A Forgettable Night in LA for DC United
Perhaps DC United was just due for a letdown. They had just earned a victory in the CCL and knocked off the defending MLS Cup champions within a week of taking the field tonight. Maybe they were just a little too hung over from their recent good fortune. Three games in a week is a grueling schedule for any club and DC United still have to take the field Sunday against Thierry Henry, Tim Cahill and the New York Red Bulls.
I suppose the idea of having to play three games in seven days is a somewhat reasonable excuse for a lethargic performance, but that does not make it any less excruciating to watch.
From Galaxy forward Alan Gordon’s (who was filling in for the resting Robbie Keane by the way) second minute goal to the final whistle in the 93rd minute, DC United just looked outmatched. After seeing the way DC handled Sporting KC so easily it is a real disappointment to watch them start a game with such little energy and basically get run off the field in the first half.
DC United had zero poise with the ball and seemed incapable of maintaining any possession. After Fabian Espindola and Nick DeLeon were subbed on in the second half, DC United did managed to improve on maintaining some time of possession but it must also be mentioned that LA did back down the intensity, seemingly content to sit on a three goal lead.
An own goal by Leonardo and a penalty kick goal by Landon Donovan finished off the scoring in the second half giving LA the 4-1 victory over DC United.
I know DC United is a better team than what they showed out on the pitch tonight but it is still bothersome to see that their last two match ups with the top level clubs in the Western Conference have ended in blow-outs. Real Salt Lake was also able to put DC down three goals in the first half on August 9th.
From the substitution pattern of waiting until the game was really out of reach before bringing on Espindola and DeLeon and the somewhat lackadaisical pace, I must assume that Ben Olson was more concerned with just getting his team through the match healthy and not completely exhausted for their next game on Sunday.
Really if you decided to get sleep instead of staying up to watch this game, you made the right choice. There is really nothing positive or negative to take away from this game. I think it is best to just forget this match and move on. I imagine that is what DC United’s plan became the moment the first goal was scored. Once the Galaxy took the lead I think DC United went into preserve mode and just tried to weather a rough patch in the schedule. Hopefully Sunday’s match will go better than tonight’s did.
Box Score
2nd’ GOAL LA Galaxy Alan Gordon
18th’ Yellow card LA Galaxy Landon Donovan for a foul
21st’ Yellow card DC United Luis Silva for a foul
25th’ GOAL LA Galaxy Omar Gonzalez
45th’+1 GOAL LA Galaxy Baggio Husidic
58th’ Own Goal by LA Galaxy Leonardo, originally credited as GOAL DC United Eddie Johnson
75th’ GOAL penalty kick LA Galaxy Landon Donovan
81st’ Yellow card DC United Fabian Espindola for a foul
