The Los Angeles Galaxy have not yet figured out how to win but have become masters of the draw.
The Galaxy scored another late equalizer and overcame a red card to tie the Kansas City Wizards 1-1 at The Home Depot Center on Saturday. The tie was inched the Galaxy's record to 1-1-9 as the club extended its unbeaten streak to nine games.
The Galaxy were hampered on Saturday by the sending-off of defender Gregg Berhalter. The veteran defender saw red for the second time this season in the 59th minute after fouling Claudio Lopez.
Both teams then scored in the final six minutes of the game. Davy Arnaud put the Wizards ahead in the 84th minute, but Edson Buddle equalized three minutes later.
The Galaxy controlled the early tempo of the match as Kansas City gave up space for the hosts to manuever in. Alan Gordon took advantage of that room in the 22nd minute when he slipped past the Kansas City backline and broke in alone on K.C. 'keeper Kevin Hartman, but Hartman timed his well and met Gordon just inside the penalty area. Gordon had little to shoot at, and his attempt bounced off Hartman's chest and was knocked harmlessly away.
Mike Magee nearly had an attempt on goal in the 33rd minute but he could not get his foot to a ball as it skipped past him, just outside the six-yard box.
Gordon had a chance to redeem himself five minutes later but was denied by the woodwork. Eddie Lewis snapped a cross into the box to Gordon, who redirected the pass on goal. The ball beat Hartman but caromed off the crossbar. Landon Donovan tried to push the rebound into the goal but placed it on top of the net instead.
Kansas City was virtually silent in the first half until the final minute. Arnaud slammed a point-blank shot on goal but the ball hit Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts in the chest.
In the second half, the Galaxy maintained the pressure on the K.C. goal and Gordon again had another chance to score. In the 56th minute, Dema Kovalenko found Gordon inside the box and with an empty net to shoot at, Gordon instead sailed the ball well over the crossbar.
Three minutes later, the Galaxy saw red. Kansas City's Lopez took a through ball and turned around Berhalter. As Lopez went past, Berhalter grabbed a handful of jersey and slowed the former Argentina international. Referee Terry Vaughn sent Berhalter off with a straight red card, the second such sending off he administered in as many games at The Home Depot Center. Vaughn sent Chivas USA's Jesse Marsch off in the second half of their 3-2 loss to Chicago on Thursday.
Kansas City and the Galaxy each made tactical moves after the red card. K.C. put in Roger Espinoza and Graham Zusi in place of Kevin Souter and Michael Harrington while the Galaxy made a defender-for-forward swap as Tony Sanneh replaced Mike Magee, all in the 60th minute. Six minutes later, Buddle stepped in for Gordon, while Chris Klein replaced Lewis in the 78th minute to complete the Galaxy's substitutions.
Klein nearly scored in the 82nd minute when he ripped a left-footed shot from 20 yards out, but Hartman dove and parried the ball away for a Galaxy corner kick. On the ensuing corner kick, Buddle slammed a header on goal but the ball bounced off the crossbar.
In the 84th minute, Arnaud finally broke through and scored Kansas City's goal. Espinoza whipped a cross from the left side of the penalty area toward Herculez Gomez, who dove and headed the ball towards Arnaud. With Galaxy defenders unable to keep up with the quick passing, Arnaud knocked his open attempt into the back of the net.
Klein tried and nearly scored a long-range equalizer in the 85th minute but his 25-yard shot rolled harmlessly past the right post.
Ultimately, though, it was Buddle who found the back of the net. In the 87th minute, Donovan sliced through Kansas City's defense and slipped a through ball to Buddle running to the left inside the penalty area. Buddle hammered a left-footed shot off the left post and into the back of the net for his first goal of the season.
It marked the sixth time this season the Galaxy had a 1-1 scoreline at the end of the match. The Galaxy finished off the game without much danger from Kansas City. The result gave the Galaxy a tie for the fifth consecutive match. Overall, it extended the Galaxy's unbeaten streak to nine games -- eight of which have finished in draws.
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
