Photo by Nick Turchiaro/ISIphotos.com
The Los Angeles Galaxy had its fair share of chances to score. Toronto FC did too. Instead, goalkeepers Donovan Ricketts and Stefan Frei stood the tallest in a 0-0 draw at BMO Field Wednesday night.
The Galaxy, playing without the injured Landon Donovan again, hit the post three times.
Former TFC striker Chad Barrett hit the woodwork from distance in the first half, Todd Dunivant's cross almost unintentionally found the right upper 90 only to hit off the post at the hour mark and David Beckham's free kick from about 30 yards struck the right post midway through the second half.
Beckham, who picked up his fifth yellow card of the season and will be suspended for the Galaxy's match at Chicago this weekend, also set up Mike Magee and Barrett for chances by the goal, but both misfired.
Toronto had a chance to go ahead in the 26th minute, when Gianluca Zavarise's header off a Jacob Peterson free kick was saved by Ricketts. The Reds nearly won it just minutes from time when substitute Joao Plata's close-range header was directed right at the Galaxy keeper as well.
TFC, playing without strikers Maicon Santos and Alan Gordon, tied its third game in a row and increased its unbeaten streak to four games, moving to 1-1-3 overall.
Galaxy midfielder Juninho was sent off moments before the final whistle for his second yellow card and will be forced to join Beckham on the sidelines for the match against the Fire. L.A., which is unbeaten in its last three games, is now 2-1-3 overall.
Highlights from the match can be seen here.
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What did you think about the game? Think the Galaxy is in trouble this weekend without Beckham and Juninho? Disappointed that neither team could finish its chances? Is TFC surprising you in the post-De Rosario era?
Share your thoughts below.
When Barrett and Franklin are your playmakers, you are in trouble
Too funny, I got your sarcasm and I guess I took my dry/bad sense of humor 2 steps further. I don’t think anybody liked the shootouts and the league was anything but European back then.
Sorry, TypePad was acting up, and I accidentally posted this as a reply. It was meant for the subsequent comment.
Gee, my sarcasm is really bad I guess. I knew we had shootouts before, but I actually don’t remember them being popular. I personally don’t have a problem with draws, and understand why the league did away with shootouts, in order to avoid further criticism of MLS being a “Mickey Mouse league.”
Gee, my sarcasm is really bad I guess. I knew we had shootouts before, but I actually don’t remember them being popular. I personally don’t have a problem with draws, and understand why the league did away with shootouts, in order to avoid further criticism of MLS being a “Mickey Mouse league.”
They have done that in the past and fans liked the shootouts but the league got rid of it because they wanted to create an environment that was more European.
Could you look at it that way? I don’t think so. Because they’re not playing well. Everyone (aside from CO and RSL) have pretty much been mediocre and sloppy.
You could look at it like other teams not expected to be good are playing well, no ?
Not saying I think New England is good for example, but Philly playing good D when they already could score isn’t that far fetched.
There are other examples too.
This is NOT going to be a league where after 4 games one team has a GD of +10
Maybe MLS should implement some kind of shootout, like hockey. That would make things more exciting after draws!!!!!!
Teams should lose a point in the standings for a 0-0 draw.
Yeah, what would be American sports without LA and NY teams always winning championships? It should more like MLB, right? Where every other team is a feeder to the NY junta.
I know Barrett almost scored, but I was screaming for him to pass to Franklin on that one. He was wide open!
It was also Vaughan’s first game of soccer. And I don’t mean refereering, I mean being introduced to it.
TFC has been looking better and better every game though, even with our better attacking players injured or sick.
Referee Terry Vaughn realized he should give himself a yellow or red card, for not playing advantage for Toronto in that case (and many other botched calls). But then he realized he couldn’t do that, so he figured Juninho was the next best target.
Could somebody explain the Juninho’s second yellow?
Agreed but I blame the movement we saw with transfers.
NY has a lot of notable changes to its starting line up, that takes time to gel. LA have some additions, etc. They’re taking off the rust and finding themselves.
the awesome display of attacking soccer from Mike Magee and Chad Barret is mindboggling. I totally forgot we had Angel.
this is the most boring LAG Team i’ve seen.
If it wasnt for our Defense wed be toast.
“Former TFC (and Chicago) striker Chad Barrett hit the woodwork from distance in the first half” –
He’s getting closer! Either that or the barn door is getting bigger.
Colorado lose to an offside goal, and Beckham is pissed at the refs? LOL.
I’m not a fan of either NYRB or LA-G but I think both teams will have difficulty in meeting pre-season expectations, LA more so than NY.
It’s not a good thing for MLS to have your top market teams on both coasts not doing well.
It’s a double edged sword having the Henry and Becks of the world.
Agreed. One could try to argue that it’s due to the diffusion of talent from so much recent expansion, but some of the most talented teams (LA, NY, Dallas) are the worst underachievers (compared to expectations), so I’m not sure what the reason is really. I’m hopeful the second half of the season will see some better matches as teams start playing to their full potential.
Also, it appears Arena’s LA has the same problem Arena’s USMNT had: they can only go as far as Donovan can take them. (This is not a criticism of Arena as a coach, just an observation about Donovan’s value to a team.)
MLS off to a rough start of the season. Outside of RSL and Colorado, who’s playing well? LA Galaxy are poop. 9 points from 6 games??? Weak. And the Eastern Conference… where turds in the punch bowl like NE Revolution are tied for 2nd with 6 points from 5 matches. Yuck. You have high hopes for some quality in Jersey, but so far only 2 goals. As I said, rough start.