Early on, it was all aces for the Los Angeles Galaxy against FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park. The visitors had gotten a goal from Landon Donovan in the third minute and just more than 20 minutes later, found themselves with a man advantage when FCD midfielder Marcelo Saragosa was sent off.
However, the Galaxy were unable to capitalize, and in the 31st minute, FCD tied things at 1-1 with a Drew Moor header. The match finished deadlocked and while FCD was glad to come away with a point, emotions were quite the opposite in the Galaxy locker room.
"Well, we certainly didn't take advantage of our opportunities," Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said. "We didn't finish off the plays to get three points. It's really that simple. It's not a hard game to analyze."
Donovan's goal, his sixth of the season, ties him with Chicago's Brian McBride and Kansas City's Josh Wolff for the league lead. It was the 16th time in his MLS career he has scored against FCD -- eight with the Galaxy and eight during his time in San Jose.
"It was a good ball to Mike Magee to get behind them and then Eddie (Lewis) did a great job of putting the ball in front of the goal," Donovan said. "When it's in that position, I'm trying to do everything I can to get in front of the goal."
While LA finished the night with 20 shots, only seven of those came in the final 45 minutes, much to Arena's chagrin.
"In the second half, I thought we were technically slow in getting the ball off our feet, creating advantages, getting shots off quicker and making the right pass," he said. "Technically, it wasn't a good performance."
It was the fourth consecutive match the Galaxy have ended in a draw and already the eighth time this season.
"I think you just have to play a little bit quicker and a little bit cleaner," Arena said. "We need to be more efficient with our passing. Our young players still at times, looked like young players on the ball. In those situations, time favors the defense. Every second you hold on the ball, it gives the defending team a split second to regroup and get in better position."
At least in his eyes, this draw boiled down to nothing more than missed opportunities.
"At halftime, it probably should have been an advantage for us," Arena said. "A mental lapse and they get a goal off a corner to their credit. It's silly that we're in on their goalkeeper two or three times on one-on-ones and we don't convert the opportunities."
The match was a homecoming for LA rookie defender Omar Gonzalez, who grew up in Dallas and had some 25 friends and family in attendance.
"It was great," he said. "All of my family and friends were here. Seeing them was great. I loved it."
The big center back admits that his enthusiasm for playing in front of so many familiar faces was tempered a bit by the end result.
"It's good that we got a point but we're all pretty disappointed that we didn't get those three points," Gonzalez said. "We know that getting one point is just not acceptable any more. We've got to keep on fighting until the very last second just to get those three points. Being a man up for most of the game, we definitely should have left here with those three points. It's just unlucky, but at least we got one point."
Donovan echoed his teammate's feelings.
"We're disappointed in the result," he said. "We're not disappointed necessarily in the way we played, but I think technically, if we were a little better, we win the game. I think that was a little frustrating."
Galaxy defender Gregg Berhalter offered some praise for FCD's performance while being a man down.
"We should have won the game, but give credit to them because they fought hard and they stayed organized with 10 men," he said. "They battled and they did enough to get the point. I think they should be happy but we feel like we lost two points in this game."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
