Galaxy-Chivas USA Postgame

Galaxy 2 Chivas USA 0

Landon Donovan’s reaction on Facebook? “Awwww, goat meat always tastes so good.”

Here’s the game story from reporter Phil Collin.

It took the Galaxy until June 12 to record their second victory last season.

It was an amazingly economical victory: the Galaxy had two shots on goal and scored on both. Chivas had two shots on target and failed to score.

Chivas USA bright spot: Rookie Blair Gavin made his MLS debut, went 90 minutes and acquitted himself well despite the result.

Notable from the Galaxy blog:

*Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts Ricketts now has 11 shutouts in 28 career regular season Galaxy.

This is the first time in club history that the Galaxy have opened the season with consecutive shutouts.

Here’s reaction to the loss from Chivas USA Coach Martin Vasquez:

Bonus quotes:

Here’s Mike Magee, whose understated, but crucial touch to Landon Donovan helped create the second goal on the difference between this year and last season:

“The obvious differences are Edson (Buddle) and Landon. Edson has been finishing his chances and Landon has been giving Edson dimes. Our defense is pretty ridiculous right now, we haven’t given up a goal. Leo has stepped in to Gregg (Berhalter’s central defensive) spot and he and Omar haven’t missed a beat. Shawn (Franklin) and Todd (Dunivant) are playing lock down defense, there’s a lot of things, but those are the obvious things.”

On the squad’s depth:

“Bruce did an amazing job to make this team as deep as it is. We’ve got a bunch of veterans down and you wouldn’t know it. We’re playing some really good soccer. “

Here’s striker Edson Buddle, who did a lot of work in the off-season alone, on his physical shape:

“I feel good to tell you the truth. Tonight my legs felt really well. I was able to run in the first half onto a lot of balls and at the defense. Even with the ball I was able to hold it up and find players running through.

On how his teeth felt after getting one on his bottom jaw knocked loose in the season opener and Sasha Kljestan going in high with an elbow Thursday in a challenge that Buddle took exception to and let the Chivas USA midfielder know with a few choice words:

“I almost lost another one tonight. I might need a root canal for the bottom one. I still will get an implant up in there two weeks from now.

“We’re maybe having lunch later on,” he said jokingly of what he told Kljestan after the challenge. “We see each other so much here we’re having lunch this weekend. He’s picking up the tab though. He lost so he has to pay

“He put his body in there, but he came up high with an elbow. It was just a flashback with all the teeth things I’ve got going on and I was a little upset. “

Here’s LD on the performance:

“We’re happy with the victory tonight but we know we can be a lot better. However, last year we knew we could be a lot better and we had one point at this point in the season. So, we’ve learned how to win, which is very important, you can’t underestimate that. And we know we can be a lot better so we’ll continue to improve,k but the basis of the work rate and having an understanding of how to win games is very important.”

Lastly, the announced attendance was 19,805, far below capacity. The upper deck was mostly empty.

Next for the 2-0 Galaxy: at Houston April 10.

Next for 0-2 Chivas USA: hosting the Red Bulls April 10.

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