The LA Galaxy and Chicago Fire played to a 1-1 draw on Saturday night at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, AZ. The match marked the final preseason game for both club's prior to next week's start of the 2009 MLS season. Galaxy midfielder Josh Tudela opened the scoring with an impressive strike from distance, but the goal would not hold up as Fire midfielder Marco Pappa netted the equalizer late in the first half.
Just four minutes into the game the Galaxy went ahead on a long range strike from midfielder Josh Tudela. A Landon Donovan corner kick start the play as he sent the ball in to the box where a Chicago defender attempted to clear the ball only to see it fall for Tudela at the top of the box. Hitting it first time, Tudela crushed a low shot through traffic in the box and found the inside of the right post to put LA up 1-0.
In the 30th minute, Chicago responded with a goal by midfielder Marco Pappa with the assist to Patrick Nyarko. On the right wing, Nyarko used to two cut moves against A.J. DeLaGarza, who slipped on the play, before cutting a pass back to the top of the box. Pappa first touch caused the ball to bounce up but he hit a left footed volley to slot it inside the upper left corner past Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts.
In the second half, the Galaxy were much improved and continued to pressure the Fire, but were unable to gain the match winner. Next, LA will host Eastern Conference rival D.C. United in the season opener on Sunday, March 22 at 12pm in The Home Depot Center.
SCORING:
LA: Tudela (Unassisted) '4
CHI: Pappa (Nyarko) '30
LINEUPS:
LA: 1- Donovan Ricketts (12-Josh Saunders '63), 28-Sean Franklin (5-Yohance Marshall '86), 4-Omar Gonzalez, 22-Tony Sanneh, 20-A.J. DeLaGarza, 7-Chris Klein, 8-Dema Kovalenko, 19-Josh Tudela, 18-Mike Magee (30-Kyle Patterson '64), 9-Jovan Kirovski (27-Bryan Jordan '75), 10-Landon Donovan.
DNP: 24-Julian Valentin, 17-Tristan Bowen, 21-Alan Gordon.
Head Coach: Bruce Arena
CHI: 1-Jon Busch (28-Nick Noble '61), 25-Gonzalo Segares, 32-Dasan Robinson, 4-Bakary Soumare, 5-Tim Ward, 21-Justin Mapp (10-Cuauhtemoc Blanco '61), 22-Wilman Conde, 7-Logan Pause, 16-Marco Pappa (18-Mike Banner '76), 20-Brian McBride, 14-Patrick Nyarko (23-Stefan Dimitrov '86)
DNP: 2-C.J. Brown, 11-John Thorrington, 24-Daniel Woolard, 9-Baggio Husidic, 34-Austin Washington, 40-Andrew Dykstra
Head Coach: Denis Hamlett
Booked:
CHI: 25-Gonzalo Segares '84
LA: NONE
Statistics
Shots: LA - 4(2), CHI - 7(3)
Saves: LA - 2(2), CHI - 4(2)
Fouls: LA - 10(5), CHI - 7(3)
Corners: LA - 4(3), CHI - 6(3)
Offsides: LA - 3(2), CHI - 4(3)
R: Abbey Okulaja
A1: Corey Rockwell
A2: Richard Mackey
FO: Allen Chapman
Attendance: 8,614
