HOUSTON – The LA Galaxy just aren’t getting the job done defensively.
Once again, the Galaxy’s offense provided the team with a punchers’ chance to earn points in Houston only to have defensive miscues allow the Houston Dynamo to earn a 3-2 victory on Saturday night at BBVA Compass Stadium. Los Angeles have now lost four out of their last five games.
In each of the three goals conceded by the Galaxy, the team found themselves prone to what captain Ashley Cole described postgame as “silly” errors due to a lack of concentration. As has been the case for much of the season, early goals proved decisive as the Galaxy conceded twice in the opening minutes of each half to dig themselves into early holes.
The third and decisive goal proved to be a microcosm of the Galaxy's recent struggles as a lack of communication between goalkeeper David Bingham and defender Jorgen Skjelvik allowed Memo Rodriguez to score and deny Los Angeles a point on the road.
Following the match, head coach Sigi Schmid implored his team to respond.
“We’ve shown character but what this team needs to realize is that this needs to hurt,” he said. “It really needs to freaking hurt and that pain needs to drive you so that doesn’t happen again.”