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Galaxy Notch Yet Another Draw Against Wizards
Late goals from Davy Arnaud and Edson Buddle canceled each other out as the LA Galaxy drew 1-1 with the KC Wizards after Gregg Berhalter was sent off.
May 31, 2009 1:36:20 AM
CARSON, Calif.--The Los Angeles Galaxy welcomed the Kansas City Wizards to the Home Depot Center for the first time the two clubs have met this season, but for the same story. The 1-1 draw was the Galaxy's fifth tie in a row, and it was the third result of that scoreline in KC's last five matches. Davy Arnaud and Edson Buddle hit late goals to cancel out each other.
Kansas City was without two important cogs in the team due to red card suspension from the Chivas USA game last week. Herculez Gomez replaced Josh Wolff up top and Kevin Souter slotted into the midfield pushing Jack Jewsbury deeper to compensate for the loss of Santiago Hirsig.
The Galaxy tried out a new diamond midfield anchored by Josh Tudela with Dema Kovalenko pushed out to the right. Mike Magee sat in the top point below forwards Landon Donovan and Alan Gordon.
First half
The Galaxy's new-look midfield took time to settle, so the opening exchanges saw the Wizards take control of the possession. Claudio Lopez in particular looked sharp, but the team couldn't manage to unleash any shots.
Instead, the main drama of the opening quarter of the game was the battle between the two number sixes as Eddie Lewis and Lance Watson went at it down KC's right flank. Lewis zipped a couple low crosses in, but the central defense for the 'Zards held strong.
In the 22nd minute, Magee got involved and sliced an excellent diagonal ball through the KC backline, but the play was called offsides even before ex-Galaxy 'keeper Kevin Hartman smothered Gordon's shot.
By the time Donovan dribbled through a series of defenders in a cramped KC box before running into one marker too many, LA was firmly in control of the match. That dominance nearly brought rewards in the 34th. Lewis won his race with Watson down the left and slid a low cross into the path of Gordon. The much-maligned striker banged his close shot off the underside of the crossbeam, and Donovan rose to head the rebound a foot over the bar with Hartman flailing.
Having escaped such a close call seemed to spark KC to life. A minute before half, the team in blue had a similarly narrow miss. Kevin Souter crossed from the left and the on-rushing Davy Arnaud smacked the ball off Donovan Ricketts' face from point-blank range.
Second Half
The second half started slowly. However, 10 minutes in, the best chance of the match thus far fell to the Galaxy. Kovalenko hit a cross from his right flank role which skipped to the penalty spot to find Gordon. The striker skied his open shot from 10 yards when much better was demanded.
A minute later, the target man was involved again. He controlled a cross in the box and laid off for Eddie Lewis. Both Kovalenko and Magee went for the veteran's cross, however, and another chance went begging with Galaxy starting to dominate.
All that changed in the very next minute. Claudio Lopez beat the LA backline and was bearing down on goal when Gregg Berhalter, the last man, tugged at his jersey. Referee Terry Vaughn, who had been calling an open game after presiding over the Chivas USA - Chicago Fire debacle on Thursday, brandished a red card. Lopez curled the resulting free kick around the wall but couldn't beat AJ DeLaGarza in the box.
A man up, Kansas started controlling play. Gomez and Arnaud both registered hard shots that couldn't find their way on target as Lopez continued to drift around the pitch and create decent half-chances.
Eight minutes from time, the game exploded into action. Donovan led a counterattack and sprayed the ball wide to substitute Chris Klein. The veteran cut back in on his left and curled a shot that only Hartman's fingers managed to keep out of the far corner of the net. Another substitute, Edson Buddle, slammed the resulting corner off the crossbar as Galaxy piled on a mini-spell of pressure.
A minute later, Kansas City made the hosts pay for unlucky finishing. Roger Espinoza saved a ball from going out of bounds by knocking it up and into the box. A diving Herculez Gomez headed the ball off Davy Arnaud and into the net for the game's opener.
With time running out, Klein attempted a long-range blast the trickled inches wide of the post.
Then, three minutes from time, Galaxy had an equalizer. Buddle collected a Donovan pass and ran at his marker. He walloped a shot that beat Hartman near post, nicking the upright before bringing the scores level.
It was yet another game with late drama to provide yet another draw for the two clubs familiar with one-point hauls.
Zac Lee Rigg, Goal.com
Kansas City was without two important cogs in the team due to red card suspension from the Chivas USA game last week. Herculez Gomez replaced Josh Wolff up top and Kevin Souter slotted into the midfield pushing Jack Jewsbury deeper to compensate for the loss of Santiago Hirsig.
The Galaxy tried out a new diamond midfield anchored by Josh Tudela with Dema Kovalenko pushed out to the right. Mike Magee sat in the top point below forwards Landon Donovan and Alan Gordon.
First half
The Galaxy's new-look midfield took time to settle, so the opening exchanges saw the Wizards take control of the possession. Claudio Lopez in particular looked sharp, but the team couldn't manage to unleash any shots.
Instead, the main drama of the opening quarter of the game was the battle between the two number sixes as Eddie Lewis and Lance Watson went at it down KC's right flank. Lewis zipped a couple low crosses in, but the central defense for the 'Zards held strong.
In the 22nd minute, Magee got involved and sliced an excellent diagonal ball through the KC backline, but the play was called offsides even before ex-Galaxy 'keeper Kevin Hartman smothered Gordon's shot.
By the time Donovan dribbled through a series of defenders in a cramped KC box before running into one marker too many, LA was firmly in control of the match. That dominance nearly brought rewards in the 34th. Lewis won his race with Watson down the left and slid a low cross into the path of Gordon. The much-maligned striker banged his close shot off the underside of the crossbeam, and Donovan rose to head the rebound a foot over the bar with Hartman flailing.
Having escaped such a close call seemed to spark KC to life. A minute before half, the team in blue had a similarly narrow miss. Kevin Souter crossed from the left and the on-rushing Davy Arnaud smacked the ball off Donovan Ricketts' face from point-blank range.
Second Half
The second half started slowly. However, 10 minutes in, the best chance of the match thus far fell to the Galaxy. Kovalenko hit a cross from his right flank role which skipped to the penalty spot to find Gordon. The striker skied his open shot from 10 yards when much better was demanded.
A minute later, the target man was involved again. He controlled a cross in the box and laid off for Eddie Lewis. Both Kovalenko and Magee went for the veteran's cross, however, and another chance went begging with Galaxy starting to dominate.
All that changed in the very next minute. Claudio Lopez beat the LA backline and was bearing down on goal when Gregg Berhalter, the last man, tugged at his jersey. Referee Terry Vaughn, who had been calling an open game after presiding over the Chivas USA - Chicago Fire debacle on Thursday, brandished a red card. Lopez curled the resulting free kick around the wall but couldn't beat AJ DeLaGarza in the box.
A man up, Kansas started controlling play. Gomez and Arnaud both registered hard shots that couldn't find their way on target as Lopez continued to drift around the pitch and create decent half-chances.
Eight minutes from time, the game exploded into action. Donovan led a counterattack and sprayed the ball wide to substitute Chris Klein. The veteran cut back in on his left and curled a shot that only Hartman's fingers managed to keep out of the far corner of the net. Another substitute, Edson Buddle, slammed the resulting corner off the crossbar as Galaxy piled on a mini-spell of pressure.
A minute later, Kansas City made the hosts pay for unlucky finishing. Roger Espinoza saved a ball from going out of bounds by knocking it up and into the box. A diving Herculez Gomez headed the ball off Davy Arnaud and into the net for the game's opener.
With time running out, Klein attempted a long-range blast the trickled inches wide of the post.
Then, three minutes from time, Galaxy had an equalizer. Buddle collected a Donovan pass and ran at his marker. He walloped a shot that beat Hartman near post, nicking the upright before bringing the scores level.
It was yet another game with late drama to provide yet another draw for the two clubs familiar with one-point hauls.
Zac Lee Rigg, Goal.com
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