RSL 2-0 LA

Picture credit: Jeffrey Swinger

I really can’t explain what about this site has made me such a procrastinator. Never in my life have been one for procrastination, alas this site was just awoken a negative side of myself I suppose. Anyway, I fully anticipate another extremely rushed article.

The game started brightly for LA. A 15th minute corner found the right foot of Sebastian Lletget and it appeared to be going in, but sailed just wide. Still, the signs of a good game were certainly there.

22 minutes in the game again was almost opened by the Galaxy. This happened when an Emil Cuello crossed was missed by an RSL defender and fell to Cristian Pavón, Kichan then let shot off that took a heavy deflection over the goalkeeper and off of the underside of the bar and out. Sadly, this was actually a very scary play in my opinion. Perhaps I am just low on faith. But, from what I have noticed the Galaxy have serious trouble keeping pressure on if we initially don’t convert. So, with two plays in seven minutes being inches away from the net. It felt quite likely that we would lose our momentum.

Unsurprisingly, the remainder of the half was lake Salt Lake’s, however they also failed to convert. Unlike us, they failed to create many chances, but they still played better and could have found the net.

Half-time, 0-0. After a nice start from the Galaxy the half largely stalled out. When talking to my Dad at the half we agreed we seemed like with some energy in us we could score. However, asking the Galaxy to play with energy for an entire half isn’t always a simple request.

We came out and got dominated. Just about 40 seconds into the half we should have fallen behind. A low cross found the feet of Albert Rusnák who had a clear look at goal from the edge of the box, yet luckily he fired his shot straight at Bingham and it was parried away.

Not any more than a minute later RSL again blew a chance to score. This time it was a through ball to Damir Kreilach that put us in danger. Kreilach was one on one with Bingham and should have scored, yet he sprayed the shot just wide of the far bottom corner. I can’t express how lucky we were to still be level following the two chances they just had.

The Galaxy then finally woke up and started playing like the better team. Yet, we did not create our nice spell of play into chances, instead we just let ourselves get too wrapped up in attack and we largely stopped defending. This made us very susceptible to counters from RSL.

In the 63rd minute Everton Luiz received a ball from Nedum Onuoha. Luiz then slipped the ball wide to an open Rusnák who tried to round Bingham, but was clattered and taken down for a penalty. What better way to kill your momentum than to give up a penalty.

Well duh? For the opposition to then go convert the penalty. Which they did. In the 65th minute Albert Rusnák fired his shot hard and to the left. Bingham went the right way ad got a hand to it, but there was just too much power and the shot went in, 1-0 RSL. The first 15 minutes of the second half were just such a good example of the 2020 LA Galaxy. It starts off horrible, then briefly gets pretty good, then we shoot ourselves in the foot. Oh well I suppose, maybe we still had a goal in us?

Up the other end came our best chance of leveling the game when a long ball reached Pavón who took on a defender and fired a shot going away from goal, but just missed by a matter of inches.

In the 72nd minute the game was put on ice by Salt Lake. A long threw ball down the line found the feet of Rusnák who squared a ball for Damir Kreilach to tuck into the bottom corner, 2-0 RSL. I’d like to say there was still a chance for us from here, though that would be hopeful. We looked subpar and RSL had made us pay. It could even get worse in all honesty.

It seemed as if both teams knew the fate of the game after this goal. Nothing much happened from there until two minutes into stoppage time when Kichan slipped the ball into the middle for Ethan Zubak, Zubak then executed a backheel well, alas it couldn’t quite get in.

Full-time, 2-0 RSL. This game just filled me with anger. We are far too predictable. Go winless in five, win four in a row, don’t score in three. It is the same old story. 2018, 2019, and 2020 look far too similar. Consistently inconsistent. We’re hot and cold and there is no middle ground.

I could write endlessly about all that made me angry about today, but there isn’t enough time for that.

Best performer: Perry Kitchen (the only player on the field who showed some consistency throughout the game)