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.Half Time: Galaxy-Dynamo
Sean Franklin, the rookie defender who has been so impressive for the Galaxy so far this term, was well and truly beaten by the Dynamo's Brian Mullan on the opening goal by Houston about 10 minutes before half time.
Mullan beat Franklin by the touchline, then crossed the ball to Argentine Franco Caraccio who headed it down to Brian Ching. He whiffed on it, but the ball fell to Brad Davis who tucked it away.
Houston thoroughly deserved the lead having dominated possession and strung together the more impressive attacking opportunities in the opening half.
The Galaxy needed Josh Tudela to clear off the goal line to prevent a goal in the seventh minute, while Steve Cronin pushed a Davis free kick onto the bar in the 26th minute.
Galaxy attacks were largely restricted to a well-worked third minute move slickly begun by David Beckham and an Edson Buddle header that went wide in first half stoppage time.
The Dynamo ended the half with 10 shots to the Galaxy's five.
Comments
A tale of two halves. The Galaxy scored three in the second, though the last one was headed out of the goal and the AR was out of position so it didn't count.
Frustrating, but a point at least, and some life at last.
What do you think, Nick? Did Xavier and Franchino help, or did Houston just run out of gas?
Nick replies: Franchino played his role; Abel Xavier gets beat every time in one on one situations. The Galaxy shut Houston down in the second half. Credit to savvy tactical and personnel changes by Gulllit in the second.
Posted by: Inigo Montoya | April 19, 2008 9:58 PM
Oh, yeah, two more thoughts.
It was Ianni who headed Buddle's shot out of the goal. Figures.
And if the goal had counted, the Galaxy would be tied for first in the West.
Posted by: Inigo Montoya | April 19, 2008 10:03 PM