Final: Galaxy at Real Salt Lake
RSL 2 Galaxy 2
This game was just sort of petering out for both teams when it came alive in stoppage time with RSL's Will Johnson the focal point of all three late goals.
First, Johnson made a hash of a clearance in the box, the ball struck his arm, the ref pointed to the spot and Landon Donovan equalized with his second spot kick in as many games.
Moments later Bryan Jordan appeared to push Fabian Espindola (rather gently it must be said) from behind at the other end of the field. Johnson converted the subsequent PK.
Finally, in the 94th minute, Johnson kept Magee onside allowing the former Red Bull to score his first-ever Galaxy goal as he got in behind the defense.
Until that outburst the Galaxy especially had seemed to drift rather aimlessly along in this one, especially in the second half.
The Galaxy haven't won in Utah in three years, but on the other hand are now unbeaten in five games.
More later once I catch my breath.
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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.
Cruel, cruel result for Salt Lake. They paid the usual price for not putting a bad team away. We stole a point and should skip town under the cover of darkness.
The worst part of this tie is that Arena is going to commend his team for their resilience to take a point away from home and remaining undefeated on the road.
Clumsy handball by Johnson only matched by the terrible penalty taken by Landon with Johnson later showing how to strike from the spot only to fall sleep on defense.
Only in MLS.......gotta love it.
The Galaxy gets lucky to get a draw once again. The offense is absolutely awful. There is no midfield to provide service to Donovan and Buddle. They did not even have a game plan on offense. The defense and keeper won't hold up with that dreadfully slow midfield. This Migloranzi guy has no clue and Klein and Lewis are the slowest flankers in history.
The L.A. Sol is more exciting to watch. Arena has turned the Galaxy brand into a really boring one. Gullit, please come back!