LOS ANGELES GALAXY v REAL SALT LAKE
THE HOME DEPOT CENTER, Carson, Calif.
7:30 p.m. PT (FSN-W; FSN-Ut)
May 13, 2006 (WEEK #7) / MLS Game #40
The Los Angeles Galaxy return home to face Real Salt Lake for the second time in three weeks, with both teams coming to The Home Depot Center looking for a morale-boosting victory. When they last met, the Galaxy came away with a 3-2 victory to start a three-game road swing - one that ended with a pair of shutout losses. Real are still winless on the campaign, with just a single point from their six matches - and are winless since last August, an MLS-record span now of 18 games.
REFEREE: Marcel Yonan. SAR (bench): David Bragg; JAR (opposite): Emiliano Monje; 4th: Baldomero Toledo
MLS Career: 55 games; FC/gm: 29.0; Y/gm: 3.3; R: 8; pens: 19
MLS 2006: 2 games; FC/gm: 26.5 (avg: 31.5); Y/gm: 4.0 (avg: 3.85); R: 0 (MLS: 7); pens: 1 (MLS: 7)
Games involving Galaxy: P6 W3 L1 T2; FC/gm: 29.7; Y/gm: 3.8; R: 0; pens: 2
Games involving Real: P1 W0 L1 T0; FC/gm: 23.0; Y/gm: 4.0; R: 0; pens: 0
INJURY REPORT: LOS ANGELES GALAXY - QUESTIONABLE: FW Alan Gordon (sports hernia); PROBABLE: MF Peter Vagenas (concussion); DF Ben Benditson (sports hernia) ... REAL SALT LAKE - OUT: DF Paul Broome (L ankle internal derangement); MF Seth Trembly (L knee ACL tear); PROBABLE: DF Willis Forko (bilateral hamstring strain); DF Danny Torres (L popliteal strain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: LA: Landon Donovan, Chris Albright (USA; 2006 World Cup) ... RSL: Eddie Pope (USA; 2006 World Cup); Douglas Sequeira (Costa Rica; 2006 World Cup)
SUSPENDED: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (5 meetings): Galaxy 3 wins (0 shootout), 9 goals ... Real 1 wins (0 shootout), 6 goals ... 1 draw
AT THE HOME DEPOT CENTER: (2 meetings): Galaxy 2 wins (0 shootout), 4 goals ... Real 0 wins (0 shootout), 1 goal ... 0 draws
This is the second of four league meetings scheduled between the Western Conference clubs, the first of two at The Home Depot Center, the second meeting in three weeks time. Their next meeting will also be on Victoria Street, on July 8. Their final league meeting is scheduled for the Wasatch Front on Aug. 30.
Coaches record: Steve Sampson v RSL: P5 W3 L1 D1 ... John Ellinger vs. LA: P5 W1 L3 D1
LAST MEETING
4/29: RSL 2, LA 3 (Kreis 6; Harris 74 - Donovan 11; Jones 26; Gomez 60)
Landon Donovan took over the game as the Galaxy won in their first match of the season outside of southern California, keeping Real winless on the campaign as their MLS-record streak was extended.
The home side got off to a dream start, a long ball from Carey Talley masterfully dummied by Jeff Cunningham, allowing Andy Williams to drive a low cross across the face of goal where Jason Kreis stormed in at the back post to slide in and knock it home for his MLS-best 102nd career goal (6).
But just five minutes later Donovan pulled the Galaxy level, dispossessing Eddie Pope at the top of the Real penalty area and racing around his U.S. international teammate to collect the ball before firing past Scott Garlick inside the far post.
Then in the 26th minute the Galaxy pulled ahead, Donovan swinging a pass out to the right flank where Chris Albright whipped a cross into the goal area, Cobi Jones steaming in to dive and head home from close range.
On the hour, the Galaxy increased their lead when Donovan split the Real defense with a perfect through ball from just inside the center circle, Herculez Gomez getting onto the end of it and slotting the ball home for his first goal of the campaign.
Real pulled a goal back with 16 minutes left when Kreis drove a low centering pass to the near post for Atiba Harris to nip in and knock the ball home, but Real just couldn't find the equalizer, the job made all but impossible when Kreis was sent off in the 87th minute after receiving two bookings in four minutes.
Here's Ellinger's team (3-4-1-2): Scott Garlick - Carey Talley, Eddie Pope, Daniel Torres - Chris Klein, Kenny Cutler, Douglas Sequeira, Ryan Johnson (Mehdi Ballouchy 71) - Andy Williams (Chris Brown 46) - Jason Kreis, Jeff Cunningham (Atiba Harris 46). [Substitutes Not Used: Nelson Akwari, Christian Jimenez, Jay Nolly, Kevin Novak]
Here's Sampson's team (4-1-4-1): Steve Cronin - Chris Albright, Ugo Ihemelu, Kyle Veris, Todd Dunivant - Peter Vagenas (Cobi Jones 10) - Herculez Gomez, Landon Donovan, Marcelo Saragosa, Paulo Nagamura - Cornell Glen (Ned Grabavoy 41 / Marc Burch 80). [Substitutes Not Used: Brian Dunseth, Michael Enfield, Kevin Hartman, Nathan Sturgis]
LOS ANGELES GALAXY
The Los Angeles Galaxy concluded their three-game road swing with a second successive shutout loss, this time a 1-0 reverse on Wednesday night against FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park. The Galaxy are tied for third place in the Western Conference with seven points from seven matches, level with the Colorado Rapids, five points behind second-place Houston Dynamo and now seven behind the pace-setting Hoops.
LAST MATCH
FC Dallas remained perfect on the season at their Pizza Hut Park home, while the Galaxy fell for the second consecutive match to conclude a three-match road swing, shut out in both reversals.
Carlos Ruiz scored the game's only goal in the 20th minute - then FCD made it stand after they were left a man down just before the halftime break. A Ramon Nuñez shot was deflected by a Galaxy defender, falling to Ruiz, who perfectly placed a low shot inside the far post that beat Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman.
The home side were left a man down after Bobby Rhine was sent off in the 43rd minute with a straight red card after a hard tackle on Galaxy substitute Ned Grabavoy at midfield. But the Hoops had only one real scare over the final 45 minutes - a Joseph Ngwenya shot that hit the crossbar then was cleared back over the bar by defender Alex Yi.
Galaxy boss Steve Sampson made three changes to the team that lost 4-0 to the New England Revolution at the weekend. For the second time in three matches, Steve Cronin started between the posts, coming in for Kevin Hartman. Peter Vagenas returned to the lineup after missing a match to concussion, replacing Marcelo Saragosa, and Joseph Ngwenya made his first start of the season, replacing Chris Albright.
Here's Sampson's team (4-2-3-1) Steve Cronin - Ugo Ihemelu, Kyle Veris, Tyrone Marshall, Todd Dunivant (Thiago 78) - Peter Vagenas, Paulo Nagamura - Cobi Jones, Landon Donovan, Herculez Gomez (Ned Grabavoy 28) - Joseph Ngwenya (Michael Enfield 78) [Substitutes Not Used: Brian Dunseth, Kevin Hartman, Marcelo Saragosa, Nathan Sturgis]
"It seems like in the game, nothing is dangerous and then they get one chance and Carlos (Ruiz) puts the ball in the goal," Grabavoy said. "You can never be too comfortable out there, especially in the back and especially playing against guys like (Taylor) Twellman last week and Ruiz this week. Obviously, we don't want to give up a goal in the first 20 minutes," he said. "We kind of put ourselves behind the 8-ball."
TEAM NEWS
Galaxy head coach Steve Sampson did see some positives from his team despite falling to a fourth loss in seven games on the season.
"I think that this team played much better tonight than in the last two to three weeks," he said. "I think our ball movement was better, our organization was better. With the exception of the one shot in the first 45 minutes, which ended up in the goal, I thought we had the better chances in the match. We hit the post in the second half. We created a couple of opportunities but Dallas played well under duress, bunkered in and did what they had to do to get a result."
Wednesday's game was the last with the Galaxy for defender Chris Albright and midfielder Landon Donovan before they join the U.S. national team in preparation for the World Cup. Albright did not play due to a hamstring "twinge" suffered on Monday, but the Galaxy still wanted to send Donovan off on a winning note.
"We're very pleased with his effort tonight given that he's got a big event coming up in a month or so," Sampson said. "This shows his class and his professionalism that he can come out here and give that kind of effort knowing that he can easily be injured and be out of the World Cup."
L.A. received an early blow Wednesday when forward Herculez Gomez suffered a sprained right knee in the 11th minute and had to leave the game for Grabavoy. Sampson gave Grabavoy's play rave reviews and said he will likely play again on Saturday against Real Salt Lake.
"I thought Ned (Grabavoy) came in and held the ball beautifully for us," he said. "We were able to play through him on the left side effectively. He's a different look than Herculez (Gomez) and I think he allowed us to penetrate even more once he came on the field. I was quite happy with his play.
"It looks like Herculez won't be available to play in the match against Real Salt Lake this weekend," Sampson added. "Ned might get the call to play there again and I think he earned it."
After the first half against New England, when Sampson felt rookie Kyle Veris lost his matchup with the Revolution's José Cancela, the absence of Albright caused another rethink in the back four. Sampson moved Veris inside to partner Tyrone Marshall, and Ugo Ihemelu played right back. Ihemelu was "one of the bright spots," Sampson said. "I thought he did very, very well there."
REAL SALT LAKE
Real Salt Lake remained winless on the campaign, a fine performance coming to a disappointing end when a late goal gave the Columbus Crew a 1-0 victory last Saturday evening at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Real is still at the foot of the Western Conference with one point from six matches, three behind fifth-place Chivas USA and now 11 points out of first place.
LAST MATCH
The bottom teams in each conference met, and for the opening three-quarters of the encounter, seemed unlikely to settle their differences.
But 20 minutes from time, newly-acquired Ezra Hendrickson received a long ball on the right, turned his defender and dropped in a pass for Jason Garey to run onto. The rookie hit a looping shot from just inside the area that cleanly beat Scott Garlick inside the near post for the clincher, the first professional goal for the 2005 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy winner.
The Crew were forced to play the final five minutes a man short after midfielder Jose Retiz was sent off, but Real could not find an equalizer as their winless streak reached 18 games dating back to last August.
RSL head coach John Ellinger made four changes to the team that lost 3-2 to the Los Angeles Galaxy the previous weekend. Nelson Akwari and Willis Forko came in at the fullback positions as Ellinger went back to a 4-4-2 scheme. Mehdi Ballouchy came into a wide midfield role for Ryan Johnson and Atiba Harris started in attack as Andy Williams was dropped. The injured Daniel Torres was also out of the team, as was the suspended Jason Kreis.
Here's Ellinger's team (4-4-2): Scott Garlick - Nelson Akwari, Eddie Pope, Carey Talley (Christian Jimenez 84), Willis Forko (Andy Williams 72) - Chris Klein, Kenny Cutler (Ryan Johnson 77), Douglas Sequeira, Mehdi Ballouchy - Jeff Cunningham, Atiba Harris. [Substitutes Not Used: Chris Brown, Jay Nolly, Kevin Novak, Joey Worthen]
"It's just a matter of stepping up and playing a perfect game where we make zero mistakes," Real coach John Ellinger said. "It just seems that way for us, that if we make one mistake, then boom, we get punished for it."
TEAM NEWS
Forko was a surprise addition to the starting lineup; his first start was also his first Major League Soccer game. Forko took the left fullback position normally occupied by Daniel Torres; Torres was declared unavailable for the game earlier Saturday with inflammation in his knee. Ellinger did not blame Forko for the lapse that gave up the goal.
"Willis did very well," Ellinger said. "Kei Kamara is not an easy player to play; basically, he took him out so I thought Willis did a good job."
After Real fell behind, Ellinger began to ramp up his offense. He replaced Forko with forward Andy Williams in the 72nd minute; he inserted Ryan Johnson in the 77th minute for midfielder Kenny Cutler; and he took out Talley in favor of Christian Jimenez, a forward who had seen no playing time with the first team. If Ellinger had more substitutions available, he would have replaced all of his defenders with forwards.
"It's always an impact not to have Jason," Ellinger said. "Its his leadership and his willingness to die for the franchise on the field. If you were here last week [against L.A.], you saw the kind of effort that he puts forth. He leads by example, and you miss him when he's not out there."
At home, RSL is 0-2-1. At Rice-Eccles Stadium, they have played the better game twice, yet only were able to manage a tie once against New York. On the road, RSL is 0-3. Two times on the road, they have scored the first goal of the game only to lose 2-1.
"Tonight we came out with the offensive mindset and we did a great job, but we didn't execute," midfielder Chris Klein said. "We didn't get the ball in the net, and that's on us. We come out in the second half with the momentum, and we're knocking on the door and knocking on the door, and then we give them an easy chance at the other end and all the sudden we're clawing our way back in and trying to get a tie."
Although RSL (0-5-1) is winless on the season, Ellinger and the players believe they are on the right track. "This has never really happened to me in my professional career," Talley said. "You have to stay positive; if we get down on each other, we probably won't win."
Said Klein: "I've never experienced anything like this, and to be honest I don't think this is a bad team. That's one of the things that makes this the most frustrating, is that I've been on bad teams before, and I don't think this is a bad team."
