The former Red Bulls coach gave NY a lot of credit after his LA Galaxy and the visitors battled to a 2-2 draw at the StubHub Center Sunday night.
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After the match, Galaxy boss Bruce Arena complimented his squad on the character that they showed to get a result.
The Galaxy is now tied for third in the Western Conference with Real Salt Lake with 37 points. “And I thought the players that came into the game, [Baggio] Husidic, [Mike] Magee and [Emmanuel] Boateng did a great job to get us back into the game”. ‘If we have any hopes of making a run we needed to start now. Galaxy goalkeeper, Brian Rowe, took out two NYRB players in the 85th and 90th minute as he dove for the ball.
After a goalless first half, the Red Bulls took a 68-minute lead at the StubHub Center through Argentine attacker Gonzalo Veron, before homegrown midfielder Sean Davis made it 2-0 six minutes later to put the visitors on course for just their second road win in the league this season.
Even after Cole’s tying goal, the game still had one final interesting moment as Rowe avoided fouling Veron in the box. It was a insane finish in Los Angeles but both teams were able to walk away with a point as they drew 2-2.
Arena directed the Red Bulls from midway through the 2006 Major League Soccer season (after the Germany World Cup) to the end of the 2007 (when he was fired). He was visibly upset after two potentially missed penalty kick calls by the referee. “I have nothing but pride right now for my players and the way that they poured their hearts and guts into the game, and that’s what makes it hard to swallow”.
That set the tone for the rest of the game as NY thought it should have received two penalties late in the second half, but none were called, forcing the draw. “We definitely didn’t deserve to lose that game, so good on the guys for coming back”.
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“We have a lot of veterans on this team who know how to come back in this situation”, Galaxy defender A.J. DeLaGarza said.
