Real Salt Lake and the LA Galaxy traded haymakers for more than 90 riveting minutes at Rio Tinto Stadium on Wednesday night, and both had to settle for a point in the end.
The visitors started the scoring early, as Giovani dos Santos sent a terrific weighted pass to Emmanuel Boateng, who cut back towards goal and beat Nick Rimando in the sixth minute.
Dos Santos appeared to have bagged a useful road win for LA as the Mexican superstar summoned two quicksilver strikes, against the run of play, in an eight-minute span in the second half amid a relentless attacking display from RSL.
But a Joao Plata brace kept the hosts within striking distance, and their furious late rally finally paid off deep in injury time. Juan Manuel "Burrito" Martinez's speculative drive slipped underneath LA goalkeeper Brian Rowe's hands and trickled over the goal line, equalizing a breathless affair on the last kick of the game.
LA Galaxy Postgame Notes
LA Galaxy 3, Real Salt Lake 3
Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016
2016 MLS Regular Season
Rio Tinto Stadium – Sandy, Utah
Scoring Summary:
LA – Emmanuel Boateng (Assisted by Giovani dos Santos) 7’
RSL – Joao Plata (penalty) 53’
LA – Giovani dos Santos (Assisted by Baggio Husidic) 58’
LA – Giovani dos Santos 64’
RSL – Joao Plata (Assisted by Yura Movsisyan, Tony Beltran) 67’
RSL – Juan Manuel Martínez (Assisted By: Joao Plata) 90’+4’
Misconduct Summary:
RSL – Chris Wingert (caution) 2’
RSL – Kyle Beckerman (caution) 17’
LA – Jeff Larentowicz (caution) 25’
RSL – Jámison Olave (caution) 27'
RSL – Juan Manuel Martinez (caution) 62’
LA – Giovani dos Santos (dissent) 90’+5’
Lineups:
LA Galaxy: Brian Rowe; Robbie Rogers, Leonardo, Daniel Steres, Ashley Cole; Baggio Husidic, Sebastian Lletget (Raul Mendiola 74'), Jeff Larentowicz, Emmanuel Boateng (Rafael Garcia 87’); Giovani dos Santos; Alan Gordon (Mike Magee 78') ©
Substitutions: Dan Kennedy, Dave Romney, A.J. DeLaGarza, Ariel Lassiter.
Head Coach: Bruce Arena
SHOTS: 9; SHOTS ON GOAL: 4; CORNERS: 1; OFFSIDES: 1; SAVES: 5
Real Salt Lake: Nick Rimando; Tony Beltran (Tony Beltran 85’), Jamison Olave, Chris Winger, Demar Phillips, Kyle Beckerman ©, Javier Morales, Luke Mulholland (Jordan Allen 63’); Juan Manuel Martinez, Joao Plata, Yura Movsisyan.
Substitutions not used: Jeff Attinella, Jordan Allen, Pedro Baez, Phanuel Kavita, Sunday Stephen, Boyd Okwuonu, John Stertzer.
Head Coach: Jeff Cassar
SHOTS: 18; SHOTS ON GOAL: 8; CORNERS: 6; OFFSIDES: 8; SAVES: 1
Referee: Chris Penso
Referee’s Assistants: Danny Thornberry and Kevin Klinger
4th Official: Nima Saghafi
Attendance: 20,266
Notes:
- The LA Galaxy (10-4-14, 44 points) earned a 3-3 draw against Real Salt Lake (12-8-8, 44 points) on Wednesday night at Rio Tinto Stadium behind two goals from Giovani dos Santos and another from Emmanuel Boateng.
- With the result, the Galaxy are now in third place in the MLS Western Conference standings, but even in points with second-place RSL (44).
- The Galaxy’s +16 goal differential this year is the best in MLS and their 30 goals allowed are second-fewest in the Western Conference.
- This year on the road, the Galaxy are now 3-4-7.
- LA Galaxy Head Coach Bruce Arena’s lineup featured three changes to the starting XI from Saturday’s win over Columbus: Leonardo, Baggio Husidic and Alan Gordon started in place of A.J. DeLaGarza, Raul Mendiola and Mike Magee.
- LA Galaxy midfielder Emmanuel Boateng tallied his second goal of the season Wednesday night at Rio Tinto Stadium.
- On the year, Boateng now has two goals and three assists, all goals which have come against Salt Lake.
- Forward Giovani dos Santos recorded his 9th assist of the 2016 season Wednesday night on Boateng’s first-half goal.
- In the second half, Dos Santos added his 11th and 12th goals of the season Wednesday night.
- Wednesday marked Dos Santos’ second multi-goal game of his career.
- Dos Santos has tallied 12 goals and nine assists this season.
- Only Dos Santos and Toronto FC’s Sebastian Giovinco have recorded 12 or more goals and nine or more assists this season in MLS.
- Dos Santos has assisted on both of Boateng’s MLS goals this season.
- LA Galaxy goalkeeper Brian Rowe made his 24th start of the season Saturday night.
- The Galaxy were without Gyasi Zardes (foot), Steven Gerrard (hamstring), Jelle Van Damme (MCL) and Robbie Keane (returning from international duty).
- LA Galaxy Head Coach and General Manager Bruce Arena has now recorded a 200-119-87 record all time in MLS play.
- In their next match, the Galaxy will return to StubHub Center for a match Sunday against Orlando City SC live on FS1 and Fox Deportes at 4 p.m. PT.
- For more information, please visit www.lagalaxy.com.
