Galaxy defeats Real Salt Lake, 2-0, despite injuries

SANDY, Utah — Mike Magee and Charlie Rugg scored early in the first half, and the Galaxy coasted to a 2-0 victory over Real Salt Lake on Saturday night.

Brian Rowe became the first goalkeeper to earn a shutout in his MLS debut for the Galaxy (4-1-2) since Brian Perk in a 0-0 draw against Seattle on July 4, 2011.

Magee scored on a header in the sixth minute. Juninho fed him a cross off a free kick into the center of the box and Magee put a perfect touch on the pass as he headed it inside the right post.

Rugg scored in the 13th minute when Hector Jimenez found him in front of the goal on a cross from the right flank.

Rugg outraced a Salt Lake defender to the ball and simply tapped it in for the easy goal.

Salt Lake dropped to 3-4-2.

Salt Lake and the Galaxy combined to score 20 goals over the last five meetings between the two clubs before Saturday night. Digging out of the early two-goal hole proved difficult for Salt Lake without its top two goal scorers.

Usual starting forwards Alvaro Saborio and Robbie Findley were sidelined by injuries.

Injuries also had a major impact on the Galaxy.

Four regular starters — Landon Donovan, Carlo Cudicini, Robbie Keane and Todd Dunivant — missed the game.

Donovan and Cudicini sat out with right leg strains, Dunivant was sidelined with a left leg strain and Keane was out with a left ankle strain.