It’s been a Rocky few days for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
After sailing through most of the MLS restart campaign, the Los Angeles Galaxy have suddenly hit a rough spot. Four days after the Colorado Rapids ended it’s undefeated streak, the other Rocky Mountain based squad, Real Salt Lake, handed the Galaxy a second straight loss 2-0 at Rio Tinto Stadium on Wednesday night.
Second half goals from Albert Rusnak and Damir Kreilach were the difference for Real Salt Lake, who with the win overtook the Galaxy and Vancouver, who lost to LAFC, for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
“I think we came out with really low energy in the second half,” Galaxy defender Daniel Steres said. “I’m not sure why, we were ready in the locker room. We just didn’t have it in the first 15 and it cost us. We tried to play, we tried in the second half and it was just too late. We didn’t come out well enough.”
The Galaxy had two great chances to get on the board in the first half. The first chance came in the 15th minute, as Sebastian Lletget volleyed a corner kick on target, but just missed the near post. The next chance was even more agonizing for the Galaxy, as Cristian Pavon received a ball from Emil Cuello, turned Toia, leaving him with an open look at goal, Pavon took a few touches, fired a shot that deflected off Justen Glad, but the ball hit off the crossbar.
“The game was very even,” Galaxy head coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto said. “Maybe we managed the ball better in the first half. We didn’t take advantage [of the opportunities we had].”
RSL caught a break in the 64th minute. It started when Everton Luiz played Justin Meram into the penalty area, forcing Keeper David Bingham to come off his line to contest Meram, who attempted to sidestep Bingham, who ended up taking down Meram and referee Silviu Petrescu had no other option than to award Salt Lake the penalty. Rusnak stepped to the penalty spot and buried the shot to his right, while Bingham went the other way. RSLl wrapped up the three points in the 72nd minute, as Donny Toia sprung Rusnak from the left side, Rusnak dribbled towards the penalty area, played a ball into the box and Kreilach came in and one-timed a shot past Bingham near post.
The Galaxy will try to break out of its funk when they host the Seattle Sounders on Sunday night.
