REAL SALT LAKE vs. LA GALAXY
Rio Tinto Stadium | Sandy, Utah
Wednesday, September 7 | Week #27 | MLS Game #272
9:30 pm ET (MLS LIVE, KMYU, TWCSN-LA)
A huge match at the top of the Western Conference is ahead at midweek when Real Salt Lake play host to the LA Galaxy at Rio Tinto Stadium. The clubs come into the contest as part of a three-way tie for second place in the conference, along with Colorado all on 43 points, eight behind MLS overall leaders FC Dallas. Real have won three consecutive games, still undefeated at home, following their 2-1 win against Colorado in their last match on Aug. 26. The Galaxy hit the road after remaining undefeated at home for the season as well, snapping a six-game winless run and making history for head coach Bruce Arena with a 2-1 win against Columbus Crew SC on Saturday evening.
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- The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Five different Galaxy players hit the back of the net as they rolled to a 5-2 win April 23 at StubHub Center.
- Real have a four-game undefeated streak at Rio Tinto Stadium alive in the series, winning 3-0 in the last meeting there last Sept. 19.
- The Galaxy’s win in the first meeting ended a string of three consecutive meetings at StubHub Center which all ended in a 1-0 scoreline, the Galaxy winning two of those. The Galaxy have won the last two encounters at StubHub Center.
- The teams have met three times in the last five years in the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Galaxy have advanced on two occasions, including in last year’s Western Conference Semifinals, when they took the series after a 5-0 win in the second leg at home. The teams also met in MLS Cup 2009, RSL winning in a penalty shootout.
- Coaches record: Jeff Cassar vs. LA: P7 W2 L3 T2 … Bruce Arena vs. RSL: P23 W9 L8 T6
REFEREE: Chris Penso. AR1 (bench): Danny Thornberry; AR2 (opposite): Kevin Klinger; 4th: Nima Saghafi
MLS Career: 93 games; FC/gm: 24.0; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 30; pens: 31
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: LA: Jelle Van Damme
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: RSL: Sunday Stephen, Aaron Maund … LA: A.J. DeLaGarza
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (32 meetings): Real 12 wins, 50 goals … Galaxy 13 wins, 48 goals … Ties 7
AT SALT LAKE (15 meetings): Real 6 wins, 26 goals …Galaxy 3 wins, 19 goals … Ties 6
LAST MEETING (MLS):
4/23: LA 5, RSL 2 (Zardes 19; Magee 26; Boateng 41; dos Santos 45; Gerrard 91+ -- Martinez 16; Morales 70)
- The Galaxy had a glorious chance to open the scoring in the sixth minute, as Steven Gerrard stepped up to take a penalty after Tony Beltran pulled back Giovani dos Santos in the box, but Real goalkeeper Nick Rimando saved the attempt
- RSL then hit for the opener, as Juan Manuel Martinez beat Galaxy goalkeeper Brian Rowe with a snap header off a Luke Mulholland cross in the 16th minute.
- But the Galaxy scored a quick equalizer as Gyasi Zardes took on three defenders and lashed home a shot from the edge of the box three minutes later. Mike Magee then grabbed the go-ahead goal in the 26th minute, finishing off Emmanuel Boateng's low cross from close range, before Boateng made it 3-1 in the 41st minute, making a late run into the box and burying a touch from Zardes.
- Dos Santos made it 4-1 just before halftime, taking an improvised pass from Boateng before pivoting and flighting a spectacular chip shot to the far post for a memorable golazo.
- Second-half substitute Javier Morales pulled a goal back for RSL in the 71st minute, converting from the penalty spot after LA defender Daniel Steres pulled down Yura Movsisyan in the penalty area. Gerrard provided the final scoreline, slotting home from the edge of the area in second-half stoppage time.
- LA GALAXY (4-2-3-1): Brian Rowe - A.J. DeLaGarza (Robbie Rogers 81), Daniel Steres, Jelle Van Damme, Ashley Cole - Steven Gerrard, Baggio Husidic (Jeff Larentowicz 76) - Mike Magee (Bradford Jamieson 90), Giovani dos Santos, Emmanuel Boateng - Gyasi Zardes.
- REAL SALT LAKE (4-1-2-3): Nick Rimando - Tony Beltran, Jamison Olave, Aaron Maund, Chris Wingert - John Stertzer (Javier Morales 46) - Kyle Beckerman, Luke Mulholland - Juan Manuel Martinez (Demar Phillips 23), Yura Movsisyan, Jordan Allen (Olmes Garcia 78).
