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Galaxy earn tie with Sporting KC on late Donovan goal

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Photo by John Rieger/USA Today Sports

Down a goal in the 69th minute, Bruce Arena’s hand was forced. He subbed in Landon Donovan for Donovan’s second appearance since returning from retirement.

While Donovan’s contribution to the Galaxy this season won’t be easy to predict, it was huge Sunday afternoon. Donovan scored in the 76th minute to equalize for the Galaxy in a 2-2 draw against Sporting KC Sunday afternoon at Children’s Mercy Park.

The landmark equalizer came just seven minutes after the Galaxy conceded the first lead of the game to Sporting KC. A rare lapse in concentration from the Galaxy defense allowed Saad Abdul-Salaam to assist an easy tap-in for Dom Dwyer and the 2-1 Sporting KC lead.

The Galaxy defense did well to stop a barrage of shots from Kansas City for most of the match. The team held onto an early lead from Alan Gordon, but Jacob Peterson equalized for Sporting in the 51st minute.

Once the Galaxy lost the lead, lockdown defense turned effortlessly into speedy attack. When Donovan came on the field, he changed the match.

The point for the Galaxy means a little leeway between them and Colorado, but the Rapids are likely to steal the second spot in the West with two games in hand and only a point behind. Sporting KC manages to create a little separation from the Seattle Sounders in the sixth spot in the West.

The Galaxy return to Los Angeles next weekend to take on the Sounders. Sporting KC hits the road to play the San Jose Earthquakes next weekend.

MAN OF THE MATCH

A result in this one looked bleak for the Galaxy, whose focused defending failed late. Landon Donovan brought the team hope with his equalizing goal.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

No one was sure what Landon Donovan’s contribution would be since returning to the Galaxy, but he made a great impression on the team with his first goal since making the comeback.

MATCH TO FORGET

This was a rough game for Matt Besler. The American center back lost his mark on Alan Gordon’s first goal and the back line was out of sorts on Donovan’s equalizer.

Comments

  1. He looked totally different today than during his first game. A week of training has certainly done wonders. At one point, he tried to blaze down the sideline to beat a defender to a ball as he did so many times before, but that part of his game is clearly not back yet. But he was clean on the ball, hold up play was solid, and he helped to kill the clock.

    This 20 minute shift and goal will do nothing to lower people’s expectations…

    Reply

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