Los Angeles Galaxy really should not have won on Saturday night in New England. Despite going down a man in the 23rd minute, the Revs scored two and could have had more against a confused and confusing Galaxy defense. Look at New England’s shot chart after going down a man. How… does this happen?
But then, deep in extra time, the Revolution just sort of quit.
Claude Dielna stopped guarding Dave Romney halfway through a corner kick to let the Galaxy even the score, then Jalil Anibaba used slapstick defending to hand Chris Pontius an open look for the winner in the 93rd minute. And thus the Revs, who had no business losing, lost.
The win did come with a cost for the Galaxy as they lost left back Ashley Cole to a late second yellow card for a cynical tackle of Juan Agudelo. The former England international will miss Saturday’s match and there is no clear replacement for him on the roster. Cole is both a quality defender (when he wants to be) and an excellent combiner and crosser in attack. He was once one of the best left backs in the world, and even at age 37 he’s still a quality wide defender in a league that lacks depth at the position.
Emphasis should be given to the goals New England scored on Los Angeles because they are both pretty incredible. Not in the “Wow, that’s impressive” way, but more in the “Why did they put Galaxy jerseys on those traffic cones?” way.
First, Diego Fagundez plays a quick exchange to get free in the left channel, and it’s not clear if anybody knows they’re supposed to stop him.
Next, Andrew Farrell lobs a ball into the six-yard box and everybody in white decides to throw off Luis Caicedo by doing absolutely nothing. It doesn’t work.
The Revs should have had a third when Fagundez again waltzed into the zone at the top of the Galaxy box and sent Teal Bunbury through alone, but Ashley Cole alertly cleared the striker’s shot off the line.
LA’s first goal was well-constructed, with Cole delivering a fine far post ball to Chris Pontius arriving late. Yet there was little else to suggest the visitors should have come out on top last Saturday, and Cole’s absence will be the Union’s advantage when the Galaxy roll into town this weekend.
