Tie keeps Galaxy’s playoff hopes alive
Amazingly, they’re still alive.
The Galaxy players, once consigned to the Major League Soccer scrapheap, at least as far as 2007 was concerned, Thursday night were still breathing, still kicking, still dreaming.
Continuing a remarkable recovery that has seen the team go unbeaten in seven consecutive games, the Galaxy rode the momentum of Cobi Jones’ possible final home game and David Beckham’s return from injury and earned a 1-1 tie with the New York Red Bulls.
That set up an intriguing weekend in MLS.
If everything goes the Galaxy’s way Saturday, a win over the Chicago Fire on Sunday would give Los Angeles a once-unthinkable spot in the playoffs.
But for 48 hours, at least, the Galaxy’s fate is out of its hands.
If the Colorado Rapids defeat Real Salt Lake in Denver on Saturday and the Kansas City Wizards earn at least a point at FC Dallas that same night, the Galaxy will not make the playoffs.
But if either Colorado or Kansas City stumbles, the Galaxy can win a place in the postseason tournament by defeating the Fire on Sunday.
The Galaxy went ahead in the 15th minute Thursday when Landon Donovan sent a deep cross in from the left flank, with the ball sailing over the reach of New York goalkeeper Jon Conway to an unmarked Troy Roberts. The defender had the simple task of heading it into the net from close range.
The lead lasted less than one minute.
New York attacked down the left wing, with Dutch defender Dave van den Bergh crossing the ball into the center for teenager Jozy Altidore to thump into the net with a header every bit as powerful as Roberts’ effort just seconds earlier.
The goal was the 17-year-old’s ninth of the season.
The teams slugged it out for the remaining 74 minutes, with both creating scoring chances but no more goals. The closest either team came was when Altidore sent a low shot screaming inches wide of the Galaxy’s left post in the 91st minute.
Beckham’s return brought a buzz of excitement from the sellout crowd of 27,000 at the Home Depot Center. The midfielder came into the match at the 67:47 mark, after a seven-week absence caused by an injured right knee and still suspect left ankle.
Beckham played cautiously and he understandably is a long way from being match fit. He delivered a few corner kicks, but the free kicks he took were from too long a range to be dangerous.
Meanwhile, New York’s most dangerous weapon, Colombian striker Juan Pablo Angel, was held in check, especially by the play of Roberts, who enjoyed a stellar night.
Angel had three good scoring chances in the first half but failed to add to his total of 19 goals, second-best in the league. His best chance came with only five minutes left in the half, when he had control of the ball in the Galaxy penalty area, tried to set up the perfect shot and ended up blasting the ball high over the crossbar.
Jones, who is retiring at the end of the season, was honored in a pregame ceremony, the most surreal part of which was the presentation to him by the Galaxy of a ski vacation anywhere in the world.
The sellout crowd brought the Galaxy season total to 363,782, an average of 24,252, the highest average since the inaugural season of 1996.
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