Keane was certainly in a celebratory mood after his two-goal performance against Comunicaciones on Tuesday night.
By Ivan Yeo
Playing its last home game of its CONCACAF Champions League Group Stage, the Los Angeles Galaxy knew another three points in the group would strengthen its chances of topping the group, let alone advancing out.
The Galaxy surely did not let the opportunity go to waste. Braces from Alan Gordon and Robbie Keane led the way for LA on Tuesday night, first it was Gordon with his two goals, then Keane came on in the second half and added his two goals and the Galaxy had a rather easy time with Comunicaciones, defeating them 5-0 at the StubHub Center.
“Well certainly we had a very good start tonight, obviously had an impact on the game,” Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said. “Getting two early goals was critically important, and getting goals four and five were very important as well. All in all, a very good night for us.”
LA also had another big game from Giovani Dos Santos, who despite not finding the back net had a hand in two of the Galaxy goals. Dos Santos got things started for Los Angeles in the fifth minute, as he crossed a ball into the 18-yard box and Mika Vayrynen, who trailed the play, came in and hit a one-timer past Comunicaciones keeper Juan Paredes Guzman into the back net to get LA on the board.
“It felt really good, kind of needed that to get the spirits out a little bit and it was a good start for the game,” Vayrynen said. “We got the second goal, it was good. Luckily early in the second half we got the third one and we kind of rode it out.”
Then it was Alan Gordon’s turn to shine. Gordon added his first goal four minutes after Vayrynen’s strike, with a little help from Guzman, as he slipped while trying to play a ball to his backline. Gordon collected the loose ball, took a couple of touches into the box and slotted home the empty net goal. Gordon tallied his second goal of the match when Keane capitalized on another Comunicaciones turnover made a juke move before playing a ball to Gordon, who shot a ball past Guzman into the back net.
Keane then put his stamp on the match. Keane got his first goal of the match in the 86th minute, as Dos Santos chased down a long ball, Keane joined in on the run and Dos Santos, much like his assist in Saturday’s match against FC Dallas where instead of attempting a near-post shot inside penalty area, he saw Keane coming in at the far post area and played a short cross to him for the winning goal, Dos Santos again chose to play the ball to Keane, who obliged by shooting past Guzman into the back net. Keane got his brace two minutes later and that was all she wrote for LA.
“I think scoring as many goals as we could and getting a lot of players to play minutes was the most important,” Keane said. “These guys can step in the minute someone gets injured so it is important that they are match fit, and seeing them tonight I think everyone looked strong.”
The Galaxy resume MLS play on Sunday afternoon, and it will be a doozy, as they prepare for a nationally televised match between a New York City FC side boasting David Villa, Andrea Pirlo and Frank Lampard.
