Galaxy unsatisfied with just one point
Los Angeles moves into tie for second place in Western Conference
"Earlier in the year, we would have been happy tying a game like this," said goalscorer Landon Donovan. "There was a sense of disappointment coming in here. We don't want to give away any points now. That's a good sign."
And the early signs at the sold-out, overflowing CommunityAmerica Ballpark, were all good. Left midfielder Eddie Lewis and Donovan came close in the fourth and 19th minutes respectively, Donovan's a half-volley into the chest of Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman from six yards. But then things took a decided turn for the hosts.
The Wizards' chief magician, midfielder Claudio Lopez, picked up a poor trap off the foot of Omar Gonzalez in the 26th minute just inside the midfield stripe and hit an arching ball that beat goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts as he retreated back to his line. The goal was a beauty, reminiscent of David Beckham's against the Wizards in a 3-1 victory last May 24 in Los Angeles.
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"It was a great goal," said Beckham who wowed himself at training on Friday night, hitting a 100 yard ball through the eye of the bull that overlooks CommunityAmerica Ballpark in his first and only attempt. "It doesn't matter what league it's in or where it is in the world, it's a great goal."
Adding injury to insult, Ricketts was forced out of the game with back spasms after slamming into the right post on the play. Second-year netminder Josh Saunders took over.
But the Galaxy didn't play dead, attacking mostly via Donovan as they had before the tide turned. In the 33rd minute, the persistence paid off as Donovan received a pass from Beckham near midfield and dashed to the left before striking a low shot that beat Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman inside his right post.
"David did a really good job of putting pressure on Santiago and nicked the ball away, I took a touch as a couple guys made really good runs to open up the defense, and I put it in a good spot," Donovan said. "Even before their goal, we were all over them and should have scored a couple goals. Tonight, we'll want to play it again because I think it's a game we deserved to win."
Although the second half was more even, highlighted by two more Lopez attempts off free kicks -- one that Saunders did well to leap up and deny in the 52nd minute and the other that hit the post in the 78th -- the Galaxy could've gotten the three points.
"Overall, our team played well. We didn't take advantage of our opportunities ... and give Lopez a lot of credit for a fabulous goal; that's one of those goal of the year things. And Hartman had a few saves of the year," said Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena. "So they got some good performances out of some of their key players. For long periods of time, we created some chances. At the end of the day, if you don't finish those chances, you're not going to win."
The Galaxy were missing key players in forwards Alecko Eskandarian and Edson Buddle and midfielder Dema Kovalenko due to injury, while Kansas City were without center back Jimmy Conrad and midfielder Davy Arnaud, who were with the U.S. national team competing in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. But even Beckham sees a different mentality and level of play from the past two seasons.
"We have players in our team now who are not just giving the ball to me and Landon because they can do it themselves and they have the confidence," he said. "It's good to see, and it's working because we're working well as a team, working hard for each other."
Bob Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
