When Landon Donovan stepped onto the RFK Stadium field on Saturday night, the D.C. United supporters had a message for him. When he walked off the pitch at the end of the night, Donovan had delivered his response -- his two goals giving the Los Angeles Galaxy a 3-2 victory against D.C. United.
Following a United own goal midway through the first half that gave his team a one-goal lead, the 23-year old connected on a free kick just after halftime, then scored the game-winner on a 67th-minute header.
Tallies from United's Bryan Namoff and Jaime Moreno both drew the home team even twice, but Donovan was certainly in the right position all night long. His header lifted his team's spirits after conceding what could have been a disheartening second goal, and ultimately sealed the victory.
He said getting the third goal in such rapid-fire fashion was critical.
"I was pretty down, to be honest," said the U.S. international. "But a lot of the guys just said, 'We can still win.' Next thing you know, we score and then we're in a good position again.
"(The quick goal) was crucial. We don't want them to have 20 minutes to find a way to get a winning goal, to get their crowd into it, to get them into it. So to come back and score kind of put the nail in the coffin and made it easier for us."
Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman was in complete agreement, noting that "when he (Donovan) came back that quickly, it really didn't even give us the opportunity to get negative. We scored so quickly, we were back up on top, and I'm sure it was a crushing blow to D.C. United."
Jones assisted on Donovan's game-winning goal, with a perfectly-placed cross that came mere seconds after United's Moreno had evened the score on a penalty kick.
"He's just a good soccer player," Donovan said of Jones, who passed Mauricio Cienfuegos for first place on the team's all-time assist list. "He's been around for a long time. He knows where the ball should go, and he makes it happen. And I know that if I make a good run and get in the right position, he's going to find me."
Donovan has hit his stride in the midst of a demanding stretch which has included not only considerable national team commitment, but also now representing a select team of MLS players facing Real Madrid in Spain in only three days.
"(It's been) tiring," Donovan said, "but two wins (in a short time frame) is always good. Hopefully we can make it three on Tuesday in Madrid ... I'm not excited about the travel and trying to recover, but I think stepping out on the field there will be really cool."
Galaxy head coach Steve Sampson thought his superstar was a bit timid at the outset of the match, but liked what he saw as the game wore on.
"I think he eased into the game," Sampson said. "I would have liked it if he was more 'impactful' from the beginning of the game. This is a guy who has played a lot of soccer in the last few months; a guy who has tends to pick and choose his moments.
"He can tend to make a defense fall asleep, so when he does make his run for it, it tends to be very productive."
And Donovan, for his part, seems intent on making those runs more often nowadays.
"I'm just more confident," he said. "In the last couple weeks, I've gotten a little more determined to go to goal. I'm trying to be a more aggressive and a little more selfish sometimes, because I think I play better that way."
On the caliber of players like Donovan with the match looming against Real Madrid -- who sport perhaps the most star-studded lineup in the world -- Sampson was optimistic.
"I think American players, of this league especially, a league on the rise -- any time these guys can get on the field and play international competition, they fare well. I think our all stars are going to do very well," Sampson said. "Unfortunately it is not the most ideal preparation, but once they get on the field and see the environment I think they will step up and play respectfully."
And Donovan, for one, feels like that level of respect is deserved.
When asked about a sign on the face of the RFK stands that said, "Don't Cry Landon, It's Just an Away Game," his retort was, simply, "It's a sign of respect, right? They don't yell that to anyone else.
"I'm sure they wish I hadn't come tonight."
Omar Garriott is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
