Romain Alessandrini’s two corner kicks in the second half resulted in two goals for the LA Galaxy.
By Ivan Yeo
It looked like another dismal evening for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Just two weeks from being dominated on national television at home against Seattle, the Galaxy’s first half Saturday night against the Chicago Fire struck a similar tune to that fateful Sunday two weeks back. Chicago struck for two first half goals and clearly looked the better side in the first half. It looked like another rout, and also a possible third straight match without scoring a goal.
This time however, instead of laying down in the second half, the Galaxy summoned a resolve that until Saturday night had yet to be seen. LA made the most of two corners, which the Galaxy turned into two goals and instead of its third loss in four matches, LA will get a point for a second straight match courtesy of a 2-2 draw at StubHub Center on Saturday night.
“We became a team tonight,” Galaxy head coach Curt Onalfo said.
LA started the rally in the 56th minute. Romain Alessandrini sent a corner from the right side into the penalty area and Daniel Steres headed a ball far post out of the reach of keeper Matt Lampson, beating him far post to get the Galaxy on the board. LA found the equalizer 10 minutes later on another corner. Alessandrini again sent the corner into the box, this time from the left side, the ball was headed again, this time by Dave Romney, but it went into the six-yard box and Giovani Dos Santos got his foot on the ball, beating Lampson near post to level the match and evoke a level of excitement and emotion rarely before seen from Dos Santos.
“I’m happy for the performance of the team in the second half and the way we fought,” Dos Santos said. “The goal was not important for me, it’s the way we played in the second half tonight.”
The first half was the exact opposite for the Galaxy. LA conceded a penalty in the 11th minute, as Jelle Van Damme tackled Nemanja Nikolic inside the penalty area and referee Kevin Stott immediately blew his whistle and signaled for the penalty spot. David Accam stepped to the penalty spot and buried the shot, but Stott ordered a retake due to apparent encroachment into the penalty area. Accam however simply stepped back into the spot and buried the shot again to open the scoring for Chicago.
Chicago got goal number two in the 16th minute off the run of play, as Accam played Nikolic into the penalty area and Nikolic slotted the shot past Rowe far post to double the Fire advantage. Chicago was almost gifted a third goal in the 36th minute, Bastian Schweinsteiger crossed into the penalty area, Rowe briefly collected the ball, but it slipped out of his hands, Nikolic swooped in, got the ball, attempted a tight shot, but it hit the side netting. Nevertheless, Onalfo had seen enough, as he had actually went to the bench moments earlier, subbing out Van Damme for Dave Romney in the 33rd minute.
“I expect our players to be right from minute one,” Onalfo said when asked about the substitution. “I’m the leader of the team and I have to make substitutions to get our group to where it needs to be.”
The Galaxy’s resolve will certainly be tested, as they will not play a home match until June 17, a span in which it will play four straight road matches. LA is certainly hoping the resolve shown on Saturday night will carry over into this upcoming tough stretch.
“I think it was a galvanizing moment four our group,” Onalfo said “We’ve been through a lot already and it was a pretty darn good second half.”
