Halftime: Islanders at Galaxy
Galaxy 0 Puerto Rico Islanders 2
The Galaxy fell further behind when former D.C. United striker Nicholas Addlery got in behind a static Gregg Berhalter and finished off a Scott Jones cross from about seven yards out right on 45 minutes.
The Galaxy will only have themselves to blame if they go to Puerto Rico next week facing a two-goal deficit.
A lack of midfield creativity saw Coach Bruce Arena yank defender A.J. DeLagarza off six minutes before the half ended in favor of rookie Michael Stephens.
But really the Galaxy have also squandered shots - an unmarked Sean Franklin wastefully failing to even hit the target with a blast over the bar, for instance, and Alan Gordon yet again showing he has all the finesse of a new-born calf by not getting a foot off a Landon Donovan cross that went right to him in front of the net.
Key stat: the Galaxy outshot the Islanders 11-6, but Puerto Rico had five shots on target to three for the Galaxy.
Poor stuff, frankly, and now the Islanders will undoubtedly pack the half for the final 45 minutes.
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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