Final: Galaxy 2 San Jose Earthquakes 0
The Galaxy won 2-0 in exactly the manner Robbie Keane would have wanted to write the script.
“It’s always nice to score in your home debut,” Keane said in a TV interview as he left the field.
Dallas’ 1-0 loss to Seattle means the Galaxy have extended their lead in MLS to six points.
Josh Saunders got his fifth shutout and the Galaxy roll on with a second consecutive win; they’ve now lost just once since May.
More later.
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Mike Magee added a second from close range for the Galaxy in the 90th minute that all but seals the victory and exchanging his goal keeping exploits the last time these two teams met for a goal-scoring role this time.
Sean Franklin had the cross and assist.
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Steven Beitashour has received a straight red in the 82nd minute after he was tackled by Landon Donovan; he came down unnecessarily on the Galaxy playmaker afterward with a sort of stamp on Donovan’s knee. Why he did that is unclear.
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An announced sell-out crowd of 27,000 paid tribute to Robbie Keane in the 71st minute with sustained applause after he came out to make way for Mike Magee. Will Keane’s goal stand up as the winner?
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Keane fired over the bar from seven yards out in the 64th minute after getting on the end of a long Omar Gonzalez pass from deep in his own half; good vision by the central defender.
USMNT Coach Jurgen Klinsmann is among the spectators here tonight, incidentally.
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Rafael Baca got a yellow card for diving in the 55th minute. To me it just looked like he was off balance and hit the ground; call seemed more than a little harsh.
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This is an open, entertaining game so far with both teams unafraid to move forward.
San Jose actually has the advantage in possession (52 percent) and the edge in total shots (8-6) and those on target, too (5-1). Busch has yet to be credited with a save; Saunders has five.
The second half is about to start.
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Trivia: Robbie Keane just became Galaxy player No. 18 to score on his debut with the club. Alecko Eskandarian was the last one before Keane, scoring the winner against New England on July 4, 2009.
“So far, so good,” Keane said in a TV interview at the half.
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Well, you can’t say San Jose isn’t getting opportunities to score: Saunders was forced into another diving save in the 42nd minute and got a hand to the ball to prevent Rafael Baca scoring on his debut with a low shot.
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Galaxy goalkeeper Josh Saunders made a diving one-handed save in the 34th minute to deny Joey Gjertsen a goal after the ball fell to him and he picked up a clearance off a long San Jose free kick.
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It’s a final in Colorado: Chivas USA has tied 2-2 with the Rapids with the two Goats’ most recent signings Juan Pablo Angel and Frenchman Laurent Courtois getting the goals.
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Robbie Keane took 21 minutes to make an impact collecting a long Galaxy free kick from David Beckham with a quick re-start that beat the defense, taking one touch to put the ball past goalkeeper Jon Busch and then slotting home the easy tap-in.
The crowd went nuts; Keane was exultant, and rightfully so.
Moments before Keane, standing right on the penalty spot, was just unable to get on the end of a Frankie Hejduk cross Adam Cristman redirected toward Keane
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Robbie Keane took his first touches in the fifth minute just outside the Earthquakes’ penalty box — and immediately drew the attention of three San Jose defenders. Think they’ve heard of this guy?
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Inside the first minute Adam Cristman hit the Earthquakes’ far post after recieiving a through ball from Juninho
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Green $19.99 Galaxy T-shirts (Keane, Beckham or Donovan available) are on sale at the stadium souvenir stands tonight for the first time.
The grass berm at one end of the stadium features a clover leaf (and is open if you’d like to come on down and spread a blanket on a lovely evening).
And there’s a Robbie Keane article in tonight’s program.
The stage, as they say, is set.
With all that, you just know Robbie Keane has to start, right?
I’ll be back with the lineups in a few minutes.
It’s official, Robbie Keane is indeed starting. And so is Lawndale’s Rafael Baca in his first professional start in front of a considerable number of family and friends so congratulations and welcome home to the Loyola Marymount product.
The Galaxy have made one change to their usual back four with Frankie Hejduk making his second Galaxy start and A.J. DeLaGarza dropping to the bench at right back.
Here’s the full Galaxy lineup: Josh Saunders-Frankie Hejduk, Omar Gonzalez, Todd Dunivant, Sean Franklin-David beckham, Juninho, Landon Donovan-Adam Cristman, Robbie Keane.
Earthquakes Coach Frank Yallop has new Ecuadorian signing Edmundo Zura on the bench with Chris Wondolowski listed as the lone striker up top.
Former LMU defender Bobby Burling anchors the defense, while Bobby Convey is in midfield.
The game is live on Prime.
Refresh this post for updates throughout the game.
Incidentally, it’s worth pointing out that Chivas USA and the Colorado Rapids are tied 1-1 with about 30 minutes to play and Juan Pablo Angel has the equalizing goal on his Goats debut. It was a nice one too, I was told, with playmaker Nick LaBrocca setting up Angel’s laser-like shot.