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DC United and LA Galaxy Battle To Scoreless Draw
In a matchup of the two traditional powers in Major League Soccer, D.C. United were unable to break down an organized LA Galaxy side, as the game ended in a 0-0 draw Saturday night at RFK Stadium.
Aug 23, 2009 12:24:00 AM
WASHINGTON, DC - The Los Angeles Galaxy were able to bring David Beckham and Eddie Lewis back into the side that defeated Chicago on Wednesday, as both returned from suspensions. United fielded a team vastly different from the side that lost midweek to C.D. Marathon in the Champions’ League, but were unable to reverse their recent fortune as the match ended in a scoreless draw.
With a substantial rainfall well before the game, and during the opening stages of the match, the field took its toll on both sides, as numerous players struggled with their footing during the first half.
Additionally, United were forced to play the game withpit coach Tom Soehn at the helm, due to illness. In his place, assistant coach Chad Ashton managed the game for United from the sidelines.
First Half
Neither side opened up the game at a particularly energetic pace, as the rain seemed to slow the tempo of the game early on. Beckham had an early cross in the opening stages of the match, but United keeper Josh Wicks was quick off his line to punch the ball out, and clear the danger.
Controversy struck early on, as United striker Luciano Emilio seemed to give United the lead in the 8th minute. A quick interchange of passes between Fred and Christian Gomez allowed Gomez to slide a through ball into the box for Emilio, who coolly slotted the ball home. However, he was flagged for offside, despite replays that indicated otherwise.
The two teams then began to exchange a series of half chances, indications of attacking prowess, but nothing that looked to create the opening goal. Mike Magee had two opportunities for the Galaxy via crosses from Beckham, but neither of his headers challenged Wicks.
Emilio had a header from a Santino Quaranta cross, but the attempt from near the top of the box was off target. Lewis had a chance at the other end for the Galaxy moments later, but his effort from outside the box was easily saved by Wicks.
The last couple of minutes of the match finally produced a couple of decent scoring chances, but neither side was able to take advantage. From a corner in the 37th minute, Donovan Ricketts attempted to punch the ball out. It fell invitingly to Fred just outside the box, but his on-target effort was blocked by a defender before it could challenge Ricketts.
Landon Donovan had another fantastic run down the left hand flank in the 41st minute, and his cross found Kirovski, who chested it down for Lewis. Lewis lined up his shot from outside the box, but his effort was blocked.
A final chance of the half fell to United in the closing stages, as Rodney Wallace and Emilio hooked up to create a goal scoring opportunity. Emilio played the ball out wide for Wallace, who then sent in a cross towards the top of the box, which found Emilio. But Emilio’s one timed effort bounced just wide of the post, and the half ended scoreless.
Second Half
Proceedings of the second half started out in a similar vein to the first half. Both teams took a bit of time to get back into the rhythm of the game, which meant chances were few and far between.
The best chance early on in the second half fell to the Galaxy, as Magee was guilty of missing an opportunity again. A cross sent in was deflected by an United defender, and three Galaxy players were in behind the defense with a chance to score. The ball fell to Magee, but he failed to get his header on target from six yards out.
Neither side was able to sustain much in the final third, so the game produced mere half chances – nothing that looked to actually threaten for a goal. Both sides had their shots, but few actually challenged either Ricketts or Wicks for most of the half. Each team had a sustained period in which they had a couple of more chances than the other side, but the final ball was always lacking.
Despite having seven shots in the second half, United only forced one save out of Ricketts, when second half substitute Chris Pontius lofted a header into the hands of Ricketts from eight yards out.
In the final ten minutes of the half, the Galaxy made Wicks work for his clean sheet, as they forced three saves out of him to ensure United got at least a point from the match. Defender Todd Dunivant was the recipient of the ball after a nice move from the Galaxy, but his shot from a tight angle in the 82nd minute was saved by Wicks.
Donovan had a chance to give the Galaxy the lead in the 83rd minute, but what could have been the goal to win the game, was instead a shot that never challenged Wicks. Donovan broke into the box with the ball, and from a decent angle, fired off a shot that had the potential to test Wicks. But United defender Bryan Namoff slid in and blocked the shot before it even reached the United keeper. The Galaxy kept the pressure up, and moments later a cross was sent in, but Alan Gordon could only send his header straight at Wicks.
The final goal-threatening attempt came from Beckham in the 89th minute. He picked up a pass from substitute Bryan Jordan in the middle of the field, and lined up a shot. His curling effort forced a save out of Wicks, who parried the shot away for a corner. But the corner failed to put any pressure on United, and with a whimper, the game ended in a draw.
Steven Streff, Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page
With a substantial rainfall well before the game, and during the opening stages of the match, the field took its toll on both sides, as numerous players struggled with their footing during the first half.
Additionally, United were forced to play the game withpit coach Tom Soehn at the helm, due to illness. In his place, assistant coach Chad Ashton managed the game for United from the sidelines.
First Half
Neither side opened up the game at a particularly energetic pace, as the rain seemed to slow the tempo of the game early on. Beckham had an early cross in the opening stages of the match, but United keeper Josh Wicks was quick off his line to punch the ball out, and clear the danger.
Controversy struck early on, as United striker Luciano Emilio seemed to give United the lead in the 8th minute. A quick interchange of passes between Fred and Christian Gomez allowed Gomez to slide a through ball into the box for Emilio, who coolly slotted the ball home. However, he was flagged for offside, despite replays that indicated otherwise.
The two teams then began to exchange a series of half chances, indications of attacking prowess, but nothing that looked to create the opening goal. Mike Magee had two opportunities for the Galaxy via crosses from Beckham, but neither of his headers challenged Wicks.
Emilio had a header from a Santino Quaranta cross, but the attempt from near the top of the box was off target. Lewis had a chance at the other end for the Galaxy moments later, but his effort from outside the box was easily saved by Wicks.
The last couple of minutes of the match finally produced a couple of decent scoring chances, but neither side was able to take advantage. From a corner in the 37th minute, Donovan Ricketts attempted to punch the ball out. It fell invitingly to Fred just outside the box, but his on-target effort was blocked by a defender before it could challenge Ricketts.
Landon Donovan had another fantastic run down the left hand flank in the 41st minute, and his cross found Kirovski, who chested it down for Lewis. Lewis lined up his shot from outside the box, but his effort was blocked.
A final chance of the half fell to United in the closing stages, as Rodney Wallace and Emilio hooked up to create a goal scoring opportunity. Emilio played the ball out wide for Wallace, who then sent in a cross towards the top of the box, which found Emilio. But Emilio’s one timed effort bounced just wide of the post, and the half ended scoreless.
Second Half
Proceedings of the second half started out in a similar vein to the first half. Both teams took a bit of time to get back into the rhythm of the game, which meant chances were few and far between.
The best chance early on in the second half fell to the Galaxy, as Magee was guilty of missing an opportunity again. A cross sent in was deflected by an United defender, and three Galaxy players were in behind the defense with a chance to score. The ball fell to Magee, but he failed to get his header on target from six yards out.
Neither side was able to sustain much in the final third, so the game produced mere half chances – nothing that looked to actually threaten for a goal. Both sides had their shots, but few actually challenged either Ricketts or Wicks for most of the half. Each team had a sustained period in which they had a couple of more chances than the other side, but the final ball was always lacking.
Despite having seven shots in the second half, United only forced one save out of Ricketts, when second half substitute Chris Pontius lofted a header into the hands of Ricketts from eight yards out.
In the final ten minutes of the half, the Galaxy made Wicks work for his clean sheet, as they forced three saves out of him to ensure United got at least a point from the match. Defender Todd Dunivant was the recipient of the ball after a nice move from the Galaxy, but his shot from a tight angle in the 82nd minute was saved by Wicks.
Donovan had a chance to give the Galaxy the lead in the 83rd minute, but what could have been the goal to win the game, was instead a shot that never challenged Wicks. Donovan broke into the box with the ball, and from a decent angle, fired off a shot that had the potential to test Wicks. But United defender Bryan Namoff slid in and blocked the shot before it even reached the United keeper. The Galaxy kept the pressure up, and moments later a cross was sent in, but Alan Gordon could only send his header straight at Wicks.
The final goal-threatening attempt came from Beckham in the 89th minute. He picked up a pass from substitute Bryan Jordan in the middle of the field, and lined up a shot. His curling effort forced a save out of Wicks, who parried the shot away for a corner. But the corner failed to put any pressure on United, and with a whimper, the game ended in a draw.
Steven Streff, Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page
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