at home. It was just the fifth time all season they've scored multiple goals.
"Defensively, if not the best, we're one of the best couple teams in the league," Landon Donovan said. "We have to find ways to be more aggressive attacking and we worked on that this past week and it showed today."
The addition of Santino Quaranta to the Galaxy mix also has helped. Both Yallop and Quaranta have raved about his addition to the team - and two goals in three games hasn't hurt either.
"Most teams had us figured out for a while," Donovan said. "Shut down Herculez (Gomez) and (me), and pretty much, that was it. He adds another dimension, and getting Cobi Jones on the field is dangerous, too." Said Quaranta: "It's going to be tough to keep going at this pace. It's not surprising me that I'm scoring goals. It's just good that we're winning as well."
While the Galaxy have lost just once in their last eight games, winning five in that time, they are still finding it difficult to pick up ground on the Western Conference - especially with fifth-place Real Salt Lake on a four-game winning streak."If you look at the run we've been on, it's pretty good but ... we're still five points out of it," Yallop said. "All we can do is worry about ourselves. We'll do what we can do, and hopefully it's enough to get into the playoffs."
Since June 24 the Galaxy have allowed just two goals, with seven shutouts in the nine games over that span. "It's important for us to establish a rhythm, and it's important for us in every meaningful game to go out and play well now," Chris Albright said. "You just go out and try to stick to the same philosophy that we had this week: defend well and try to score some goals. We've just got to stick with that."
Said goalkeeper Kevin Hartman: "The defensive effort has been unbelievable, and to score two goals adds a bit of confidence to the guys offensively. We have to concentrate and make sure that we don't give up goals. At the same time we can't be so committed defensively that we are not successful offensively. That's something we need to continue to work on."
It took 120 minutes to do it, but the Los Angeles Galaxy defeated the Colorado Rapids for the first time this season Wednesday, claiming a 3-1 win to advance to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinals. Goals by Clint Mathis for Colorado and Quavas Kirk for the Galaxy, both in the opening 45 minutes, forced extra time to decide the match. Landon Donovan scored just minutes into the first extra period, then added an insurance goal in the second to give the Galaxy a hard fought victory. The Green-and-Gold, two wins away from a second consecutive Open Cup title, will host Houston Dynamo in the semifinals on Sept. 6.
Here's Yallop's team: Kevin Hartman, Chris Albright, Ugo Ihemelu, Troy Roberts, Ante Jazic, Quavas Kirk (Tyrone Marshall 11), Nathan Sturgis, Peter Vagenas, Santino Quaranta (Cobi Jones 67), Cornell Glen (Landon Donovan 37), Herculez Gomez (Alan Gordon 77).
