CARSON, Calif -- If the Real Salt Lake backline had an arch nemesis this season, it would be Emmanuel Boateng.
The LA Galaxy speedster has four goals to his name in 2016, all of them coming at the expense of RSL. RSL’s center backs haven’t had an answer for the Galaxy attack all season, giving up eleven goals over the three times the two clubs met.
Over the past few weeks RSL have had to rotate in a few different center backs, but they came in with a game plan to hold their shape; which might have actually helped the Galaxy.
“It was partly the way we played,” said Kyle Beckerman, “just our game plan wasn’t working. It actually benefited them, got them into a rhythm. Then in the second half when we changed we put some pressure on them, we switched in the midfield, two high, one back, and it really seemed to stifle them a little. We were able to get more of the ball, get our chances, get a chance to get back into the game.”
Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena made a tactical switch after RSL converted their penalty kick. The opening twenty minutes had Boateng and Ashley Cole trying to expose Chris Wingert down the left side, but had only resulted in a goal coming from the right side through Giovani dos Santos and Landon Donovan. Arena then switched Boateng to Demar Phillips’ side, and continued to press with four attackers.
The 22-year-old Ghanian proved too quick for the 33-year-old Phillips.
“When they push four people high on you,” said Jeff Cassar, “you have to defend 1v1 sometimes and I don’t think our defending 1v1 was very good. Then to follow it up I don’t think our shape behind it was very good; the cover. When he’s able to beat Demar and then go straight to goal, that’s unacceptable.
“You need to have cover, and I just don’t think we did a good job. You’re in the playoffs now, you have to have good games, you can’t have holes.”
Phillips picked up a yellow card in the 39th minute trying to contain the young speedster, and in the second half was whistled for a similar foul on Boateng which Galaxy players argued should have been a second yellow card.
For Cassar it wasn’t just the shape, but the lack of tenacity that left his backline exposed.
“We were actually in some pretty good positions, but the tenacity in the defending needed to be there. Just being in the shape doesn’t work. You’ve gotta close down harder, you gotta make it difficult.
“It took us too long to settle down. They were operating at a speed that we weren't."
