July 18, 2010 CAPITAL RESULT Galaxy wins first in DC since 2006
Edson Buddle's league-leading 11th goal of the season gave the Galaxy a 1-0 lead over DC United. Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images
WASHINGTON, DC---Edson Buddle and Landon Donovan picked up where they left off before the World Cup, with each scoring a goal as the Los Angeles Galaxy won for the first time at RFK Stadium since 2006, 2-1 over D.C. United.
A determined Buddle gave the Galaxy the lead in the 38th minute. His first attempt hit United’s Dejan Jakovic who was on the ground. Buddle re-controlled the ball and put his second attempt under goalkeeper Troy Perkins for his league leading 11th goal of the season.
DC, which controlled much of the play, tied it up in the 54th minute. Recently signed Argentine Pablo Hernandez sent a cross into the area from the right where it was met with a snap header by rookie Andy Najar.
Donovan got the game winner four minutes later. Jordan Gray turned over the ball at the top of the DC penalty area, James Julius made an attempt to clear the ball with a slide tackle and was called for a hand ball. Donovan struck the pk to the lower right corner. Perkins guessed the right way, but the shot was out of his reach.
“Our guys had great concentration and quality when we needed it,” said Galaxy coach Bruce Arena, as the team snapped a two game losing skid, after falling to Seattle in the U.S. Open Cup and to New England in a regular season game.
The Galaxy created some good chances in the first half, and could have had a two goal lead at the half. Sean Franklin touched a ball in the penalty area that went behind Perkins, but Devon McTavish cleared it away. In the 44th minute, A.J. DeLaGarza sent a ball into the area that Franklin whiffed on.
United’s Santino Quaranta gave the Galaxy fits most of the night, with probing passes and scoring attempts. In the sixth minute he played a fantastic ball into the six yard box that two United players completely missed. In the 32nd minute he sent a ball into the penalty area that was knocked down by a Galaxy defender. Clyde Simms got the rebound but sent his shot high. In the closing minute of the half, Quaranta took matters into his own hands, firing a hard shot from the top of the 18 that Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts stopped but could not control. It bounced out for q corner kick.
Ricketts made two good saves in the first half, diving to stop a shot by Hernandez in the 40th minute. In stoppage time of the first, Stephen King got onto a ball from Hernandez that Ricketts blocked. Quaranta missed on the rebound.
Despite temperatures in the 90s and high humidity, the Galaxy seemed energized cming out of the half. Three minutes in, Donovan dribbled to the top of the penalty area and sent a low diagonal ball to the far post. Alan Gordon tried to slide to direct it into the net, but missed.
Less than a minute after DC equalized, Buddle broke away from Dejan Jakovic and fired a shot wide. Donovan almost connected with Buddle in the 66th minute, but his ball was just a little to far ahead.
Franklin settled the ball on the right side of the area in the 71st minute but sent his shot wide.
DC was pressing for the equalizer late in the game. In the 89th minute, James trapped the ball, Hernandez sent a header over the top from just inside the six yard box.
Both teams brought all their subs on in the second half, with DC making the first change at the half, sending in Jaime Moreno for Chris Pontius, who had a possible broken foot. Carey Tally came in for Jakovic in the 69th minute and another new signee Branko Boskovic came in for King in the 73rd minute.
Arena brought in Michael Stephens for Juninho in the 61st minute, Eddie Lewis came in for Buddle n the 77th and Johan Kirovski came in for Gordon in the 90th minute.
