AN EARLY BLITZ saw LA Galaxy bounce back with a 3-2 win over FC Dallas to go top of the MLS Western Conference last night.
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“There’s been nothing wrong with us”, Arena said. If they were far from flawless Sunday night – Dallas was in contention until the finish, thanks to late goals in each half – that they scored three fine goals and probably should have had more isn’t the best news for their rivals.
Gerrard said the “most disappointing thing” was allowing Dallas to “get back into the game before halftime, but now the game’s finished, and it’s all about maximum points”. “I know you guys look at the scoreline and leave it at that. I think we are not anxious about creating chances to score goals because we have very good players”. “Our team has been scoring goals”. “We’ve got 50 in the bank”.
Steven Gerrard scored the clinching goal for LA as they rose to 50 points, two ahead of the Whitecaps, while Dallas (47) dropped to third, just a point clear of Seattle Sounders, who are undefeated in five games.
The Galaxy had gone three matches without a goal but ended their drought when former Tottenham man Giovani dos Santos scored in the 11th minute, cleverly back-heeling a Gyasi Zardes cross into the net at the near post.
“I didn’t have a problem with my confidence”, Gerrard insisted. “It’s not about individual goals and tallies and who gets what”, he added.
Elsewhere, Matias Perez Garcia scored in the 87th minute to lift San Jose past Real Salt Lake 1-0 and close within a point of Portland for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Irish captain and his Mexican teammate then celebrated by doing the nae nae.
Robbie Keane had one of the key opportunities in the second half, but his shot from 18 yards out in the 64th minute hit the crossbar.
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Harris scored rather easily in the 86th minute, but the Galaxy hung on in front of their sixth straight MLS sellout crowd at StubHub Center.
