Galaxy Draw Dynamo With Stoppage Time Goal
- Updated: June 17, 2017
The Los Angeles Galaxy returned home Saturday night to take on the Houston Dynamo after a lengthy road trip.
Houston was looking for their first win on the road this MLS season, while the Galaxy looked to get just their second home victory.
Even before the game started this was going to be a greater challenge for Los Angeles than many would’ve expected. The team learned Goalkeeper Brian Rowe will be out for over a month earlier this week and just before the game defender Bradley Diallo was ruled out with a hamstring injury. Not to mention Giovani Dos Santos is out with the Mexican National team and captain Jelle Van Damme is out on suspension for yellow card accumulation.
Phew, winded just typing out all of those changes but here is the lineup the Galaxy came out with and all of those changes are obvious.
#LAGalaxy XI: Diop; Smith, Arellano, Romney, Cole; Garcia, João Pedro; Zardes, Alessandrini, Boateng; McInerney #LAvHOUpic.twitter.com/ohTjBGynym
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) June 18, 2017
Those switches were even more noticeable early on in this contest as Houston controlled possession and kept the Galaxy attack at bay.
In the 22nd minute the Dynamo would be able to capitalize on that control and take advantage of a massive mistake by Galaxy keeper Clement Diop.
.@MauroManotas19 will clean these up all night. 1-0. #LAvHOUhttps://t.co/N64IQ6Gsf5
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 18, 2017
Diop got caught thinking he could catch the shot and instead batted it right back to the feet of Mauro Manotas for the easy goal.
After conceding the first goal for the fifth time in seven home games this season the Los Angeles attack needed a spark to get things rolling. Very few have quite the spark the speedy Emmanuel Boateng does and that showed in the 35th minute as he sprung free leaving him alone with Dynamo keeper Tyler Deric.
No one’s catching @Emaboateng. ⚡️ #LAvHOUhttps://t.co/RvKrSiuMc9
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 18, 2017
That goal carried the game into halftime as the score was tied at one.
The second half started much like the first, Houston controlled the game and Los Angeles struggled to gain momentum. Usually not a good sign when that’s the case in your home stadium but playing at home hasn’t exactly been a strength of this Galaxy team.
In the 75th minute the Dynamo took advantage of a Galaxy mistake as Jose Villareal, who had recently subbed in for Jack McInerney, turned the ball over in the midfield and Alberth Elis went the distance for the goal on the counter.
As time winded down things began to look dire for the Galaxy. But 6 minutes of stoppage time provided a glimmer of hope for Los Angeles. Who else but Romain Alessandrini would capitalize on such a situation. In the 94th minute Alessandrini punched one home off an assist from Bradford Jamieson IV to tie things up!
Last. Gasp. Galaxy. #LAvHOUhttps://t.co/PeOF4zDfJt
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 18, 2017
Although there was some argument from Houston as to whether Alessandrini was onside for that last goal, the goal stands and the game ended in a 2-2 draw with each team collecting a point.
A good result for Los Angeles given the amount of normal starters that were not able to play in this one. Hopefully their next game against Colorado on Wednesday is a little easier on the heart for their supporters though.
Thanks for reading along Galaxy fans!
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