Final: Galaxy 0 Seattle Sounders 0
Gonzalez has a left hip pointer, BTW.
This game, between two of the better teams in the league, never really got going, certainly on offense.
The Galaxy emerged from it with their sixth shutout in the last eight league games, but it would be more impressive had they actually managed a goal at the other end in the last two games rather than have two successive scoreless draws on their record.
The Galaxy are now unbeaten in 11 games, but haven’t looked particularly good in quite a few of them as they hone the art of winning – or at least not losing – even while looking quite ordinary for long stretches of time.
The story in this one is a dream performance in the net from Rancho Santa Margarita’s Brian Perk in front of family and friends on his MLS debut and the potential for injuries to Gonzalez and DeLaGarza to disrupt the Galaxy’s solid back four. We’ll have to wait and see how serious those are, I’m guessing.
More later.
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Omar Gonzalez has come out with what appears to be a hip problem in the 80th minute after falling heavily a few minutes ago; Bryan Jordan has come in and slotted into Sean Franklin’s right back spot, while Franklin moves into the middle of the back four.
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Juan Pablo Angel sent a shot off the foot of the the post in the 68th minute, seconds before David Beckham came on for Mike Magee.
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The Sounders removed striker Fredy Montero, who has had a quiet night, from the field at the 62nd minute mark; midfielder Brad Evans has replaced him.
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In case you were wondering, there’s no injury update on DeLaGarza yet, but it’s obvious what they suspect – a concussion. We’re in the 58th minute.
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Despite some near misses, the Galaxy don’t have a shot on target in this game yet and have yet to provoke a save from Kasey Keller. The Sounders have put two shots on the frame, including the PK Perk saved.
Hopefully the game will open up a little more after the break.
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Juan Pablo Angel hit a snapshot a whisker wide as he turned on a Chad Barrett pass from 12 yards out in the 36th minute.
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Mike Magee, last week’s defensive hero, almost became this week’s offensive one, getting behind his defender out wide, but just unable to make significant contact with Landon Donovan’s raking pass with only the goalkeeper to beat in the 28th minute.
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A.J. DeLaGarza, who was kicked in the head in the 13th minute by Montero and required treatment, suddenly went down to the turf untouched in the 24th minute and was stretchered off. That doesn’t look good what with the renewed focus on preventing concussions of late. Gregg Berhalter has come in for DeLaGarza, who is getting a round of applause as he makes his own way back to the locker room, albeit a little unsteadily.
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Goalkeeper Brian Perk became an instant Galaxy hero on his MLS debut, stopping a Fredy Montero PK in the 18th minute. The Galaxy had conceded the spot kick when Omar Gonzalez had his hand in the air as Montero attempted a bicycle kick from about 12 yards out.
Huge roar from the crowd as Perk dived low and to his right to deny Montero.
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A little over 10 minutes into this one and it’s cat and mouse stuff as these two teams come to grips with each other; Brian Perk has already had a few touches including a rather challenging back pass from Todd Dunivant.
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Here’s the reason for Michael Stephens’ absence in the starting XI: He suffered a right ankle sprain in training Saturday, Galaxy officials said.
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Ten-man Real Salt Lake and the New England Revolution have just finished 3-3 in a game that featured what’s widely regarded on Twitter as the worst officiating performance in MLS this year, which apparently prompted both coaches to indulge in a little amateur dramatics on the sideline.
From the Galaxy’s perspective, RSL are blowing opportunities to make up points on the Western Conference leaders given the games in hand they have (both the Galaxy and the Sounders have played more games – 19 – than any other team in the league; RSL have now played 16 games in case you were wondering.
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For the 16th consecutive season and the second against Seattle the Galaxy are at home for Independence Day. How many of you have attended every game?
The Galaxy boast a 10-game unbeaten streak, the Sounders have four wins in 11 days and something has to give between two teams separated by just four points in the MLS standings who meet each other again July 12 or 13 in the Pacific Northwest in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals.
UCLA product Brian Perk will make his MLS debut in goal tonight because of the broken leg arm first choice Donovan Ricketts suffered last week and the red card backup Josh Saunders received in the unlikely scoreless draw with San Jose. Perk made his Galaxy debut Tuesday in the 2-1 win over the minor league Los Angeles Blues and was required to make just four saves.
He got a big hand from the crowd when he came out to warm-up.
The backup is a familiar name: Former Northridge netminder Kevin Guppy, the MLS pool goalkeeper who made one appearance for Chivas USA last year and was an unused sub for the Galaxy in two games the season before that.
Back with the starting lineups in a few minutes.
Four changes for the Galaxy starting XI tonight over the team that drew with San Jose with the aforementioned Perk between the nets, A.J DeLaGarza returning on the back line, Landon Donovan returning to the starting lineup in midfield and Chad Barrett partnering up front with Juan Pablo Angel.
That means Gregg Berhalter and Miguel Lopez take seats on the bench, along with David Beckham. Michael Stephens does not dress tonight.
Galaxy lineup: Perk, Franklin, DeLaGarza, Gonzalez, Dunivant, Donovan, Magee, Birchall, Juninho, Angel and Barrett.
Coach Sigi Schmid makes three changes for the Sounders, the most significant being the return of striker Fredy Montero, which means Mauro Rosales returns to midfield. Osvaldo Alonso also starts, which means Lamar Neagle drops to the bench and there is no room for Servando Carrasco.
Seattle: Keller, Riley, Hurtado, Parke, Wahl, Rosales, Alonso, Friberg, Fernandez, Montero, Levesque.
Brad Evans, Part Noonan and Nate Jaqua are options off the bench for Seattle.
Kickoff is at 7:45 p.m. on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
Refresh this post for updates throughout the game.
Both teams are in “new” strips tonight, according to the Twitterverse; Seattle will wear “electricity yellow” for the first time in an MLS game and, of course, the Galaxy will be wearing their new third jersey for the first time even if it looks a lot like their previous away midnight blue offering.
