CARSON, Calif. – There are few things better than the thrill of victory as far as the LA Galaxy are concerned.
The defending MLS Cup champions broke a five-game winless streak with a 1-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Friday at StubHub Center and training has been decidedly more spirited as they prepare for Wednesday’s home clash with Real Salt Lake (7:30 p.m., Time Warner Cable Sports Network, Time Warner Cable Deportes).
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Last weekend’s result was a welcome relief to the struggling Galaxy (4-4-5), who were coming off an embarrassing 4-0 loss to expansion side Orlando City and are tied with Real Salt Lake (4-3-5) for sixth in the Western Conference. Team captain Robbie Keane, who had been sidelined by a groin injury and made his first appearance since April 4, stopped short of saying the victory was critical.
“I don’t think it was badly needed in terms of where we are in the table,” he said. “Look at the table … it’s so close now. But just in terms of confidence for the team, the players, more so than anything else. Just getting everybody pulling in the same direction.
“When things are going bad people start questioning a few things. But once you get results everything else goes out the window. Once you start getting back to winning ways you get the feel-good factor back into the group.”
Head coach Bruce Arena acknowledged the positive vibe from the stop-age time win over the Dynamo.
“It’s always good to get a win,” he said. “If you look around the league we’re right in the middle of things and there’s a lot of soccer to be played. As we approach June I’m sure you guys will be coming out with your thoughts on how everything is collapsing.
“But there’s a lot of soccer left.”
Alan Gordon, who came on as a late substitute and scored the game-winning goal against Houston, said there never was cause for alarm during the Galaxy’s lengthy struggles.
“I think the best thing about this team is it doesn’t panic,” he said. “We have a lot of experienced guys and we have an experienced coach. Bruce doesn’t panic. He knows where we’re at in the season. Other teams may panic and it may get really stressful really fast, and I’ve seen that happen. I think that’s one of the best qualities of Bruce and this team.
“You know we’re going to get out of this. Just stick together and we’re going to be OK.”
There continue to be issues at left back, where Todd Dunivant and Robbie Rogers are injured and Oscar Sorto, pressed into emergency duty against Houston, was red-carded and will be ineligible Wednesday.
Midfielder Baggio Husidic, who played left back in the loss to Orlando, could play there again but Arena wasn’t revealing his plans.
He did, however, admit he was happy to see the team’s collective spirit lifted for a change.
“We’ve been through a difficult run,” Arena said. “A lot of injuries, awkward travel, awkward conditions in the first 13 games we’ve played. We’ve about seen it all at this point.
“Keeping our heads above water is good.”
LA GALAXY vs REAL SALT LAKE
STUBHUB CENTER, Carson, Calif.
May 27, 2015 (WEEK 13, MLS Game #122)
7:30 p.m. PT (MLS LIVE)
The LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake meet for a second time this season in a rivalry that has grown in stature over the past few seasons, when the clubs face off Wednesday evening at StubHub Center. The Galaxy saw their five-game winless run come to an end last week, getting the game’s lone goal for a win against the Houston Dynamo in Carson. Real returned to their winning ways, easing to a 2-0 win against New York City FC on Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium.
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REFEREE: Baldomero Toledo. AR1 (bench): Mike Rottersman; AR2 (opposite): Eduardo Mariscal; 4th: Daniel Radford
MLS Career: 192 games; FC/gm: 25.0; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 68; pens: 69
SUSPENDED: LA: Oscar Sorto (through May 27)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: LA: Juninho … RSL: Luke Mulholland
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: LA: Alan Gordon … RSL: Jordan Allen, Kyle Beckerman, Abdoulie Mansally
DISABLED LIST: LA: Brian Perk (season-ending injury)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: LA: Bradford Jamieson IV (U.S. U-20 national team) … RSL: Jordan Allen (U.S. U-20 national team)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (29 meetings): Galaxy 11 wins, 42 goals … Real 11 wins, 45 goals … Ties 7
AT LA (15 meetings): Galaxy 8 wins, 23 goals … Real 6 wins, 22 goals … Ties 1
FUTURE MATCH: 9/19: Real Salt Lake vs. LA Galaxy, 7:30 p.m. MT
- The teams are meeting for the second time this season. They played to a scoreless draw May 6 at Rio Tinto Stadium.
- The teams split their two meetings at StubHub Center a year ago, each winning by a 1-0 scoreline. The Real victory on March 8 of last year was the Galaxy’s was the Galaxy’s last defeat in any competitive match in Carson. The last two matchups in Sandy have ended in draws.
- The teams have met three times in the last four years in the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Galaxy have advanced on two occasions, including in last year’s Western Conference Semifinals, when they took the series after a 5-0 win in the second leg at StubHub Center. The teams also met in MLS Cup 2009, RSL winning in a penalty shootout.
- Coaches record: Bruce Arena vs. RSL: P20 W7 L7 D6 … Jeff Cassar vs. LA: P4 W1 L1 D2
LAST MEETING (MLS):
5/6: RSL 0, LA 0
- The key moment of the match came in stoppage time. From a free kick sent into the box from some 25 yards out, LA center back Omar Gonzalez went sprawling to the turf and referee Jose Carlos Rivero pointed to the spot, giving the Galaxy the chance for a dramatic winner. But RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando guessed correctly on the attempt by second-half substitute Juninho, parrying away the shot to save the point.
- Galaxy goalkeeper Jaime Penedo was called upon to make six saves, five coming in the second half, including a stop at full stretch on Alvaro Saborio late in the match to preserve the clean sheet.
- REAL SALT LAKE (4-3-1-2): Nick Rimando - Tony Beltran, Jamison Olave, Elias Vasquez, Demar Phillips - Luke Mulholland (Sebastian Saucedo 86), Kyle Beckerman, Jordan Allen - Luis Gil - Devon Sandoval (Olmes Garcia 76), Alvaro Saborio.
- LA GALAXY (4-4-2): Jaime Penedo - A.J. DeLaGarza, Omar Gonzalez, Leonardo, Dan Gargan - Stefan Ishizaki (Juninho 72), Baggio Husidic, Rafael Garcia, Bradford Jamieson (Mika Vayrynen 82) - Alan Gordon (Ignacio Maganto 72), Gyasi Zardes.
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CHECK OUT THE INJURY REPORT HEADING INTO THE MATCH
CHECK OUT THE DISCIPLINARY REPORT HEADING INTO THE MATCH
