Final: Galaxy 2 Monarcas Morelia 1
The Galaxy have snatched an unlikely win, constant pressure paying off with Juninho scoring the stoppage time goal from 12 yards out. Chad Barrett had glanced on a corner kick to provide the service.
It was a scrambled finish to this game, but the Galaxy never gave up. Morelia appeared to have got away with a draw and even could have won in the 87th minute when sub Aldo Ramirez toe-poked the ball wide around the Galaxy goal with only Josh Saunders to beat.
The last-ditch victory has given the Galaxy’s CONCACAF Champions League campaign renewed vigor.
Next up for the Galaxy: Motagua in Honduras Oct. 20.
Notable: The two teams finished dead even on total shots (12) and shots on target (3); it doesn’t get much closer than that statistically.
Quotable: “The game was there for us for the taking; we could have won the game,” said Morelia Coach Tomas Boy, adding that the Galaxy won on their strong suit – a set piece.
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Morelia are really searching for the winner now, pushing men forward – but it’s the Galaxy who need the win more.
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Morelia’s Manso, given a ridiculous amount of time in the Galaxy penalty area to tee the ball up, lashed a shot off the crossbar in the 81st minute. The Galaxy were lucky to escape without conceding a second goal.
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Now Paulo Cardozo has flashed his studs in a challenge and earned a yellow card in the 71st minute. It’s a 7,500-capacity crowd, BTW, – a sell-out says the Galaxy based on the reduced capacity that Cal State Dominguz Hills requested tonight to keep the neighbors (relatively) happy.
Magee went off as a precaution with tightness in his hamstring.
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Morelia are growing in confidence and beginning to stretch the Galaxy’s defence; Yasser Corona could have done better with a 69th minute header that went wide.
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Chad Barrett has replaced Adam Cristman and A.J. DeLaGarza has gone into the ref’s book; it’s the 68th minute.
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Morelia pulled level in the 60th minute when Bryan Jordan redirected a Damian Manso cross/pass into the path of Marquez who beat an advancing Saunders to the ball.
That makes Dunivant’s miss even worse; a tie is no good to the Galaxy, remember.
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Ooof! Todd Dunivant blazed the ball over the bar in the 56th minute with only the goalkeeper to beast after Omar Gonzalez had set him up a few yards from Morelia’s net.
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Bryan Jordan has replaced Mike Magee at halftime – a straight switch, with no other tactical adjustments. No word why the change.
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For those of you looking ahead to Saturday when the Galaxy could clinch the Supporters’ Shield here in Carson, opponents Real Salt Lake have lost to Chicago 3-0 tonight – and influential playmaker Kyle Beckerman was sent off, so that means he’ll miss the game. And, of course, that follows a 4-1 rout of RSL by D.C. United on Saturday. Ouch.
Back to the matter at hand – tonight’s game – where the Galaxy and Morelia are even with six shots apiece, but the Galaxy so far have the game’s only goal and are so far coping surprisingly well with Morelia.
I would be delighted to be proved wrong if the result stands.
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Landon Donovan went past Morelia defender Luis Noriega like he wasn’t even there and got off a quick snap shot in the 39th minute, but it failed to trouble the goal or the goalkeeper.
Adam Cristman headed wide from a cross in the 41st minute.
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The goal has amped up the pace on the field; Angel Sepulveda, the most dangerous Morelia attacking threat so far, nodded a ball past the near post at close range in the 28th minute – and he was virtually unchallenged.
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Well, the goal has shut the Morelia fans up, who are now sitting down quietly.
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The Galaxy have taken an unexpected lead in the 21st minute, the goal coming from a seemingly innocuous Todd Dunivant cross. Mike Magee slotted the ball home from inside the box, Adam Cristman perhaps playing a role in getting in the way of the Morelia goalkeeper.
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The goal came seconds after Galaxy midfielder Michael Stephens smashed the ball wide of the Morelia goal in the 19th minute after Adam Cristman set him.
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On the plus side, a long-range shot and an easily collected cross from a corner is about all Galaxy goalkeeper Josh Saunders has had to contend with over the first 15 minutes; on the other hand, the Galaxy haven’t done much at the other end either, a weak Landon Donovan shot after a fairly good buildup is about all the Galaxy has produced so far.
Still, a pretty good atmoshphere here as opposing fans seek to drown each other out; don’t see – or hear – enough of this at the HDC.
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More Morelia than Galaxy fans in the stands tonight – a bit of a sad commentary on Los Angeles soccer fans, I’m afraid and half the stands are literally off limits to fans anyway – but at least the majority of fans here are likely to go home happy.
No goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, striker Robbie Keane (um, apparently resting for Ireland’s Euro 2012 qualifiers next week) or fragrance salesman David Beckham (he’s suspended) for the Galaxy tonight so, no chance of LA beating a top tier Mexican team and staying in the CCL I’d wager.
Galaxy XI: Josh Saunders-Todd Dunivant, Omar Gonzalez, A.J. DeLaGarza, Frankie Hejduk-Landon Donovan, Mike Magee, Juninho, Michael Stephens-Adam Cristman, Paulo Cardozo
The game is live on Galavision and Fox Soccer.
Refresh this post for updates throughout the game