Since The Home Depot Center opened in 2003, the Los Angeles Galaxy have enjoyed a great deal of success at home. Playing on one of the biggest playing surfaces in all of MLS, combined with the rabid fan support they get at home contests, has created a recipe for success in the Southland.
However, the same cannot be said for the club's performance on the road. Over the past few seasons, the Galaxy seem to turn into another team. It's not for lack of effort, but the finishing in front of goal and the organization on defense just hasn't been there.
The Galaxy are looking to change all that in 2006. It really began last year, as they completed their dramatic march to the second MLS Cup in club history.
After a 3-1 victory at home against San Jose in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinal Series, they laid to rest the demons of a similar venture two years earlier, and advanced after a solid 1-1 draw at Spartan Stadium. They then defeated the Colorado Rapids 2-0 in Denver to advance to the MLS Cup Final, where Guillermo Ramirez's extra-time goal against the New England Revolution landed them the Alan I. Rothenberg Trophy for the second time.
It was an even more unexpected run, given the Galaxy played just the single playoff game at home, but still managed to advance and win the cup. The Galaxy attribute their success to an overall team change in attitude.
"There has been a definite dedication towards consistency. It's something we've lacked," said Galaxy captain Pete Vagenas. "We need to get on the right track early, otherwise it's going to be a sense of 'here we go again.' It's something we're gong to try and stop from happening."
Head coach Steve Sampson has echoed his captain's sentiments, recalling a game at D.C. United late last summer that marked a turning point in his team's road mentality. Landon Donovan scored two second-half goals in a 3-2 Galaxy victory, the first win for the Galaxy outside of Southern California since June of 2004, a span of nearly 14 months.
"I think we're concentrating more," Sampson said. "I think we're paying attention to details a lot better than we did midway through last season."
That success already has paid dividends of sorts this season. While other MLS teams were holding scrimmages with one another, the Galaxy were playing in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup against Deportivo Saprissa of Costa Rica. Heading scoreless into the second leg, the Galaxy needed a win in San Jose, Costa Rica, to advance.
Playing in Estadio Saprissa, one of the most hostile environments in the entire region, the Galaxy came out in the opening 45 minutes and staked themselves to a two-goal lead. The lead didn't hold up, the game ended 2-2 in regulation, and Saprissa eventually won the game in extra time. Yet while the result itself was disappointing, the Galaxy took a lot more away from that game.
"It's funny to say we've grown up when we have guys like Tyrone (Marshall), Chris (Albright), Cobi (Jones), and Kevin (Hartman), but even us guys have grown up," Donovan said. "We put that mental block behind us. Now we should win games away. We're good enough to win away."
Heading into the season, just one starter from the team that lifted the MLS Cup -- final hero Ramirez, who even entered that match as a sub -- is no longer with the club. Essentially, the same group that opened the season in April was also the one that finished it off in November, as about the only addition was the emergence of Herculez Gomez as a foil in attack for Donovan.
However, the club was rocked by the death of president and general Doug Hamilton in March and could provide a significant setback for the club.
Still, in some ways there, the road could help. Many teams will say that playing on the road brings a team closer, because they only have to focus on playing, and real bonding begins.
Last season the Galaxy stumbled into the playoffs with the fourth seed in the West. If the Galaxy can take their newfound confidence on the road and convert a handful of draws into wins, and a few of the heartbreaking losses into ties, they might not have to play on the road in this year's MLS Cup Playoffs.
Greg Daurio is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
