CARSON, Calif. – Soccer can be an unforgiving game, and perhaps no one on the LA Galaxy knows that better than goalkeeper Brian Rowe.
The five-year veteran was manning the net last Saturday in Montreal, where the Galaxy was deep into the second half and desperately holding on to a 2-2 tie. On the last play of the game deep into stoppage time, Rowe misplayed a free kick by Montreal’s Didier Drogba that wound up in the back of the net and gave the Impact a stunning 3-2 victory.
Rowe was asked what he learned from his gaffe.
“That I never want to have that feeling again,” he said with a laugh as he and the Galaxy (5-2-5, 20 points) prepared for Thursday’s game against Sporting Kansas City at StubHub Center (7:30 p.m., Time Warner Cable SportsNet, Time Warner Cable Deportes).
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Rowe admitted he cringed when he first watched replays of the pivotal sequence in Montreal but was more than willing to take the blame.
“That one I’m not going to make any excuses for,” he said. “I’ll put my hand up and take that one. I should have done better on it.
“It was nice to get back to training and kind of work it off and start looking forward.”
Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena, a talented goalkeeper in his own right during his younger days, empathized with the plight of his young goalie.
“I’ll say to that point he had a pretty solid game,” Arena said. “The unfortunate part about being a goalkeeper is even not-so-smart people that are watching the game see when he makes a mistake.
“That’s the tough part about goalkeeping. Players in front of him made many mistakes throughout the game and they weren’t as obvious. It’s a shame obviously. It’s a play he can do better on and hopefully he does the next time around.”
Arena agreed being a goalkeeper is not for the faint of heart.
“It is a cruel position,” he continued. “And you can also be a star as well. Maybe his turn to be a star comes in the next game.”
Thursday’s meeting marks a rematch of a game on May 1 in Kansas City, where the teams played to a 1-1 tie. The Galaxy were missing, among others, Robbie Keane and Steven Gerrard, both of whom were rehabbing injuries at the time, and both teams will be short-handed this week.
Keane is with Ireland’s national team for the European Championships and Gyasi Zardes is with the U.S. national team for this week’s start of the Copa America Centenario. Sporting Kansas City (5-8-2, 17 points), led by Dominic Dwyer’s team-leading six goals, are without defender Matt Besler and winger Graham Zusi, both of whom are with the U.S. team, and midfielder Soni Mustivar of Haiti, which also is competing in the Copa America.
Arena cautioned anyone to not be fooled by Sporting Kansas City’s less-than-impressive record.
“They’re a team that’s much better than their record indicates,” he said. “It’s going to be a real tough game.”
Right back Robbie Rogers said Thursday’s game is critical, not so much for the team’s collective psyche but because it’s the last one before a 16-day break to accommodate group play in the Copa America.
“It is important,” he agreed. “It is for the morale of the locker room. Because we have experienced guys I think the guys know that. It’s not that we need any more motivation, playing at home in front of our fans and to get three points, but there is an extra bit knowing there is some time before the next game.
“It’s important we get three points. It’s important we come out with the right mentality and energy.”
