Columnist Nick Green has written 100 Percent Soccer
since 2005. A
native of England, he began writing about soccer in
the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat
in the stands for one in
the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home
Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas
USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer.
Married to a long-suffering soccer widow, he has a cat
named Pele.Final Result: Galaxy-Chivas USA
The Galaxy overwhelmed Chivas USA with four second half goals en route to a resounding 5-2 triumph.
In truth, the Galaxy put this game out of Chivas USA's reach in a two-minute second half span, Alan Gordon capitalizing on a Brad Guzan error to snatch the go ahead goal five minutes after coming on as a sub and then setting up Donovan's third of the night a minute later.
Donovan's hat trick was the first by a Galaxy player since Alejandro Moreno scored three on May 19, 2004.
Chivas USA had started the second half promisingly, Panchito Mendoza sending a stinging drive off the Galaxy's far post after just three minutes.
But Donovan put the Galaxy 2-1 up 10 minutes later, stripping the ball away from Chivas USA defender Claudio Suarez after Mike Randolph had pulled the ball back.
A wide open Ante Razov clinically finished to pull Chivas USA level after 62 minutes before the Galaxy onslaught gave their opponents no way back into the game.
Gordon added the fifth six minutes from time, stabbing home a Beckham pass.
More after the press conference.