Galaxy sinks lower in 1-0 loss
The draining quality of an abysmal Major League Soccer season is taking its toll on the Galaxy. There is beginning to be a bit of a haunted look in the eyes of the players and coaches.
On Sunday, a three-game trip came to an end for Los Angeles with yet another loss, this time a 1-0 setback against the New England Revolution in front of a sellout crowd of 35,402 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
The Galaxy faces told the story.
David Beckham, once again confined to the bench because of his bad left ankle, looked frustrated and a little angry. Coach Frank Yallop looked worn to a frazzle. Landon Donovan looked unhappy, even as he shook hands with U.S. national team sidekick Taylor Twellman, who scored the game-winner for the Revolution in the 55th minute.
The loss left the Galaxy with a 3-7-5 record at the halfway point in its MLS season. Los Angeles has earned only 14 points in those 15 games, and unless it starts winning again soon, its playoff prospects appear bleak.
The Galaxy, which went 0-2-1 on its swing through Toronto, Washington and Foxborough, has not scored a goal in 285 minutes and has not won a league game on the road since last August, almost a full year.
This is the season, to borrow the Galaxy’s own marketing phrase, when “the stars align,” but so far they have aligned only on the sideline.
Missing from the Galaxy’s starting lineup Sunday were Beckham, Cobi Jones, Abel Xavier, Kelly Gray and Kyle Martino. All are either starters or key substitutes and all were either injured or suspended.
The makeshift lineup that Yallop was forced to send out was not up to the task. New England, at 10-4-6, leads the Eastern Conference and is one of the top teams in the league for the third consecutive season and for the fifth year out of the last six.
The pressure it applied from the opening whistle eventually broke the Galaxy’s resistance.
The lone goal came when a through pass from midfielder Shalrie Joseph was deflected into Twellman’s path. Twellman cut the ball around rookie defender Ty Harden and buried his shot in the Los Angeles net.
It was Twellman’s 10th goal of the season, and it gave the Revolution the victory its more incisive, fluid and cohesive play had earned. New England outshot the Galaxy, 17-13, and earned seven corner kicks to the Galaxy’s six.
Beckham tried to make up for his inability to take part in the game by signing autographs for fans and even gave one young girl his warmup top.
Next up for Los Angeles is a SuperLiga tournament semifinal against D.C. United at the Home Depot Center at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, followed by a trek back to the East Coast to play the New York Red Bulls at Giants Stadium on Saturday.
Beckham’s status for either match will probably be a game-day decision, but judging by his comments in New England, he probably will fly home to London after the New York game to rejoin the England national team.
Beckham met with England Coach Steve McLaren in Washington after Thursday’s 1-0 loss to D.C. United and indicated that he would be called into the England squad even if he did not play in its Aug. 22 friendly against Germany.
“He [McLaren] said he was looking forward to seeing me come over for the Germany game,” Beckham said. “It’s important for all the players to get together over there, even if I can’t play. We’ll see how it goes. I have to be fit. I have to play for the Galaxy first.”
Jones reported from Los Angeles.
