Zlatan Ibrahimovic had a goal and an assist to lead the Los Angeles Galaxy to a 3-1 win over Philadelphia Union at Talen Energy Stadium Saturday night. CJ Sapong opened the scoring with a quick reaction to knock Borek Dockal’s half-volley past David Bingham, but Ibrahimovic set up Ola Kamara for the tying goal before finishing the winner himself in the second half.
Jim Curtin used Fabinho on the left, pushing Ray Gaddis to the right as he sought to rest Keegan Rosenberry before a trip to muggy Houston Wednesday night. Marcus Epps started on the right across from Fafa Picault and CJ Sapong led the line.
First half
Ibrahimovic made his presence felt early when he held off Auston Trusty and Fabinho near the top of the box and scanned his surroundings. Seeing no better options, he spun snapped off a shot that Andre Blake went down to one knee to keep out as it skipped across the wet surface.
The Union attacked early up the left, and Thomas Hilliard-Arce was in a constant battle against his physical limitations as Fafa Picault carried the ball up the wing. The winger put a ball just behind CJ Sapong in the sixth minute. Moments later, Sapong turned with a man on his back off a throw up the left and hit Haris Medunjanin, who found Marcus Epps on the right. Epps beat his man to the endline and knocked in a deflected cross that fell to Dockal running in late, but his shot was saved by an alert David Bingham.
The Galaxy nearly too the lead in the 16th minute after a Medunjanin turnover was quickly turned into a chance for Giovani Dos Santos. Ola Kamara corralled Medunjanin’s loose ball and fed Dos Santos. He skipped down the right toward Blake, unleashing a snap shot with his left that looked bound for the upper far corner before the goalie’s reactions kicked in to slap it off frame.
In the 25th minute, Ibrahimovic was the creator when Dave Romney (CHECK THIS) scooted up the Galaxy left in acres of space. The Swede nutmegged Ray Gaddis with the pass but Romney’s shot was far from the goal.
Four minutes later, CJ Sapong broke his goal drought is odd but relieving fashion. After a Borek Dockal cross was headed back to the Czech playmaker, he quickly hit a half-volley that Sapong stuck a leg at to redirect. The change of direction fooled Bingham and he could only stick out a leg and touch it as the ball crossed the goal line.
The goal helped the Union gain control of the match until Ibrahimovic created a chance out of nothing in the 40th minute. Turning and finding that nobody was stepping to him, the Swede unleashed a blast from 40 yards out that Blake needed to react quickly to as it faded toward the far corner of the net.
Second half
Sigi Schmid sought to add more life to his attack by throwing on Romain Alessandrini for Thomas Hilliard-Arce at the half. Alessandrini took up the left wingback role and pushed Dave Romney into the back three.
Four minutes after the break, the Galaxy were even through some wonderful combination play after a Bedoya turnover in midfield. Jonathan Dos Santos intercepted the ball and quickly found Ibrahimovic. McKenzie angled to the outside with Gaddis recovering and Ibrahimovic played into the space behind the center back for Ola Kamara. The Norwegian showed off his finishing touch by lifting the ball over Blake at the final moment, scoring his eight of the campaign.
The Union nearly got back in front moments later when Dockal played Epps into the box through the right. The winger could not get the ball out of his feet quickly enough to get a shot at Bingham’s goal.
In the 61st, strong combination play up the left allowed Gio Dos Santos to open his body and find Chris Pontius on the right but the former Union man pulled his shot wide of the near post.
That play foreshadowed the Galaxy’s go-ahead goal. Alessandrini was again active up the left, and after beating Gaddis he found Ibrahimovic in the box, and he turned and ripped an immediate and unstoppable blast past Blake before McKenzie could close him down.
Cory Burke came on for CJ Sapong in the 68th minute and five minutes later had a wonderful chance to tie the match. Medunjanin lifted a glorious pass to substitute David Accam up the left, and the winger squared the ball to Burke. Just inside the box, he faked a pass to the right, then turned onto his left in space and hit a screamer far over the net.
LA pulled away in the 82nd minute when center back Michael Ciani freed himself in the box and nodded home Alessandrini’s corner from the left. Burke lost the big defender and the finish was an easy one from a fine ball.
Warren Creavalle entered for Medunjanin and had the Union’s final chance of the game in the 89th minute, firing a first timer off Picault’s cutback that BIngham pushed over the goal.
The Union lost for the first time all season after scoring first, and the will look to rebound on Wednesday when they travel to Houston to take on the Dynamo.
