SuperClasico rivals settle for draw

Edson Buddle's goal in the 72nd minute earns Galaxy a point

David Beckham and the Galaxy fought back from a 1-0 deficit to earn a draw against Chivas USA. (AP)

The result leaves both teams in a tie for first place at the top of the Western Conference, pending the results from the upcoming weekend.

Chivas was clearly the more aggressive team to start the match. The Red-and-White were immediately pushing into the Galaxy defensive third, and the entire LA team seemed out of sorts, as they struggled with their first touch and failed to string passes together.

Their carelessness with the ball ultimately led to the game's opening goal. In the 15th minute, the Galaxy turned the ball over in the midfield and Chivas launched a counter. Sacha Kljestan broke down the Galaxy defense with a long dribbling run, then found Razov with a square pass at the top of the penalty area. With his preferred left foot, Razov curled a perfect shot into the upper corner to give Chivas the lead.

The Chivas pressure continued, and five minutes later, Razov used a clever heel flick to find an overlapping Francisco Mendoza. Mendoza managed to get off a clear shot from 18 yards out, but it was a weak effort that was easily saved by Galaxy goalkeeper Steve Cronin.

The Galaxy finally made an offensive foray in the 24th minute. Pete Vagenas played a through ball right up the heart of the Chivas defense. After both David Beckham and Edson Buddle dummied the ball, Ely Allen was in clean through on Guzan. But the rookie banged his shot off goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

One minute later, Beckham hit a corner kick to Buddle. Buddle won the header, but Mendoza did a good job of marking the post and cleared the ball off the line.

Razov came close to doubling his tally in the 28th. Mendoza, who had been terrorizing the Galaxy defense all night, drew a foul from 20 yards out. Razov got his shot over the wall and under the crossbar, but Cronin read the shot well, and made the save.

The game started to get physical following the half-hour mark, and scoring chances started to wane. Just before halftime, the Galaxy did managed to forge one last attack. Joe Franchino, who came into the game as a first-half substitute for an injured Ante Jazic, played a cross from the left flank. The ball bounced all the way to Chris Klein, who had the time and space to settle the ball and uncork a shot that the caromed off the upright.

The Galaxy started the second half much better, and in the 49th minute, Buddle came close to equalizing. Landon Donovan let a ball bounce past him to Buddle, who raced into the penalty area and fired a low shot under duress. The shot beat Guzan, but wound up curling to the wrong side of the post.

The game continued to produce scoring chances few and far between as the physicality of the match produced several bone crunching tackles that disrupted the flow of the match. In an attempt to inject some life into his offense, Ruud Gullit brought on Carlos Ruiz in the 58th minute.

Eight minutes later, Ruiz nearly got on the end of a cross to draw things level. In the buildup, the Galaxy worked the ball through midfield before finding Klein on the wing. Klein played a low cross to the edge of the six where Ruiz was making a run. As he slid in to try and poke home a shot, Guzan charged off his line and beat him to the pass to smother the danger.

The Galaxy's persistence finally paid off in the 72nd minute. Vagenas spotted Buddle making a run into the area, and hit a perfectly weighted through ball. Buddle sprinted into the area, and from a sharp angle on the right, shot between Guzan's legs to level the game.

Chivas thought that they had regained the lead in the 78th minute. Kljestan made a phenomenal run down the right side and cut the ball back into the middle. As the ball bounced around the goalmouth Mendoza blasted home from close range, but the linesman had determined that the ball had gone out over the end line before the cross ever came in.

Chivas came close again in the 88th minute. Jonathan Bornstein ventured forward from his left back position and sent an early cross into the area. Cronin got caught coming off his line, allowing Kljestan to get a header past him at the near post. Fortunately for Cronin, the ball banged off the post.

Los Angeles had one last push as well. On a counter attack in stoppage time, Donovan fed Ruiz in the left side of the area. From an angle, Ruiz shot on goal, but Guzan was equal to the task and made the save.

That was the last opportunity for either team, as they settled for the 1-1 draw. Next up for the Galaxy is a game against the New York Red Bulls next weekend at the Meadowlands, the first of an extended road swing, while Chivas USA do not have a league game again until Aug. 9, as their first participation in SuperLiga will come in the meantime.

Greg Daurio is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.

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