Los Angeles Galaxy 2 - 0 San
Jose Earthquakes
Donovan
and Galaxy Spoil Earthquakes Return
Thursday
April 3rd, 2008
MLS
Home Depot Center, Carson, California
Attendance: 27,000
Thursday April 3, 2008
The San Jose Earthquakes returned for their
first regular season MLS game since 2005, this time as an expansion
team but facing old foe LA Galaxy in Carson. Unfortunately for the
Quakes it was not a triumphant return as they played poorly and were
defeated 2-0 with former San Jose player Landon Donovan playing a hand
in both goals along with the league’s most famous player, David
Beckham.
It all started so brightly. The Quakes appeared to have taken a
shocking early lead when Ryan Cochran headed home after a Ronnie
O’Brien free kick in the third minute. However, while the small but
vocal away fans celebrated the referee disallowed the goal due to
offsides. LA then took control off the game and put the visitors on
their heels by creating a series of chances. Chris Klein headed high
from Beckham’s corner then Ely Allen forced a save from Joe Cannon.
Next, in only the 8th minute, Donovan dribbled just above the box after
benefiting from a poor touch by Cochrane and passed an easy through
ball across the turf to a completely unmarked Beckham who raced to the
box from the Quakes left side. He found himself alone with only Cannon
to beat and made no mistake slotting the ball under the keeper for the
opening goal. It was a packed Home Depot Center and the young women
sitting in front of me paused their conversation about fast food and
plastic surgery long enough to shriek Beckham’s name with glee.
Confetti flew and the packed crowd turned to watch the replay on the
jumbotron as the Galaxy players embraced.
San Jose’s players looked stunned by the ease of the goal which left
them cruelly sliced open by the man who had led them to two titles, one
in this very stadium. Coach Frank Yallop has said recently that he had
built the new San Jose from the back with the intention of making them
hard to beat, a sound plan but one that certainly didn’t work on this
night.
The rest of the half found both teams struggling to keep possession.
The Quakes were content to try lobbing balls over the top for Kei
Kamara and rookie Shea Salinas but the Galaxy defense handled these
with ease. Then in the 22nd minute the Quakes nearly bundled one over
the line after Steve Cronin mishandled Salinas’ hard shot and Cochran
nearly got the ball past a lunging MacDonald who was able to clear the
danger. The sequence was started by a Ramiro Corrales corner and it
seemed like the only real chances for San Jose would come off set
pieces.
The Galaxy came back with a corner of their own. Beckham whipped the
ball in for Sean Franklin to volley wide. Carlos Ruiz did not play due
to injury but he would probably have finished the chance. Less than two
minutes later LA had doubled their lead. Beckham since a soft short lob
through for Donovan and with Cochran badly misplaying the ball the
American international put a lob of his own over an onrushing Cannon
and into an empty net. Again the casual fans surrounding me squealed
and gushed. Again they stood to take in the replay and again the Galaxy
celebrated as if they had won the cup.
San Jose tried to put some passes together but after completing a few
they would resort to the old ball over the top to no avail. They were
lucky not to concede a third when, again, Beckham served up a perfect
ball only for, again, a teammate to head close but off target. This
time it was Brazilian Alvaro Pires with the wasted opportunity.
At the start of the Second half the Quakes showed a bit of life
possibly spurred on by the 1906 Ultras/Casbah combined corner section
who continued to chant despite the scoreline. Kamara gathered the ball
turned and shot from the edge of the area but Cronin had it well
covered. San Jose had more possession in the second and were able to
ping the ball around their defensive third and the midfield but once
they approached the Galaxy box they could never complete a move. At
least they didn’t resort to the long lob approach as often. Of course
LA was hardly playing “sexy football” as they were content to sit back
and try to counter attack with long balls of their own to Donovan or
Alan Gordon. If either had made better decisions the Quakes would have
conceded a couple of more.
The late introductions of Gavin Glinton, John Cunliff and
eventually Ryan Johnson failed to lead to many more chances. Eventually
the game began to wind down with the visitors clearly frustrated and
the LA crowd eager for the post game fireworks display and the freeway
commute home. The Quakes got almost nothing from their midfield,
especially their flanks, and O’Brien was disappointing for a player who
has had so much success in this league. Perhaps he is still tentative
since returning from serious injury. One thing is clear, the Quakes
need more attacking flair or the goals will be in very short supply.
Expecting Kamara, Salinas and Glinton to produce them all is unfair but
where will the proven goalscorer come from. The Galaxy have somehow
managed to get Beckham, Donovan and Ruiz, arguable this should cost
them 3 Designated Player slots but it seems San Jose can’t afford to
wait to spend some money on one themselves if they hope to really pose
a threat and make a playoff run. Unfortunately building from the back
isn’t enough, especially when your central defense makes big mistakes
and hero turned traitor Donovan is there to exploit them.
Ben
Sizemore
Attendance: 27,000
Goals:
David Beckham (8th - Assist:Landon Donovan)
Landon Donovan (37th - Assist: David Beckham)
Yellow cards:
Galaxy: Mike Randolph (7th)
Earthquakes: Key Kamara (77th)
Lineups:
Los Angeles Galaxy: Steve Cronin - Mike Randolph (Michael Gavin, 86th), Greg Vanney, Sean Franklin, Chris Klein - Ely Allen, Brandon MacDonald, Alvaro Pires, David Beckham - Alan Gordon, Landon Donovan
San Jose Earthquakes: Joe Cannon - Jason Hernandez, Ryan
Cochrane, Nick Garcia, James Riley
- Ned Grabavoy (Ryan Johnson, 85th), Ivan Guerrero (John Cunliffe, 69th), Ramiro
Corrales, Ronnie O'Brien - Kei Kamara, Shea Salinas (Gavin Glinton, 57th)
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