CARSON, Calif. -- Things were progressing nicely Sunday afternoon for the LA Galaxy, who dictated terms most of the first 45 minutes and were unfortunate not to be ahead of the Portland Timbers by three goals heading into the break.
Then everything fell apart.
The Galaxy conceded five second-half goals in an embarrassing 5-2 debacle that slowed their charge toward the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference and a first-round bye for the 2015 Audi MLS Cup playoffs, while putting the Timbers on the verge of a postseason berth.
Portland scored three goals in an 11-minute stretch of the second half to take charge, immediately answered Robbie Keane's second goal of the day, then added another to hand LA its worst home MLS defeat since a 6-3 loss to FC Dallas in September of 2009.
“We weren't good enough all over the pitch,” midfielder Steven Gerrard said, Bruce Arena's post-game lecture still ringing in his ears. “I think only Robbie Keane can probably go away with his head held high tonight. To a man, not good enough. We have to look at ourselves this week and come up with the reasons why.
“The manager's right. He's had a go at us after the game, and rightly so, it's not good enough. Especially at home, in front of our supporters. We have to take responsibility for the poor second-half showing.”
Arena gave the Timbers credit, noting that “they dominated us in the second half and deserved to win the game,” but there was plenty he was displeased with.
“You look at the individual battles, their 11 against our 11,” Arena said. “They thoroughly dominated us, in a physical nature, I'd say, more than anything. It wasn't tactical, it wasn't anything more than, I thought, their desire to win that game and fight and work was much greater than ours.”
Arena added that “if our physical effort is like it was tonight, we wouldn't win too many games.”
“We were purely physically dominated in every position,” he said. “We had some guys that looked very fatigued in the second half, which is troubling when you think that [Portland] played on Wednesday [and the Galaxy not in two weeks], and we should have been a little bit fresher in the second half, we should have a little bit more energy, but we didn't.”
The Galaxy, who hadn't lost at home since a June 6 defeat to Vancouver and have dropped just two of their last 43 games in all competitions at the StubHub Center, remain in control of their destiny. If they win next Sunday at Sporting Kansas City, they will finish second in the West.
Perhaps this performance will help.
“I think it's a good wake up call,” defender Omar Gonzalez said. “Can't remember the last time we got beat like that, especially in one half when the first half we were playing really well. We were good, we were working hard, and then the second half was a different story. We just fell apart.
“It's not troubling. I think the way everyone feels right now, it's a good sign, because everyone really cares. Everyone knows that tonight wasn't good enough, that it wasn't good enough for the fans, it wasn't good enough for the club. And so we know we have to wake up, come out better.”
Gerrard thinks they will.
“It doesn't matter what's at stake, if you're playing in front of your supporters, it's got to be better,” he said. “We've got to be more physical, we've got to be tighter as a unit and defend better all over the pitch. ... If you're home, the minimum you can accept is defend well and work hard, and that didn't happen second half, so we were punished and punished severely.
“All we can do is give Portland credit and promise our supporters that we will find the answer this week and we'll be a lot better next week.”
