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L.A. Galaxy Stumble To First “SuperClasico” Loss In Five Years Against Chivas USA

Omar Shamout |
May 20, 2012 | 9:05 a.m. PDT

Staff Reporter

Since April 21, Landon Donovan has not scored and the Galaxy have not won. (Ryan Healy/Creative Commons)
Since April 21, Landon Donovan has not scored and the Galaxy have not won. (Ryan Healy/Creative Commons)
The Los Angeles Galaxy won the MLS Cup less than six months ago, but it must feel like six years to head coach Bruce Arena and his players, considering the way this season is going.

The Galaxy came into Saturday's "away" matchup with archrival Chivas USA sitting seventh in the Western Conference with just 11 points out of 10 games. The team could take some consolation, however, in the knowledge that their opponents and intra-stadium roommates were behind them in eighth place with only 10 points.

That all changed Saturday as the Goats defeated the Galaxy 1-0 for their first SuperClasico victory since 2007. In front of a crowd of 18,880 fans at the Home Depot Center, a Jose Erik Correa penalty goal sent Chivas into sixth place in the West and the Galaxy into eighth.

"It's nice to have a happy press conference for once," said Chivas head coach Robin Fraser, admittedly relieved following the result.

It was a busy week for Fraser, a former Galaxy player. The team shook up its roster by trading Heath Pearce to New York Red Bulls for pacey winger Juan Agudelo, who was struggling to find playing this season in Hans Backe's side. The "rojiblancos" also acquired former Galaxy center back Danny Califf from the Philadelphia Union.

Meanwhile, the defending MLS champion Galaxy have sorely missed the presence of defender Omar Gonzalez, who departed to Germany on a month-long loan at FC Nurnberg in January, only to return a week later after tearing his ACL in his very first training session with the club.

The loss of Gonzalez has hurt the Galaxy defense. (seriouslysilly/Creative Commons)
The loss of Gonzalez has hurt the Galaxy defense. (seriouslysilly/Creative Commons)
Without Gonzalez at the back, the Galaxy has conceded the first goal in seven games this season – second-most in the league, behind only Toronto FC. Additionally, the team has yet to post a clean sheet this after recording 17 shutouts last year.

As if their defense wasn't giving them enough problems, L.A. was also without offensive weapons on Saturday as midfielder David Beckham and forward Robbie Keane were both out of the starting lineup. Beckham had flown back from an Olympic torch relay in Europe only hours before kickoff, while Keane is still nursing a tight hamstring before reporting for Euro 2012 duty with Ireland.

Both teams exchanged possession to start the match, but the first real chance occurred in the 18th minute when Galaxy forward Landon Donovan floated a free kick into the box from left midfield, nearly finding defender Todd Dunivant in front of goal.

New acquisition Juan Agudelo responded four-minutes later for Chivas USA, but his tame header was easily gathered by Galaxy goalkeeper Brian Perk.

Galaxy midfielder Mike Magee fired a header of his own wide from a Donovan corner in the 28th minute as both sides started to look slightly more dangerous.

A lazy giveaway in the midfield by the Galaxy in the 34th minute gifted Miller Bolanos with the best chance of the first half. The Chivas USA right winger raced into the box, but fired a low shot past L.A. goalkeeper Brian Perk that ricocheted off the near post.

Bolanos then had a penalty appeal denied in the 40th minute when the Galaxy’s David Junior Lopes tackled him on the edge of the box, but his theatrics appeared to make the most of the contact. 

The match remained goalless at the intermission before the intensity picked up in the second half. The Galaxy spurned two chances in the 51st minute when Pat Noonan and Kyle Nakazawa missed consecutive shots off of a corner kick. Magee fired wide left from the top of the box minutes later.

James Riley and the Chivas USA defense kept the Galaxy off the board. (Noelle Noble/Creative Commons)
James Riley and the Chivas USA defense kept the Galaxy off the board. (Noelle Noble/Creative Commons)
Both teams made changes in the 60th minute as Chivas USA brought on Jorge Villafana for Bolanos and the Galaxy's Edson Buddle came on for Noonan.

Magee found himself in a good position again moments later as he had gained a foot of space from his defender on a semi-breakaway, but he tried to chip a shot over the head of Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy and completely miskicked it. Magee buried his head in his hands as he watched the ball fall safely into Kennedy's arms. Magee stayed active, though, and almost found Buddle through on goal, but Kennedy raced out to nab the low pass. Too often, Galaxy midfielders and fullbacks relied on diagonal long balls that failed to find their intended target.

"I think on the night, we probably created more chances than the other team... but you have to take your chances," said Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena.

While not creating many clear-cut chances, Chivas USA players were still getting into dangerous positions on the pitch.  When Perk couldn't clear an Oswaldo Minda cross out of the box in the 71st minute, the ball fell directly on the foot of Correa, who blasted it on the Galaxy net. With Perk lying in a heap following a collision with Agudelo, only defender David Junior Lopes was left to guard the net, who instinctively raised his hand to block the shot.

The referee rightly showed Lopes a red card and awarded a penalty to Chivas USA, which Correa took himself and buried into the right corner after sending Perk the wrong way. His celebrations were premature, however, as Villafana had encroached into the box. Seemingly unfazed, Correa calmly placed the ball into the same corner moments later, giving the home side a vital advantage. 

Late sub David Beckham couldn't salvage things for L.A. (© Gregg Kowalski / TheDailySportsHerald)
Late sub David Beckham couldn't salvage things for L.A. (© Gregg Kowalski / TheDailySportsHerald)
Once again, L.A.'s back line had conceded first.

Beckham finally came into the game for Nakazawa after the goal in an attempt to create better service for the Galaxy forwards – but it didn’t work. L.A. never looked clinical enough to win on the night, with Landon Donovan failing to make much of an impact on the game. As a whole, the Galaxy players seemed to waste much of their possession.

Correa's goal was enough to seal the victory for Chivas USA, which was the club's first win over their bitter foe in the last 12 meetings, including both MLS regular-season and playoff games.

After the match, Fraser said he underestimated the intensity of the rivalry between the two clubs before taking over last year.

"I was surprised by the nature of the comments after our first game last year, and it was very evident that there is very little respect for this club [from the Galaxy organization]," Fraser said.

Fraser also noted he was pleased with Agudelo and Califf’s first contributions to the club and expects them to keep getting better.

"I look at tonight as a starting point of where we're headed," he said.

On the other side, Arena seemed generally pleased with his side's overall performance and had no qualms with the red card decision. He acknowledged that the Galaxy's biggest problem this year has been converting chances despite controlling much of the possession in their matches.

The Galaxy had 11 total shots on Saturday compared to Chivas USA’s five, but with a back line unable to keep a clean sheet, Arena will need his Galaxy players to start scoring more goals soon if they're to even have a chance of defending the team's MLS championship in the playoffs.

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