Two mediocre sides play out a scrappy game; poor Kansas finishing, two straight reds and substitute makes manager look good as Galaxy win on the road for the first time in more than a year; 0-1. 

 

Not too hot at Arrowhead, a packed house; for an MLS game anyway; no Beckham; but the crowd is vocal and vibrant, the 'Blue Army' making the noise for the home fans.  With the NFL in progress the football pitch has been made smaller which takes the edge off the home side's game. 

 

Onalfo has Hartman in goal with a back four of Jewsbury, Conrad, Garcia and Harrington; Arnaud, Zavagnin; holding; Burciaga and the attack minded Marinelli make up the midfield with Johnson and recent signing Colombano up front. 

 

Yallop has the flu hit Gordon in attack with a five man midfield of Donovan, Vagenas, Martino, Jones and Tudela; the four man back line, staring together again is Klein and Randolph on the flanks with Harden and Roberts in the centre; Cannon keeps goal. 

 

The first goal mouth action is a muffed clearance from Roberts off Marinelli; a stunned Cannon is thankful it goes for a corner off the frame of the goal. 

The more orthodox second chance is also a home side one; Arnaud runs at and through LA lays the ball off to Johnson who coolly slots it past Cannon only to see his effort come back off the post. 

Gordon actually gets on the end of a neat Martino cross, but free in the six yard box he heads wide of the mark. 

Johnson beats the LA offside trap but can't beat Cannon; an advanced Randolph drops a beautiful ball in behind a flailing Hartman but Gordon is static and no other Galaxy player is attacking the goal, great opportunity squandered by the visitors. 

Johnson shoots wide with only Cannon to beat; maybe he should have tried to go around the 'keeper to play in the onrushing Colombano at the back post. 

Then Roberts is involved in the action again, he fluffs a simple clearance allowing Johnson to get to the byline and cross to the back post, the run of Colombano wasn't that good and the opportunity goes begging. 

A spell of Kansas pressure ends up with the ball going out off the crossbar, Jewsbury getting up to head on a Marinelli cross. 

Kansas' poor finishing and LA's lack of any attacking bite keep the game scoreless at the half. 

 

No changes at half time.  Yallop was pleased with a tepid LA performance; he liked the production; and wants more from Donovan in the second half. 

Onalfo bemoans the finishing and wants his forwards to exploit the relatively poor LA back line. 

 

Kansas get he first opportunity in the second half, Colombano gets free on the right but plays a poor ball into the area; Marinelli gets forward and finds himself with ball in the area surrounded by three Galaxy defenders, he smashes it well wide; chance off the game for Kansas City, sloppy work in midfield from LA gives Kansas the ball, Marinelli plays a great through ball fro Colombano; with the hard work of rounding Cannon accomplished the Argentinean shanks his shot; on an unguarded goal; into the side netting; terribly profligate and he knows it. 

Not long after that chance Kansas City are down to ten men, Conrad; possibly peeved at a clash with Klein a moment earlier; goes flying into a tackle with Vagenas, his studs are up and he catches his opponent flush in the shin; the referee goes for his back pocket, red card; Onalfo just goes with three at the back 

The first penalty area action in the ten versus eleven game is for the ten men of Kansas City, Marinelli crosses for Johnson but the ball is well cut out. 

 

Vagenas fires over from a Donovan cut back; Marinelli puts Johnson in but the forward can only prod the ball at Cannon; the Kansas number ten sees Cannon straying off his line and tries a chip from forty yards which goes a couple of feet over; Burciaga puts a free kick wide and then LA go in front.  Randolph; now with more license to attack gets forward on the left; Tudela's overlapping run draws out Arnaud and the space opens up for a great cross, Glinton; the substitute; gets in front of Harrington and heads past Hartman. 

Then Arnaud gets a straight red for late challenge on Vagenas, the midfielder is knocked to the ground with the trailing leg. 

 

 

Johnson had four great opportunities to score; only one brought a save from Cannon.  Marinelli sprays the ball around with style and composure.  Colombano kept his head down too much and missed a sitter and two important players are out with suspensions.  A game KC probably should have had sewn up before the interval. 

 

Gordon is pretty awful, he has no first touch and has no positional sense in the area, and he got onto maybe three or four crosses all night.  Donovan wasn't at his best, Martino always did something with the ball, Klein and Randolph looked good when they attacked.  Three points is three points, you'll take them even if you don't really play well and your defence is pretty soft.  A result that flatters to deceive; Yallop will be looking for a new job next season. 

 

Good refereeing; the game flowed without too much stoppage; the game wasn't exactly a tough tackling affair though; and he gave out two reds which were both correct.  One of the better refereeing displays of this MLS season and better than he was last time out. 

 

 

Kansas City Wizards:-

Hartman

Jewsbury

Conrad

Garcia

Harrington

Arnaud

Zavagnin (John 89)

Burciaga (Watson 85)

Marinelli

Colombano (Victorene 65)

Johnson

 

Bookings:-

Conrad (R)

Arnaud (R)

 

Goals:-

 

 

LA Galaxy:-

Canon

Klein

Harden

Roberts

Randolph

Jones (Glinton 71)

Vagenas

Tudela

Martino (Jazic 62)

Donovan

Gordon (Pavon 77)

 

Bookings:-

Harden

 

Goals:-

Glinton 80

 

Attendance:-

32867

 

Referee:-

Baldomero Toldeo