SANDY, Utah – LA Galaxy Insider Adam Serrano’s Three Points to the LA Galaxy’s scoreless draw with Real Salt Lake.
THUNDER AND LIGHTNING: WILD FINISH TO CRAZY GAME DELAYED AN HOUR
It’s fitting that a match that featured a more than hour long delay due to lightning would end with some fireworks between the two bitter rivals.
In a match that was dominated by Real Salt Lake, the Galaxy had a chance to win the game in stoppage time when Jamison Olave brought down Omar Gonzalez in the penalty area causing referee Jose Carlos Rivero to point to the spot. Despite dealing with an illness that prevented him from starting, second-half substitute Juninho stepped up to the spot to take the penalty but saw his effort saved by Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando.
For all of LA’s defensive success, the penalty kick miss left a sour taste in the Galaxy’s mouth after the scoreless draw.
DEFENSE STAYS STOUT
Amid the LA Galaxy’s recent offensive struggles, the Galaxy defense has picked up the slack with organized performances like the one that helped the Galaxy secure a draw with Real Salt Lake on Wednesday.
With Omar Gonzalez marshaling the back four, the Galaxy remained compact as they dealt with an RSL side that controlled the run of play throughout. In addition to Gonzalez’s dominance in the air, the Galaxy’s offside trap kept Salt Lake at by as the hosts were whistled for offside seven times in the first half.
As the game neared the end, Salt Lake tightened the screws with even more offensive pressure but the Galaxy defense stayed firm to earn their third shutout of the 2015 campaign.
JAIME PENEDO STARS AGAIN AT RIO TINTO
There’s something about playing at Rio Tinto Stadium that brings the best out of Jaime Penedo as the LA Galaxy goalkeeper once again put on a goalkeeping clinic against Real Salt Lake.
Penedo made six saves in his second consecutive shutout at Rio Tinto Stadium. The 33-year-old’s best stop came in the 76th minute when he denied Real Salt Lake forward Alvaro Saborio with a remarkable diving effort that kept the game scoreless.
Not only did Penedo supply remarkable saves but he was also composed coming off his line as he repeatedly denied dangerous RSL crosses throughout the match.
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at LAGalaxy.com/Insider and contact him at LAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com
