LA Galaxy captain Robbie Keane celebrated his 34
th
birthday on Tuesday and on the occasion of the birth of Ireland’s greatest goal scorer of all-time, we look at his top four best goals in an LA Galaxy uniform.
ROBBIE KEANE’S FIRST GOAL WITH THE LA GALAXY AGAINST SAN JOSE (August 21, 2011)
Upon joining the Galaxy midway through the 2011 MLS regular season, Robbie Keane needed just 21 minutes to open his account for LA.
Making the start for his new club after a prolific career in Europe, Keane found the back of the net in the 21st minute after a pinpoint long-ball by David Beckham. The Irish captain then strolled around San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch and tallied his first ever goal for the Galaxy. Immediately the match, Keane was asked by a local reporter about his cartwheel celebration after the goal and whether it was inspired by his move to the Galaxy. The reporter who was unfamiliar with Keane’s trademark Tallaght-born sense of humor received a trademark response from the Ireland captain.
“I’ve been doing it for years,” he said. “You must not have televisions here.”
ROBBIE KEANE’S GOAL AGAINST MONARCAS MORELIA (September 13, 2011)
Robbie Keane’s most remarkable goal of his first season with the Galaxy came not in an MLS match, but in the CONCACAF Champions League.
On the road against Liga MX side Monarcas Morelia, Keane gave the Galaxy the lead with his perfect finish in the 52nd minute of play. The goal came off a counterattack deep in the Morelia end as Landon Donovan sprinted down the left flank before sending a floating diagonal ball to the Irishman. Keane did the rest as he took a touch that put Monarcas defender Adrian Alderete on the ground before blasting a shot far post past the goalkeeper.
The goal was Keane’s first of his five goals in CONCACAF Champions League.
ROBBIE KEANE’S GOAL IN MLS CUP 2012 (December 1, 2012)
Robbie Keane was a major part in the LA Galaxy’s back-to-back MLS Cup championship run and scored the final tally of LA’s 3-1 victory over the Houston Dynamo in MLS Cup 2012.
Keane’s goal came in the dying moments of the game for MLS Cup final after he was tripped up by Houston goalkeeper Tally Hall forcing referee Silviu Petrescu to point to the spot. Rather than let David Beckham take the penalty in his final match for the Galaxy, Keane stepped up and buried his spot kick past Hall for his first MLS Cup final goal. The goal may not have been the most stunning, but it capped a remarkable postseason for the Irish striker that saw him notch six goals and one assist for LA.
KEANE’S GOAL AGAINST FC DALLAS IN 2014 (May 21, 2014)
For all of Keane’s 53 goals in all competitions with the LA Galaxy, his finest individual tally may have been this season against FC Dallas.
The goal came in the 24th minute as the Irishman was fed the ball at the top of the box by a pass from Gyasi Zardes and then proceeded to dribble past two Dallas defenders en route to launching a lashing shot into the left corner past FC Dallas goalkeeper Raul Fernandez.
To date, the Irishman has seven goals on the season for LA in 2014.
Honorable Mentions: Robbie Keane’s 40-yard goal against LA Galaxy II in White vs. Blue game in 2014,Keane’s off-the-turf finish against Seattle in October 2013, the Irishman’s finish against Real Salt Lake in March 2014.
