Former Titan Wilson Sparks Galaxy Past Club Deportivo

SANTA ANA — Brad Wilson, a Cal State Fullerton alumnus, scored what turned out to be the winning goal Saturday night, as the Galaxy defeated Club Deportivo FAS of El Salvador, 3-2, in an exhibition match in front of 3,000 at Santa Ana Stadium.

Wilson, who led El Toro High to the 1990 Southern Section Division III title, entered the game midway through the second half and put the Galaxy up, 3-1, in the 75th minute. Taking the ball in a crowd in front of the net, Wilson drilled it past reserve goalkeeper Carlos Linares.

The Galaxy, which earlier in the day received news that U.S. national team member Paul Caliguiri had been released from his contract with the Columbus Crew and had been assigned to their squad, dominated the game from the beginning.

Playing without starting goalkeeper Jorge Campos and midfielder Cobi Jones, the Galaxy missed many opportunities to blow the game open.

Midfielder Chris Armas, on a cross from Harut Karapetyan, gave the Galaxy a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute, sailing a shot from the right under the crossbar.

The Galaxy went up 2-0 five minutes before halftime, when Eduardo Hurtado nailed a 15-yard shot from the front of the goal past an outstretched Vargas.

Two minutes into the second half, Alberto Casillo of FAS lobbed a free kick over the Galaxy defenders and Saul Romano headed it into the net, to make it 2-1. The final goal by FAS came in the 89th minute, when Oscar Ulloa placed his penalty kick in the left corner of the net.

The game benefits the “Help Me Live Foundation,” an organization that assists El Salvadoran children with leukemia.