Los Angeles Galaxy Get It Done On Monday Night Against Seattle Sounders (VIDEO)
Jul 28, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Stefan Ishizaki (24, left) is embraced by defender Dan Gargan (33) after scoring a goal against the Seattle Sounders FC during the first half at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Sometimes, these Bold Predictions on the MLS Multiplex can become unintended reverse psychology. We predicted a 7-0 victory for Sigi Schmid’s Seattle Sounders over Bruce Arena’s Los Angeles Galaxy and the designated visitors proved all of us wrong. In one of the most defining victories of the season for LA, the Galaxy put their 7-0 demise against Manchester United in their rearview mirror and shut out the Sounders, 3-0, at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Wash.
If you recall in the friendly between LA and Man U, both first teams played only the first half and Man U won that half, 3-0. So in a way, everything evens out, combined with LA Galaxy II’s 4-0 win over the Orange County Blues in USL PRO play (the Man U reserves won the second half, 4-0). So, with that said, here are six things we learned, followed by player ratings, for the match between the Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles Galaxy.
1. Gyasi Zardes gets things started
The Los Angeles Galaxy wanted to get off on the right foot. Four minutes into the contedy, Juninho had an attempt miss to the left following a corner. Seattle countered in the sixth minute with a Marco Pappa through ball for Clint Dempsey, but it was ruled offsides. In the eighth minute, Gyasi Zardes scored his seventh goal of the season, and it was a good one, with excellent placement from Landon Donovan and Marcelo Sarvas.
2. Landon Donovan makes it 2-0 LA
In the 11th minute, Galaxy captain Robbie Keane had a right-footed shot from outside the box saved by Stefan Frei. Stefan Ishizaki had a chance from outside the box miss to the left in the 14th minute. In the 18th minute, Donovan scored his fourth goal of the season, one-upping Dempsey off a rebound to make it 2-0 Los Angeles.
3. Stefan Ishizaki steps it up
And even with the team up 2-0 on Seattle, knowing LA, the Galaxy would not be satisfied with this lead. Never. In the 18th minute, Sarvas had a left-footed shot from outside the box saved by Frei. Donovan was hoping for a brace in the 23rd minute but his left-footed shot from the left side of the box sailed high and out. In the 27th minute, Donovan was given a caution for a foul on Osvaldo Alonso.
In the 30th minute, Keane had a right-footed shot from outside of the box just miss the top right corner. A.J. DeLaGarza said “No Thank You, Deuce!” in the 32nd minute to Dempsey with his clearance. In the 33rd minute, a through ball from Dempsey to Nigerian trigger man Obafemi Martins was ruled offside. In the 36th minute, Ishizaki finally got one through thanks to Sarvas to make it 3-0 LA. The goal was Ishizaki’s fourth of the season.
Dan Gargan, who had been holding the fort down for the first half on the Galaxy back line, got shaken up in the 40th minute and would need a look at by the trainers. Zardes had two bites of the cherry in the 43rd minute but could not finish. A free kick from Dempsey in the 45th minute was unimaginative at best. In the second minute of first half injury time, tempers began to flare. Omar Gonzalez would be cautioned in the third minute of injury time for his part in the mess.
First Half Team Statistics
Seattle left, Los Angeles right
2 Shots 11
0 Shots on Target 7
0 Shots off Target 4
2 Blocked Shots 0
0 Corners 2
0 Crosses 12
2 Offsides 0
5 Fouls 9
0 Yellow Cards 2
0 Red Cards 0
175 Total Passes 236
75 % Passing Accuracy 85 %
41.8 % Possession 58.2 %
19 Duels Won 30
3 Tackles Won 12
4 Saves 0
15 Clearances 5
4. Close calls early in second half
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Down 3-0, the pressure was on Seattle to respond and make this match competitive again. Chad Barrett, who has had a history of scoring on the Galaxy and was a former forward for LA, came in at the break for Lamar Neagle. A free kick in the 48th minute for Ishizaki sailed high and out for a goal kick. In the 50th minute, a threatening series was whiffed by Keane.
At this point in the contest, the Galaxy were content to make this a ball possession battle, with LA picking its poison on shot selection. Martins made a meal of his opportunity in the 55th minute of play. A shot from Ishizaki in the 56th minute was collected by Frei. The 59th minute saw Jaime Penedo make a diving save on Dempsey.
5. Tristan Bowen under-impresses off the bench
Keane’s next big shot in the 62nd minute sailed wide right. As expect from a team clearly in need of a score, the Sounders played much better soccer this half. A former Galaxy Homegrown Player, Tristan Bowen, came in for Marco Pappa in the 65th minute. A shot from the aformentioned Bowen missed wide right in the 68th minute of play. In the 71st minute, a free kick from Ishizaki was collected from Frei. Jalil Anibaba did earn a yellow for his foul on Sarvas. Bowen had another speculative attempt in the 74th moinute of play.
6. Now batting cleanup: Jaime Penedo
On the road, the Galaxy have dropped points for one significant reason: the inability to dominate the final 15 and stoppage time. So how do they fix this? Big stops from Jaime Penedo, of course. Robbie Rogers got a knock in the 77th minute of play after DeAndre Yedlin gave him soccer’s version of the “don’t argue.” Baggio Husidic came in for Juninho in the 78th minute of play. Gonzalo Pineda was carded for dissent in the 79th minute, adding to Seattle’s sorry evening.
More Stefan on Stefan: Stefan Frei made another great save on Stefan Ishizaki in the 80th minute of play. Sounders midfielder Michael Azira came in for Dylan Remick in the 81st minute. Rogers had one of his more speculative volleys in the 84th minute. Penedo denied Martins again in the 85th minute of play. Azira tried his luck from distance in the 87th minute but it was saved by Penedo.
Dempsey’s next chance in the 88th minute was saved by Penedo. Alonso had a shot in the first minute of stoppage time miss wide left. Kenney Walker came in for Zardes in the second minute of stoppage time. Martins tried it again in the third minute of stoppage time but it was deflected for a corner that was collected by Penedo, putting an exclamating point on a big Monday night for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Team Statistics
Seattle in green, Los Angeles in yellow
| 13 | Shots | 17 |
| 4 | Shots on Target | 10 |
| 4 | Shots off Target | 7 |
| 5 | Blocked Shots | 0 |
| 2 | Corners | 4 |
| 10 | Crosses | 18 |
| 2 | Offsides | 1 |
| 14 | Fouls | 15 |
| 2 | Yellow Cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 430 | Total Passes | 422 |
| 81 % | Passing Accuracy | 81 % |
| 49.8 % | Possession | 50.2 % |
| 43 | Duels Won | 59 |
| 9 | Tackles Won | 18 |
| 7 | Saves | 4 |
| 27 | Clearances | 18 |
Seattle Sounders Player Ratings
Stefan Frei 4, DeAndre Yedlin 3, Dylan Remick 3, Jalil Anibaba 2.5, Zach Scott 3, Gonzalo Pineda 3.5, Lamar Neagle 3, Marco Pappa 4, Osvaldo Alonso 5, Clint Dempsey 6, Obafemi Martins 5, Chad Barrett 4, Tristan Bowen 3, Michael Azira NR
Los Angeles Galaxy Player Ratings
Jaime Penedo 7, A.J. DeLaGarza 7, Dan Gargan 8, Omar Gonzalez 7.5, Robbie Rogers 7, Juninho 6, Landon Donovan 9.5, Marcelo Sarvas 8, Stefan Ishizaki 8, Gyasi Zardes 8, Robbie Keane 7, Baggio Husifdic 3, Kenney Walker NR