Finally. Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy are taking this CONCACAF Champions League seriously after all.
However, to be fair, the same suspect finishing in the attacking third and lack of crisp passing that had been prevalent so far this season carried over on Tuesday night against Ramon Maradiaga's CD Motagua.
Still, thanks to a 13th-minute strike from Adam Cristman, a 60th-minute volley from captain Landon Donovan and a couple of clutch saves late by goalkeeper Josh Saunders maintained a 2-0 victory over the Blue Eagles at the Home Depot Center before a crowd of over 8,000.
It's a weeknight game. Obviously the stands would not be packed. But for the majority of those who did show up, they were treated to the possibilities that awaited the home side.
“I think it was a good win against a very good team," Arena told the press after the match. "I think [if] we do a little bit better in the last 15 minutes, we put ourselves in an even better position. This competition is going to be difficult.
"There are five more tough games in group play. I think our group is an outstanding group. Every game…every goal…every minute in this competition is going to require our utmost concentration. I think our team that has a number of inexperienced players at this level responded pretty well tonight,” Arena added.
Cristman's goal was offset by some questionable touches, and a number of balls lost in the air. He needs to do better on his positioning and ball-handling technique.
LD Alajuelense, LA's next opponent, dispatched of Monarcas Morelia, 1-0, and are capable of winning the possession battle over Cristman if he does not work in this facet.
In all honesty, it could have been made up if he did not mishit a shot in open space late in the first half. Had Cristman been a bit cleaner with his ball handling and a little sharper with his touch and finish, the Galaxy would have flexed its muscles along the lines of 3-0 or 4-0.
“We could have had, for sure, another goal," Arena admitted. "If there is anything to be critical of our team tonight was that there was another goal out there for us. Our first goal was a very good goal.
"I thought that in the early minutes of the game, our opponent came at us very hard and played pretty well in the first 15 minutes. The goal, maybe, came a little bit against the run of play. I think after about 25 minutes, our team played pretty well,” Arena said.
Donovan agrees with the manager's opinion that more production was left hanging in the wind.
“Obviously, it was important that we won the game," Donovan said. "We could have scored a few more goals. Overall, we wanted to win the game and get the first three points. And, that’s what was important, to win the game and get off to a good start, and we did that.”
Cristman knows very well that scoring is of the utmost importance. Right, Juan Pablo Angel? Wait. He's no longer on the team. Never mind.
“I’m a forward and that’s my job," Cristman told reporters. "It’s good to know that I am doing my job in every game and in every opportunity that I have, and that I am getting it done.”
Then again, former Galaxy standout Guillermo "Pando" Ramirez proved why he was a one-hit wonder back in 2005. His attempts on goal were wide, or saved point-blank by Saunders, who had his best CONCACAF Champions League performance to date, albeit the Galaxy just completed only their third Champions League contests in their entire history.
(No, the Champions Cup does not count, although the Champions League is the successor competition of the Champions Cup, for your information.)
The real winner for Los Angeles was its defending. The Galaxy knew what Jerry Bengtson did in tearing up the Liga Nacional last season, and they stopped him: marking his possession, closing the space, limiting the through balls and on the few instances the backline of Omar Gonzalez, Todd Dunivant, Gregg Berhalter, A.J. DeLaGarza and Sean Franklin could not contain, Saunders was there to clean it up.
Where was this performance against David Horst and the Puerto Rico Islanders? Seems to me they have done well in exorcising the ghosts of last year. What unfolded was the type of game the Galaxy can build on when they take on Liga Deportiva Alajuelense next Thursday at the Home Depot Center.
Perhaps next week, the Galaxy won't be bunkering too long, like they did for stretches against a Motagua outfit that played down to 10 men late.
“They are a team that passes the ball around well, and we were aware of that," Donovan said of the Blue Eagles. "And, if we sat back too much, which we did at times, I think that they were good enough to create chances. I think that if we would have taken more of our chances it would have made it a lot easier for us at the end of the night.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET.
Josh Howard Jason Terry Jason Kidd Dirk Nowitzki Jerry Stackhouse J.R Smith
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