The L.A. Galaxy’s once-impenetrable home fortress fell on Sunday, crashing in a 5-2 loss to Portland.
It was just the second time this season the Galaxy have lost at home, with the first one coming to Vancouver in April, and the most goals conceded by the Galaxy at StubHub Center in an MLS game since Sept. 12, 2009 when they gave up six in a loss to FC Dallas.
More stunning than the loss itself was how it came. There were five second-half goals conceded by the Galaxy, all of them within the final 25 minutes of the game. After scoring in the 36th minute, the Galaxy didn’t get another shot for a whole 30 minutes until Sebastian Lletget nodded one on frame in the 66th minute.
And all this in a game that the Galaxy wanted desperately for playoff seeding.
Portland was fighting for its playoff life and played like it in the second half, while the Galaxy disappointed in their final regular-season home match.
“It doesn’t matter what’s at stake, if you’re playing in front of your supporters, it’s got to be better,” midfielder Steven Gerrard said of whether this game meant more to Portland. “We’ve got to be more physical, we’ve got to be tighter as a unit and defend better all over the pitch.
The Galaxy still control their own destiny, but to guarantee their first-round bye, they’ll need to win on the road against Sporting Kansas City, who have lost only once at home this year.
L.A. can finish as high as second in the Western Conference or as low as sixth. The easiest solution to the complicated web of possibilities would be to win on Oct. 25 against Sporting and get the No. 2 seed, but there are other ways the Galaxy can get around the knockout round as well:
The Galaxy were the hottest team in the league after a 5-1 drubbing over New York City FC in August, but are 1-3-2 in their six MLS matches since. The only team they beat during that run was FC Dallas, the team currently leading the Supporters’ Shield race and the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
Before the Galaxy’s game against Seattle a few weeks ago, defender A.J. DeLaGarza said the team was “too soft.” It didn’t win enough tackles, he said, to win games and play good defense.
DeLaGarza was hurt for Sunday’s game against Portland, which was why Dan Gargan got the start at right back, but that sentiment held true. Portland out-muscled L.A. and didn’t back down. Whether the Galaxy can match the physicality of opponents in the playoffs will be a major indicator of their success.
“I think if our physical effort is like it was tonight, we wouldn’t win too many games,” head coach Bruce Arena said. “We were purely physically dominated in every position.”
LINKS
- Quote sheet with input from both sides, with Steven Gerrard, Omar Gonzalez and Robbie Keane from L.A.
- Video and quotes from Bruce Arena
- LA Galaxy highlights
As told on Twitter
1′ Getting going
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we’re off! Watch #LAvPOR live on @FS1! http://t.co/Krs1az9Ldh pic.twitter.com/NL1uUyiThW
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) October 18, 2015
4′ Strong start for the Galaxy
SO. CLOSE. #LAvPOR pic.twitter.com/5yMBViUi0Q — LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) October 18, 2015
36′ Keano strikes
KEANO THA’ GAWD! #LAvPOR pic.twitter.com/PJ6GvlEyKZ
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) October 18, 2015
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ #LAvPOR pic.twitter.com/jThMf0WJHO — LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) October 19, 2015
50′ Portland comes on strong
50′ – Valeri serves in corner and Ridgewell heads it off the crossbar! #robbed #RCTID
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) October 19, 2015
#LAvPOR — LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) October 19, 2015
66′ Portland equalizes
65′ – GOOOOOAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!! ADDDIIIIIIII!!!!! WE’RE ALL SQUARE AT 1-1!!!! #RCTID
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) October 19, 2015
67′ Portland gets a penalty kick to go up 2-1
67′ – GOALLLLL!!!! ADI CONVERTS AND IT’S 2-1 PORTLAND! #BINGBANGBOOM #RCTID — Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) October 19, 2015
Penalty to Portland. Whelp. #LAvPOR
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) October 19, 2015
74′ Now it’s getting really out of hand for the Galaxy
74′ – GOAAAALLL!!! CHARA WITH A HEADER AND IT’S 3-1 FOR PORTLAND!!!!! #DIEGOCHARAWITHISHEAD #RCTID — Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) October 19, 2015
Goal Portland ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ #LAvPOR
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) October 19, 2015
84′ The King starts a comeback?
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL ROBBIE KEANE! 3-2! #LAvPOR — LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) October 19, 2015
85′ (20 seconds later) Nope.
85′ – NAGBE SCORES AND IT’S NOW 4-2 PORTLAND!!!! WHAAAAAATTTT!!!????? #RCTID
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) October 19, 2015
90′ One more for good measure
90′ – GOAAALLLL!!!! IT’S 5-2 AS URRUTI TAKES A VILLAFANA CROSS AND SLAMS IT INTO THE BACK OF THE NET! #RCTID — Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) October 19, 2015
And to the victors go the spoils a.k.a. celebratory Twitter pictures
Road warriors. #RCTID #LAvPOR (: @fanendo) pic.twitter.com/SA2b6s8SJ1
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) October 19, 2015
Meanwhile
A night to forget. The good thing is we have one more game to get it right before playoffs. #WakeUpCall — Omar Gonzalez (@Omar4Gonzalez) October 19, 2015
The agony of defeat. Roll on LA. #LAvPOR pic.twitter.com/fqBZeM60UW
— Hayden Biernat (@HaydenBiernat) October 19, 2015