With both teams down to 10 men, Landon Donovan scored from the penalty spot three minutes into extra time to set the Los Angeles Galaxy on their way to a 3-1 win against the New York Red Bulls and advance to the round of 16 in the U.S. Open Cup.
Kyle Martino and Santino Quaranta added goals for the Galaxy, while Juan Pablo Angel scored in the second overtime period in his Red Bulls debut to pull New York to within one.
The final result, however, certainly didn't reflect the run of play in regulation. New York created far more chances, forcing Steve Cronin into a double digit save total. It was Cronin's play that gave Los Angeles the opportunity to pull out the win in extra time.
The two coaches entered the game with differing strategies. Red Bulls manager Bruce Arena fielded his regular starting 11, with the exception of injured 'keeper Ronald Waterreus. Galaxy coach Frank Yallop, on the other hand, started more of a mixed bag, choosing to rest some of his key starters. One player making a rare start was Cronin, who was the man of the match through the first 45 minutes.
The first half was played mainly in spurts, with neither side maintaining any sustained energy. New York did manage to create the more dangerous attacks, as Arena's troops were more willing to commit numbers forward into the attack.
The first scoring chance came in the eighth minute, when the Galaxy defense failed to clear a corner kick. The ball floated to Dema Kovalenko who hit a first-time volley on target, but right at a well positioned Cronin.
New York continued to press, and minutes later young phenom Jozy Altidore intercepted a bad back pass and raced in on goal. Altidore beat Nathan Sturgis, then attempted to round Cronin. The Galaxy 'keeper pulled down Altidore inside the penalty area, earning New York a penalty kick.
Altidore stepped up to try and convert his own penalty, shooting to his right, but Cronin guessed correctly and made the save, leaving no rebound.
In the 21st minute it was Clint Mathis intercepting a poor pass near the touchline. Mathis dribbled toward goal and from just outside the penalty area fired a shot that was just wide of the back post.
The Red Bulls continued to have the better of the play. In the 38th minute, Claudio Reyna received a pass from the right flank and dribbled across the edge of the area before taking a left-footed shot on target. Cronin was again equal to the task, keeping New York off the scoreboard.
Cronin made two more big saves before the half ended, both times robbing Mathis of a goal. The first came after a nice sequence where Reyna picked out Dave van den Bergh on the left wing. The Dutchman played a great ball into the area and Mathis had a free header from the penalty spot. Cronin made a great diving save to tip the ball over the crossbar.
With first half stoppage time winding down, Kovalenko earned his side a free kick from a dangerous position at the top of the box. Mathis stepped up to take the kick and powered his shot through the wall, but again Cronin was right there to keep Los Angeles in the game.
Cronin picked up right where he left off to start the second half. Just three minutes into the second stanza, the Galaxy defense turned the ball over, giving speedster Dane Richards a breakaway. Richards tried to round Cronin, but Cronin plucked the ball right off the rookie's boots.
Los Angeles finally got close to the New York net in the 51st minute. Ante Jazic joined the attack from his left back position and played a cross in to Nate Jaqua. Jaqua beat his defender to the ball, but his lunging effort was poked harmlessly over the bar.
New York continued to try to crack Cronin but to no avail. A long distance effort on a free kick was blocked by the Galaxy wall, but the rebound caromed right to Mathis. Mathis got a quick shot off, but Cronin made yet another save.
Things got a bit ugly in the 56th minute, and a bit tougher for the Galaxy, when Cobi Jones was sent off. Jones got tangled up with van den Bergh, and while van den Bergh was on the ground it appeared as though the MLS original stomped on him. Referee Ramon Hernandez was right on top of the incident and had no hesitation in reaching into his back pocket to pull out a red card.
In the 62nd minute, Juan Pablo Angel made his Red Bulls debut, coming into the match for Altidore. Frank Yallop countered that move with an offensive switch of his own two minutes later, bringing on Landon Donovan for Jaqua.
The Galaxy got a second peek at goal against the run of play when Robbie Findley got loose on a breakaway. His first shot was driven right into the legs of Jon Conway, and as Findley tried to chase down the rebound, Jeff Parke slid in to clear the ball out for a corner.
The numbers on the field evened out in the 73rd minute when Kovalenko was shown his second yellow card of the game after pulling down Donovan from behind. After Kovalenko's sending off, the game started to even out and Los Angeles began to make more frequent forays into the attack.
In the 78th minute Angel made his presence felt in the game and almost made his mark on the scoreboard. Van den Bergh picked out the Colombian in the box, who drove a powerful header on goal. Cronin barely got enough of the ball to push it off the post.
Action was end to end and on the ensuing breakout, Donovan managed to find himself in acres of space on the right flank. Donovan dribbled through to the center of the field and hit a wicked bending left footed shot that rang off the crossbar.
Cronin continued his career night in the 86th minute, again denying Angel. He bent a free kick on target from about 22 yards out, but straight into Cronin's sure hands.
Cronin made his 10th save of the night on John Wolyniec just before the end of the second half. The ex-Galaxy striker broke in on goal, but the Galaxy backup made a fingertip save to deflect the ball over the crossbar.
Thanks to the play of Cronin, the game moved into the 30 minutes of extra time. Just minutes into the first overtime period, Donovan started a nice attacking sequence, working the ball through midfield. He got the ball back at the top of the area and fed Pete Vagenas, who was pulled down in the box, earning a penalty kick. Donovan stepped up and converted from the spot to give L.A. the lead.
The Galaxy doubled their advantage in the 103rd minute. The Galaxy worked the ball side to side and Quaranta worked the ball into the area for Martino to head toward goal. The ball banged off the underside of the crossbar and down into the net.
Cronin's bid for a perfect game was ended in the 109th minute when Angel buried a 20-yard free kick into the side netting, the only blemish on an otherwise stellar performance. Cronin was still called upon to make two more miraculous saves from point-blank range on Seth Stammler and Angel to preserve the victory.
Quaranta capped the scoring moments from the final whistle on a Galaxy counter. With New York pushing men forward, Donovan got in behind the defense and fed Quaranta, who was speeding down the center channel. Quaranta had an open net and an easy tap-in to finish off the game.
The Galaxy now will be part of the eight MLS teams in the tournament proper when the round of 16 takes place in July.
Greg Daurio is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
