DC United outplay and outshoot Galaxy for a solid home win, Beckham debut in the rain can't save ten men LA from a 1-0 defeat. 

 

A packed RKF; packed like an MLB game; saw the home, away and Beckham fans create a great atmosphere.  Plenty of noise, a slice of history with the weather providing the backdrop; Maryland was doing football tonight. 

 

Fred comes back in as Dyachenko steps down but otherwise an unchanged side from the New England win.  Shoen goes 4 4 2 Perkins is the goalkeeper, with Burch, McTavish, Boswell and Namoff across the back; Gros, Fred, Simms and Olsen in the middle and Kpene up front with top scorer; Emilio. 

 

Yallop keeps Donovan up front with Gordon, the four across the midfield are Martino, Harmse, Grey and Kirk; at the back Harden and Xavier fill the centre back spots with Jazic and Klein at full back, Cannon is 'keeper. 

 

Early DC pressure through the middle opens an opportunity for Fred who plays a through ball for Kpene to challenge for, the Ivorian and Cannon clash as the 'keeper leaves his line quickly to take the ball. 

Boswell clears the DC lines after a swift LA move ending with Donovan's cross. 

Gros gets free wide left at the other end and drops a good ball in, Emilio feeds Fred and the Brazilian can't quite run through the two centre backs to get his own neat chip, LA clear. 

Boswell, excellent all night; cuts out Donovan's through ball for Gordon. 

Gros finishes a DC move with a looping far post ball for Olsen, with time, space and a good angle Olsen snatches at the chance and blasts it high, poor technique to fluff a great opportunity. 

Harmse and Martino combine wide left and Martino forces a free kick from DC, he delivers a good cross but Boswell edges out Gordon. 

Kpene starts a move in the middle which goes through Olsen and Fred, the ball is played into space for Gros to chase but Cannon comes out sharply and denies the winger, within a minute Simms gets the ball to Gros who shoots, he see Cannon make the save but didn't see the shallower ball for the unmarked Kpene. 

DC plays a more direct brand of football with things starting in the middle and LA want to exploit the space on the wings. 

Emilio receives the ball in the box and turns but is subtly manhandled by Xavier, he only manages a weak shot which is deflected for a corner kick and Olsen takes the corner and finds an unmarked Emilio at the far post and Cannon came out but hesitated.  A great chance, a goal if the header is on target.  Emilio's next opportunity is similar and this time he is blocked as LA clear their lines. 

Donovan delivers a great through ball from deep but Perkins is alert and beats Gordon to the ball.  Donovan's' corner kick is half cleared by Gros and Perkins claims the ball as it comes at him a second time. 

Martino makes space on the left and plays a one-two with Gordon, the return ball allows him space in the area but he chooses to cross instead of taking a shot, poor decision.  The ball isn't cleared far and Donovan latches on to it, his shot goes just wide. 

Emilio, Gros and Kpene combine in a swift attack, the winger's header flashes past the upright; he should have hot the target. 

More DC pressure from Olsen combining with Fred, the ball comes out and DC retain possession, it falls to Emilio who cuts inside and unleashes a drive, Cannon had stepped out a little too far and couldn't prevent the ball from careering through his hands in for goal, Xavier showed that his defensive strengths are his aerial game. 

The Galaxy have more possession but are unable to do anything positive with it, no measure passing and build up, just a few passes and then lose or give the ball to DC.  DC is relying on their back four to work so that the midfield and attackers can work on creating scoring opportunities. 

Xavier uses more manhandling to prevent Kpene from shooting in the box after good work on the right from Namoff, Simms and the cross from Olsen. 

The corner goes out to Gros who makes to run and shoot but drops the ball into the box for unmarked Fred to chase, hid cutback cross is well cut out by Cannon. 

Jazic steps up nicely with Emilio offside and Donovan sees his cross cleared by Boswell.  The big defender steps up again to clear from a move involving Grey and Donovan. 

Gros chases a long ball and after claiming it lobs a lovely ball into the path of the attacking Burch, he skips into the box, evades the towering Xavier with a neat chip then blasts the ball into the side netting. 

 

Half time substitutions see Kpene withdrawn for Moreno; again Yallop keeps his side unchanged. 

 

Kirk finds himself on the end of LA's first attack, he has time and space for a shot but; inexplicably; lets the ball run and the chance disappears. 

Moreno is bright; despite his back spasms; and combines with Olsen but can't fashion a shooting opportunity. 

The other end sees Martino lay the ball into the six yard box for Gordon but the striker is slower than Perkins to react.  Martino and Jazic combine on the left and deliver a cross for Donovan, the forward turns and shoots wide. 

Xavier prevents Gros from developing the play at the expense of a corner, the Portuguese defender half clears the corner and Moreno gives the ball to Fred who shoots over. 

Gordon heads a deep ball on and McTavish leans into Donovan who goes down in the area, the referee waves play on despite his recent history of pointing to the spot. 

DC looks to keep the ball more than in the first half, but they still look to finish off the game, LA is stuttering and can't get into any kind of rhythm. 

Fred and Emilio combine but the shot is deflected wide for a corner. 

Donovan's ball in sees Gordon miss. 

Cannon claims a Moreno cross destined for the head of Gros. 

Moreno fashions a chance out of nothing but it flashes just wide. 

Gros finds space on the left; after evading Klein; and cuts the ball back for Emilio, the forward shrugs of his defender to make some space and curls the ball narrowly wide of the far upright. 

Things change drastically for LA as Martino is red carded for a nasty challenge on Fred, the Brazilian is lucky to escape injury. 

Donovan confuses Buddle on the edge of the box and despite getting his shot of the forward's effort is well saved by Perkins. 

Beckham comes into the game and drops into midfield looking for the ball in space. 

Moreno and Boswell see chances go wide.

The Englishman clams down the ten men Galaxy and soon after he comes on Klein gets into space on the right and delivers a great ball for Pavon, a slight deflection takes the ball away from the recent signing and his header flashes past the post with Perkins beaten. 

Moreno sees another shot saved by Cannon. 

Beckham takes a Galaxy free kick on the left and delivers a good ball into the box, Pavon evades his marker but his stooping header flashes wide. 

Sloop DC defending; for the first time in the match; sees a chance fall to Buddle and despite being bright since coming on; the forward executes a poor shot straight at Perkins. 

Beckham delivers a through ball to Donovan but the wet pitch takes the ball away from the forward and Perkins clears after coming out quickly.  A last gasp chance falls to Buddle but he swings and can't connect surely with the ball, Perkins thankfully claims the shot. 

 

Shoen finds ways to win games and his team is quietly creeping up the East.  Good work at the back from Boswell and at the front from Emilio was supported by good play from Gros, Fred and Simms.  . 

 

Yallop's Galaxy looked mediocre in the first half, not much creativity and Donovan's was AWOL for most of the half, they struggled to create shooting opportunities and when the cam along didn't always shoot. 

Beckham calmed the play down in the middle and delivered a few good balls; he didn't look match fit but will play more and more and can only improve the team. 

 

Good refereeing, he let the game flow, stopped it when necessary, made some correct decisions from tough challenges and was right with the straight red for Martino. 

 

 

DC United

Perkins

Namoff (Vanney 89)

McTavish

Boswell

Burch

Olsen

Simms

Fred

Gros

Kpene (Moreno 46)

Emilio

 

Bookings:-

Namoff

 

Goals:-

Emilio 27

 

 

LA Galaxy:-

Cannon

Jazic

Harden

Xavier

Klein

Martino

Harmse

Grey (Pavon 77)

Kirk (Beckham 70)

Donovan

Gordon (Buddle 62)

 

Bookings:-

Xavier

Martino (R)

 

Goals:-

 

Attendance:-

46 686

 

Referee:-

Jair Marrufo