Galaxy upend TFC, run unbeaten streak to 10

Buddle's 77th-minute score the difference in LA victory over Toronto

Edson Buddle's second goal of the season quieted the raucous BMO Field crowd. (P. Giamou/Getty)

Buddle, a former Toronto FC forward and second-half substitute, scored the deciding goal and gave the Galaxy just their second win of the season when he collected a pass from striker Gordon in the 77th minute.

Buddle raced into the Toronto penalty area and curled a shot on the run past TFC 'keeper Stefan Frei for his second goal of the season and 68th of his career.

Buddle, who was acquired from Toronto FC in mid-June 2007, entered the game in the 66th minute, replacing midfielder Chris Klein. It was just his seventh appearance of the season, slowed by a recurring quad injury. Buddle scored 15 goals for the Galaxy in 2008 and was a member of the original TFC roster before being dealt to Los Angeles.

The Galaxy opened the scoring in the fifth minute when an unmarked Alan Gordon headed home his third goal of the season from a Eddie Lewis corner kick from the top of the 6-yard box.

The Galaxy goal came after Klein had played a centering ball into the penalty area which was put into touch by Toronto defender Marco Velez, setting up a Los Angeles corner kick.

Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts put on an inspirational display, repeatedly snuffing out Toronto's attempts for a first-half equalizer while under sustained pressure from the hometown Reds for much of the opening half.

The Jamaican international first snagged a dangerous centering pass to Toronto striker Danny Dichio from midfielder Pablo Vitti in the 21st minute and was then on the spot three minutes later, thwarting a point-blank shot by striker Chad Barrett to preserve the 1-0 lead.

In the 34th minute Toronto again threatened with Vitti juggling a centering pass from Dichio and then heading the ball towards the corner of the Galaxy goal before a diving save by Ricketts.

Despite Gordon's early goal, Toronto's Frei was rarely tested in the opening half with the exception of a long-range effort by Gordon three minutes from halftime which was easily handled by Frei.

Toronto again applied the pressure in the opening minutes of the second half but former Toronto FC defender Todd Dunivant blocked a shot from an onrushing DeRosario in the 51st minute with the striker's second attempt being played through a crowd of players in the goalmouth but out of harm's way.

In the 64th minute, the hometown Reds were finally rewarded for their efforts with a goal by Dichio resulting from a wild goalmouth scramble.

An initial shot by Barrett smacked off the right post of the Galaxy goal, forcing Ricketts to then make a save off Toronto midfielder Carl Robinson while prone on the ground.

But the rebound then fell to Dichio, who made no mistake heading home the tying goal from close range and sending the sellout crowd at BMO Field into wild celebrations.

Three minutes later at the other end of the field, the Reds netminder was called on to make a brilliant diving save as Frei pushed aside a thunderous strike by Gordon to preserve the deadlock.

A failed clearing header attempt by Toronto defender Adrian Serioux gave Galaxy rookie defender Omar Gonzalez a chance to score the winner but after collecting the ball from Serioux and racing into the penalty area, his shot went wide of the goal.

Toronto outshot the Galaxy 11-4 but suffered their second consecutive loss in league play. Ricketts made 10 saves in all for the Galaxy.

The Galaxy's only defeat this year came in a 3-2 loss to the Colorado Rapids on April 4, and heading into the match they had tied five consecutive games. They hadn't won a match since May 2 when they defeated the New York Red Bulls 1-0.

Los Angeles was missing striker Landon Donovan, with the U.S. national team for the World Cup qualifier against Honduras, while Toronto FC were without U.S. defender Marvell Wynne and Honduran international midfielder, Amado Guevara who were preparing for the same match.

The two teams meet again Sept. 19 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The Galaxy play their next game on Tues., June 9 at The Home Depot Center against Costa Rican club Sport Herediano and then play their next league game June 13, at home to Real Salt Lake. TFC's next game is on Saturday against the New York Red Bulls, the first of two home games the Reds have with New York in a 12-day span.

Peter Mallett is a contributor to MLSnet.com.

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