CARSON, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Galaxy squandered a pair of leads, allowing the Columbus Crew to twice hit for equalizers in the second half and take a share of the points in a 3-3 draw Saturday night at The Home Depot Center.
Landon Donovan scored a pair of goals and Edson Buddle continued his scoring streak by adding a third, but LA conceded goals to Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Brad Evans and Steven Lenhart as the Galaxy lost an opportunity to gain some breathing room at the top of the Western Conference standings.
On a day where temperatures reached triple digits across southern California, both sides came out pressing the action in a frenetic opening.
It was such a start that led to the Galaxy taking an early lead, after just four minutes. Mike Randolph sent in a cross that went all the way through the penalty area. David Beckham tracked down the ball, pirouetted, then sliced a service back into the area.
William Hesmer and Donovan both went for the ball. When the Columbus 'keeper fumbled the cross, Donovan had a gift laid at his feet, roofing his shot from inside the six and giving the Galaxy a 1-0 lead.
The Galaxy continued to press the attack. In the 10th minute, Chris Klein made a great overlapping run from his right back position and Beckham set him loose behind the Crew defense. Klein dribbled into the area and drove a cross into the area for Donovan who attempted a little heel flick, but missed wide of the near post.
The next chance again originated from a Hesmer mistake. This time, the Crew goalkeeper hit a bad clearance that was intercepted by Beckham. The Englishman sized up a shot from 35 yards and tried to chip Hesmer, but missed just high.
A minute later, Columbus finally pressed Galaxy 'keeper Steve Cronin into action. Schelotto played an early ball from the right flank and Robbie Rogers managed to latch onto it at the back post and directed a first-time effort on target, but Cronin made a great reflex save.
At the half-hour mark Beckham and Buddle nearly combined for the spectacular. Beckham spotted the red-hot Galaxy striker and sent a ball in from deep in the midfield. Buddle ran onto the ball and attempted a diving header, just missing wide of the mark.
Columbus continued to look shaky in defense, and in the 32nd minute, Donovan was nearly gifted another goal. The Columbus defense failed to clear Ely Allen cross and Donovan found himself with the ball at his feet inside the penalty area with nobody around. This time, however, Donovan fired his first-time shot wide.
Columbus remained in their defensive funk and 62 seconds into the second half, Buddle doubled the Galaxy advantage. Receiving the ball on the left flank, he beat Danny O'Rourke off the dribble and went in one-on-one with Hesmer. Buddle opened himself before slotting home a shot into the far side netting for his ninth goal on the year, all in the last six games.
The Crew tried to answer quickly. In the 49th minute, Alejandro Moreno got in behind the Galaxy defense, held off a hard charging Mike Randolph and got off a shot from just inside the penalty area. The Venezuelan failed to get much on the shot though, and Cronin made a rather routine save.
Columbus came close again in the 53rd. Schelotto took a corner kick and played a ball to the back post. Chad Marshall rose up above everyone to win the header, but nodded his shot on the wrong side of the post.
Then in the 62nd minute Moreno got in behind the Galaxy defense again. Cronin did a good job of cutting down the angle however, and forced Moreno to shoot well wide of the mark.
The Columbus pressure finally paid off in the 67th minute. A cross into the area fell to a Galaxy defender, but the clearance bounced off Alvaro Pires and fell right into the mixer. Brad Evans pounced on the loose ball and buried a shot from close range.
Columbus leveled four minutes later. Robbie Rogers split Klein and Abel Xavier and darted into the penalty area. Klein stabbed at the ball but clipped Rogers in the process and referee Mark Geiger immediately gave the penalty. Schelotto made no mistake from the spot, ripping a shot high and hard un the center of the goal past a diving Cronin.
The second goal finally woke Los Angeles up, and in the 76th minute the Galaxy came inches away from regaining the lead. Donovan played a corner kick to the back post for second-half sub Alan Gordon. Gordon managed to get his head to the ball, but missed just wide of the target.
Referee Geiger evened the penalty kick count in the 82nd minute. Buddle made a great run up the left flank then picked out Beckham at the top of the area. Beckham took a touch, and as he entered the area, was clipped by O'Rourke. Donovan stepped up to the penalty spot and shot low to the right, and even though Hesmer guessed correctly, he couldn't stop the drive and LA retook the lead.
The advantage was short lived. Rogers won a free kick on the edge of the area and Schelotto played a short pass to Frankie Hejduk, who snuck a shot through a crowd on target. Cronin made the initial save, but left a rebound that rookie Lenhart pounded home.
The Galaxy had one more crack at goal in the 90th minute. Los Angeles worked the ball along the top edge of the area before picking out Beckham. Beckham beat a defender and dribbled in alone on Hesmer, but from close range skied his shot well over the crossbar and with it came confirmation of a disappointing second-half collapse for the Galaxy.
No comments:
Post a Comment