Final Result: D.C. United at Galaxy
The Galaxy snapped their 12-game winless streak in some style, dissecting a defense that had more holes than their own for a 5-2 win capped by a Pete Vagenas (!) volley in the 81st minute.
Donovan scored his third and the Galaxy's fifth in second half stoppage time although he appeared more than a tad offside.
D.C. played with 10 men for the final half hour, after Marc Burch stupidly received a straight red for hacking David Beckham's ankle with the ball already out of play It wasn't a particularly nasty challenge and it appeared even Beckham thought a straight red was overly harsh and he appeared to have more than few words with the assistant referee.
Before Vegenas' late goal - created by Donovan who held the play up while awaiting Vagenas' arrival - the Galaxy had led by just one goal after South African striker Thabiso Boyzzz scored his first MLS goal three minutes after the break.
It was the third time the Galaxy had scored five goals all season.
The first win for Bruce Arena hauled the Galaxy off the Western Conference basement and into a tie with San Jose for fifth place.
Back with more from the locker rooms later.
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About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. 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 and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
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