Ibrahmovic’s two helpers not enough for Galaxy against Red Bulls.

Ola Kamara got on the score sheet with some help from Zlatan Ibrahimovc on Saturday night.

New York Red Bulls 3 -Los Angeles Galaxy 2

By Ivan Yeo

Zlatan Ibrahimovic found another way to contribute for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Ibrahimovc, always on the finishing end of goals, played the role of facilitator against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday night. Zlatan had a direct assist on the Galaxy’s first goal early in the second half, then took a corner kick that ended up being the equalizer later in the half. All that however ended up being for naught, as a late penalty enabled the Red Bulls to steal the three points courtesy of a 3-2 win at the StubHub Center.

“He was looking for the ball,” Galaxy head coach Sigi Schmid said of Ibrahimovic’s passing. “I would have liked to see him stay up, but as he gets fitter he’s willing to do more work. He likes to play whatever you want to call it, a false nine sometimes and drop off into midfield. So he set up the goal coming from there. He’s a good passer of the ball, which all good players are good passers of the ball.

Ibrahimovic’s first assist came in the 59th minute with the Galaxy down two goals. Ibrahimovic took a ball from Giovani Dos Santos and dribbled through the middle lane towards the penalty area. Ibrahimovic then played a ball forward for Kamara, who was running from the left side, Red Bulls defender Aaron Long tried to make a play on the ball, but missed on his slide tackle leaving Kamara unmarked in the box, Kamara took one touch before firing a ball past keeper Luis Robles into the back net to pull a goal back for the Galaxy.

The Galaxy caught the Red Bulls even seven minutes later. The Galaxy won a corner kick, but instead of Dos Santos or Romain Alessandrini going to the corner spot, it was Ibrahimovic to stepped up. Granted Ibrahimovic was the nearest Galaxy player to the spot, still it had to be a somewhat strange sight seeing the 6-5 superstar with 322 goals to date taking a corner. Nevertheless, Ibrahmoivic made the most of the opportunity, as he sent the ball into the penalty area, Dave Romney headed the ball down, it went to Dos Santos, who then touched a shot past Robles into the back net for the equalizer.

Ibrahimovic almost added a potential game-winning goal to his two assists, but his header in the 78th minute was called back due to offside. The Red Bulls then caught a break in the 83rd minute, as Derrick Etienne played Kemar Lawrence into the penalty area, Lawrence crossed low for the six, Dave Romney slid, looking to cut off the cross, which he did, referee Allen Chapman decided the ball hit off or Romney’s left hand area that he awarded the Red Bulls the penalty despite Romney’s protest. It was Alejandro Romero Gamara who stepped up to the penalty spot in the 84th minute and buried the shot to his left, even as David Bingham guessed right.

“Somebody says it’s not a penalty, somebody says yes,” Ibrahimovic said of the situation. “If you look at the video, it was no penalty and I think even the referee… I’m not sure if he was watching the video, the VAR. I don’t know. It’s different.”

The Red Bulls jumped out to the lead six minutes into the match, Gamara sprung Bradley Wright Phillips with a ball over the defense. Wright-Phillips sprinted inside the 18-yard box, played a cross into the six, Bingham tried to cut off the cross, but missed entirely and Daniel Royer swooped in from the left side and buried the open chance near post. The Galaxy thought they had equalized in the 11th minute, as Dos Santos sprung Kamara for the penalty area, Kamara’s played across for Ibrahimovic, who dummied a ball to Romain Alessandrini, who buried the one-timer. The play however went to video review, which revealed that Kamara was offside when Dos Santos sent the pass, nullifying the goal and keeping the Red Bulls ahead.

“I’ve always said I’m a fan of VAR, but I don’t know if I am anymore.” Schmid said. “On the VAR, I see here that they’ve got an assistant video guy, another assistant guy, a replay supervisor, a replay operator, a replay operator assistant, another replay operator assistant, a review assistant…and the guy who’s in charge of it. My understanding of it is that you don’t overturn it unless it’s clear and unequivocal.”

That scenario eventually came back to bite the Galaxy in the 48th minute, as the Red Bulls added to their lead on another run-of-play goal almost similar to its first goal. Again, it was Gamara who sent Wright-Phillips for the penalty area, and Wright-Phillips again crossed towards the six. This time however, it was Florian Valot who was the beneficiary, as he charged in from the middle lane and his one-timer beat Bingham into the upper back net.
Things won’t get any easier for the Galaxy, as they will play its next three matches on the road. In fact, the Galaxy won’t be home until May 25, a Friday night tilt with its nemesis up north, the San Jose Earthquakes.