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Galaxy drops win at the death in 3-3 thriller at Salt Lake

@LAGalaxy

The Los Angeles Galaxy drew 3-3 with Real Salt Lake in a crunch match at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.

The Galaxy lined up for the second match since the potential season-ending injury of Gyasi Zardes, who broke his foot against the Vancouver Whitecaps. The lineup featured several players in positions they do not normally find themselves in, including Sebastian Lletget and Robbie Rogers who played in center midfield and right back respectively.

Even with the make-shift lineup, Emmanuel Boateng scored in the 7th minute after a through ball from Giovani Dos Santos found Boateng who slotted home a right-footed effort past the right side of Nick Rimando in goal. It was Dos Santos’ ninth assist of the season.

The Galaxy needed to focus on the win, and Bruce Arena’s side had to make sure they continued to attack after the early goal. Defensively, LA looked comfortable with the midfielders lined up in front of the backline.

Dos Santos was working hard throughout the first half to get back and get balls. He made multiple defensive plays when he tracked back to retain possession for the Galaxy, which was a massive bright spot for the Galaxy during the game.

Both teams’ holding midfielders received yellow cards within the first 25 minutes of the game. First Kyle Beckerman of Salt Lake then Jeff Larentowicz of LA for slowing down opponents running through the center of the field.

The game had a chippy feel about it, in lack of a better word, as both teams took a couple cheap shots against one another following plays. But at the half, Boateng’s goal was the only thing separating the two sides.

The second half began with an opposite play from the Galaxy. Rowe conceded a penalty after waiting to pick up the ball but Joao Plata flew in and Rowe was forced to dive into the forward to give up the penalty. Plata stepped up and converted the spot kick.

In the 57th minute, Dos Santos turned on the heat as the Mexican midfielder got behind Salt Lake’s defense and cracked a shot that Rimando could not handle to give LA a 2-1 lead.

Dos Santos had been brilliant all match and deserved the goal, and found himself grabbing a second goal, now his 12th of the year, after Larentowicz hit the crossbar on a nod down from Gordon.

But no more than two minutes later Plata grabbed his second of the night after the Galaxy defense fell asleep.

Now that the game was within reach again for RSL, LA looked jittery at the back and Rowe was forced to make a big save to keep the Galaxy in front.

LA looked to freshen up the team by bringing on Raul Mendiola for Lletget in the 74th minute and Mike Magee on for Alan Gordon in the 78th minute followed by Rafael Garcia in the 87th minute for Boateng.

As the match entered the 90th minute, Salt Lake had a scramble for the ball within LA’s six-yard box but combined efforts from Rowe and Garcia cleared the ball away for a corner that proved no threat to the Galaxy.

In the final 20 seconds of the match a weak striker from the corner of the box slipped underneath Rowe to give RSL a point and steal away the Galaxy’s win.

Dos Santos was an easy man of the match selection but there is a feeling of defeat around the match as the Galaxy dropped a big three points in the dying moments of the match.

LA plays Orlando City at StubHub Center on Sunday.  

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