Sunday’s match between the LA Galaxy and St. Louis City SC might as well have been two separate matches.
The first half showcased why the first-year franchise from the Gateway City is currently the top team in the Western Conference. Goals from Samuel Adeniran and Joao Klauss combined with a stingy defense staked St. Louis to a 2-0 lead, but the second half showed why the Galaxy have yet to lose since being eliminated from Leagues Cup. A goal from the penalty spot from Riqui Puig, followed by a red card to Adeniran and later an equalizer from Billy Sharp enabled the Galaxy to get a result against STL, and while it was not the result the Galaxy would’ve liked, they will still gladly take the point as a result of its 1-1 draw at Dignity Health Sports Park.
“This team… you can tell we’re a good team,” Galaxy midfielder Diego Fagundez said. “I don’t know why we’re in the standings where we are… because at the end of the day, with the locker room that we have, the quality of players is amazing. All we can do right now is keep fighting, keep working hard, get points and score goals.”
The point keeps the Galaxy (7-10-9, 30 points) well in the playoff race, as they are four points back of FC Dallas for the final playoff in the West. More importantly, the Galaxy increased its unbeaten streak to four matches, and with LAFC losing its third straight match, means it is the Galaxy that has the momentum heading into its El Trafico matchup against LAFC at BMO Stadium on Saturday night.
“I think this group really believes in the opportunity that’s in front of us to still get in this picture,” Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said. “I think the group in terms of its resiliency and confidence, there’s a lot of things that have come out of this stretch that I think is positive.”
Trailing 2-0 going into the second half, the Galaxy caught a break five minutes into the second half, though it took a little while for that break to materialize. It started in the 50th minute, as Tyler Boyd shot a ball that deflected off Adeniran’s right hand, but referee Filip Dujic at first said no handball. St. Louis immediately countered, but Dujic eventually got the call from VAR referee Kevin Stott, and it confirmed the ball went off Adeniran’s right hand and Dujic awarded the Galaxy the penalty and issued Adeniran a yellow card. Puig stepped up to the spot for the Galaxy and converted to his left, even as keeper Roman Buerki guessed correctly, and Puig cut St. Louis’ lead to a goal.
Things were looking even better for the Galaxy in the 60th minute, as Adeniran’s tackle Puig from behind was late, getting Puig in his left foot, leaving Dujic with and easy decision to issue Adeniran his second yellow card, meaning STL had to play a man down the rest of the match. The Galaxy eventually caught St. Louis in the 82nd minute, as Diego Fagundez sent a free kick to the back post of the penalty area, Uri Rosell headed a ball into the six-yard box and Sharp touched a ball past Buerki into the back net for the equalizer. Not satisfied with settling for a point, especially at this point of the season, the Galaxy pressed for a third goal, but St. Louis stood its ground and eventually both teams had to settle for splitting points.
“I think it was, and to give them something to hold onto is disappointing, but the reaction that we gave, to get the two goals back in the second half, for me, it’s a point gained in the end,” Sharp said “Disappointed because we wanted to get the three points. But, they’re (St. Louis City SC) at the top of the league for a reason.”
It took St. Louis (15-10-3, 48 points) just four minutes to get on the board. Eduard Loewen sent a pass forward to Jared Stroud, who managed to time his run to get behind the Galaxy defense, Stroud played a ball to Adeniran, who took a touch, then fired the left-footed shot just outside the six that beat Bond into the back net. STL eventually doubled the advantage in the 28th minute, as Aziel Jackson led a counterattack, Jackson found Klauss on his right side, Klauss then slotted a ball in between Bond’s legs and into the back net.
