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Late Perez equalizer helps FC Dallas snatch draw from Galaxy

BlasPerezFCDallas (GettyImages)

By IVES GALARCEP

When Landon Donovan scored the third of his three goals on Sunday night, the U.S. Men’s National Team star probably thought his hat-trick would be enough to help the Los Angeles Galaxy leave Texas with three points.

Blas Perez had other plans.

Just two weeks after being on the losing end of the Gold Cup final to Donovan and the U.S., the Panamanian Perez exacted a measure of revenge when he delivered an 82nd-minute equalizer to help FC Dallas salvage a 3-3 draw vs. the Galaxy at FC Dallas Stadium.

Donovan’s three goals helped the Galaxy recover from deficits on two occasions, just before halftime and in the 73rd minute, and when he finished his trifecta with an 82nd-minute goal, the Galaxy looked poised for a victory.

Perez spoiled the party for the Galaxy, pouncing on a failed clearance attempt and volleying home an equalizer just four minutes after Donovan’s third goal.

FC Dallas opened the scoring in the 15th minute courtesy of a Matt Hedges goal, but Donovan tied things up in first-half stoppage time. Perez scored his first goal of the night just three minutes after halftime, a goal that Perez appeared to score after starting out in an offside position, but FCD’s final lead of the night was squashed by Donovan’s 73rd-minute equalizer.

The draw helped the Galaxy edge ahead of Seattle for fifth place in the Western Conference, while the point helped keep FC Dallas within a point of the Galaxy.

Here are the match highlights:


http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.js#ec=M4aTN1ZDp0Irq_zRCgB56E3pgXD5VSP-&pbid=4bfc225f82bf46c48dfb065eda97f74f

What did you think of the match? Surprised to see the Galaxy defense give up three goals? Think the comeback can help FC Dallas snap out of their winless slide?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. that tubby linesman was a disgrace

    but the Galaxy should have never put themselves in those circumstances, our defense/goalkeeper has been atrocious this season. far cry from the best defense last 2 years.

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  2. I agree with the opinions about the blown offsides calls. Calling offsides during the run of play is difficult, but on free kicks, it should be pretty easy to spot. Nevertheless, the Galaxy must share some blame for the loss. In the first 30 minutes their defense was clearly disjointed. Then, after they scored their 3rd goal, you could see them kind of relax and they stopped pressuring the ball, allowed Dallas to move into the attacking third basically unchallenged before giving up the free kick in the dangerous position. Galaxy fans have seen this too often this year where the defense basically loses focus in the last 5 or 10 minutes of the game and gives up tying and/or winning goals. Arena needs to address this if they want to have any chance to repeat. And he needs to get Panedo in there. Cudicini is horrible on free kicks and crosses in the 6 yard box.

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  3. The Western Conference is the closest I can ever recall at this point in the season. #2 and #7 are separated by three points. This is why Alexi Lalas is always talking about MLS being the most competitive league in the world.

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  4. (not a fan of either but watched the game and enjoyed it)

    I can understand missing the call on FCD’s 3rd, but the first blown offside call for a goal really isn’t understandable or explainable, it was clear as day.

    Feel bad for ya, Gals

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  5. Scary stupid goal-line tackle by FCD on LD’s first goal. I was expecting him to get up bloody from one of the steel loops where the net attaches.

    LD’s intensity and focus is well up the scale isn’t it?

    Do you credit his time in MNT camp and Gold Cup games with a change in his game, intensity, or both?

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  6. im surprised ives made no mention of those offside calls in his write-up. those were three critical (no)calls, and a huge aspect of this game.

    and seeing that two came from dead balls- those are far easier to spot. hopefully that is that AR’s final MLS match.

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    • I’m an ex-ref and ex-player. To have missed not one, but two, offside calls on deadball situations? Absolutely inexcusable.

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    • Ives does mention the blown call on the first Perez goal, at least at this time of the morning. That one had daylight between the attacker and the penultimate defender. The second one is a lot closer on the replay, but there’s still a lot of red shirt goalside of the blue shirts.

      Refereeing is not easy. I’ve tried it and know. But some calls are more obvious – not much judgment required for set piece offside calls.

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  7. Galaxy fan here. Ahh, bad calls or not, those goals probably should not have occurred. A keeper changed is in order. Glad they just signed one who knows A LOT about Blas Perez. Too bad he was not able to play this match. They have to get better on set piece defense or they don’t deserve to be in the playoffs. On Landon going to Europe – would like to see him back at Everton, or funny enough, the Spurs sign him to play on the left in a Dempsey-like position =) Won’t happen though. If he leaves it will be to a smaller Italian Club.

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  8. ok so it ended in a tie, that can’t be changed, but I hope MLS makes a statement that this is unacceptable refereeing and publicly makes a statement. THEN we can stop calling it a mickey mouse league. grow some cojones Garber!!

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    • Agreed. We will never reach “the next level” when we have atrocious refereeing like what was witnessed on national TV tonight. If any of the coaches were to mention this they are fined by the MLS. It’s up to the commentators to point this trouble spot out and hopefully , the referees will notice, retrain the failing ref’s and/or bring in more experience ones.

      I’m just waiting for the WC to see how the referees will hose the US this time. If it wasn’t a blown handball call on Frings on Berhalters goal, or the Mali referee calling a non-existent foul on the US taking away a goal by the US, the US fortunes may have been re-written.

      We shouldn’t put up with bad refereeing at any level.

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      • Yeah this would never happen in other leagues (rolls eyes). I mean yes refereeing calls can be frustrating, but every week folks in the EPL and otehr leagues make the same complaint; coaches mention it; they get fined by the FA.

        I always want to ask folks if they have ever refereed a soccer match; from youth leagues on up. I am not defending mistakes, but they are part of the game and a referees job is never easy.

      • Everyone talking about how bad the refs are, how we should do something about it. They mention nothing about how difficult of a job it is, or how there’s NO incentive to actually do the job. Just we need to find better officials, somehow, someway, don’t worry they have a plan, just find new ones magically.

      • it may be a tough job but the two offsides that led to Dallas goals should not have been missed. that was not difficult…..

        Dallas needs to put that lines ref on the payroll cause hes on the squad. pathetic!

      • Plenty of jobs are difficult. The difference between those jobs and being a ref is that when you screw up you usually get fired.

  9. Dallas offside twice led to two goals. Same asst ref blew both calls. LA defense needs to improve none the less. Time for Penedo.

    Reply

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