Los Angeles Journal


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2008-04-15

by John Esther

LA Loses to Toronto

Summary

Galaxy suffers first lost at home this season

Article

While approximately 20,00 Los Angeles Galaxy fans were frustrated by a domineering home soccer team that failed to pass enough balls behind the goal line of Toronto FC, nobody was more visibly frustrated than striker Landon Donovan as the Galaxy picked up its first loss at Home Depot Center this season.

Around the 10th minute of play David Beckham hit an early ball from the right flank that found Donovan en route to the netted poles. Donovan got a piece of it but a goal was denied by Toronto’s sizeable goalie, Greg Sutton.

Before the 30-minute mark Donovan received another invitation to score from Beckham. Donovan met Beckham’s ball and took it to the goal where the lurching keeper again aborted Donavan’s mission. It was the second score Donovan should have had and the anguish displayed across Donovan’s 26-year-old visage illustrated self-contempt.

However anger would not be an energy Donovan could use just yet. Shy of the 40-minute mark, the Beckham-Donovan duo bedazzled Toronto’s defense resulting in nothing between Donovan, the ball, and the net. Uncharacteristically in such situations, Donovan blasted the ball into un-netted orbit.

If this were not annoying enough for Galaxy fans, players and Donovan alike, Toronto picked up the first score of the game minutes shy of halftime with Danny Dichio drilling a low blow for a goal.

However, entering halftime down a goal was not an option for Donovan. One minute later Chris Klein launched the ball to Donovan who then willed the ball past Marco Velez and Sutton from 27 yards out. Donovan seemed to respond with more self-vindication than congratulation, slowly recognizing kudos from his teammates.

The score was 1-1 at halftime.

From the first seconds of the second half it appeared the Galaxy was still in control of the game. And when Donovan went down a few steps shy of the penalty box it was time to put Beckham’s famous right foot into action. Beckham stepped up and proceeded to take his worse free kick as a Galaxy player hitherto, flubbing the ball directly into TFC’s wall.

To everyone’s surprise and dismay Toronto took the lead once again during the 53rd minute when Jarrod Smith earned his first MLS cap with an unassisted goal against the Galaxy’s unimpressive goalkeeper, Steve Cronin.

A handful of minutes later Donovan earned his third goal of the season on a penalty kick, making the score 2-2. It would be a brief release before more missed chances.

Looking for a hatrick, Donovan took one in the head from Mike Randolph in the 74-75th minute but his #1 Canadian goal foe of the day made a smart save and Donovan was denied a threesome.

Instead of passing it off, in the 83rd minute Beckham decided to take one from about 30 yards out, coming within feet of the goal.

With the final moments counting down, Beckham once again crossed the ball to Donovan whose header this time went to Ely Allen. Allen failed to capitalize.

As Galaxy fans in the seats grumbled over the possibility of a tie to a team that should have been a minimal challenge to the Galaxy, Toronto’s Jeff Cunningham found victory for the Reds in the 89th minute of the game.

The game was marked by unusual April heat that saw the field sometimes approaching the 100s and some shoddy referring that created quite a few hotter heads in the stands.

Toronto wins 3-2.

The LA Galaxy (1-2-0) will play defending MLS Cup Champions, Houston Dynamo (0-1-2), at Home Depot Center, April 20, 7:30 p.m.