The LA Galaxy are spiraling at exactly the wrong time.
Winless in its last seven matches, the Galaxy were hoping its first trip to the Texas capital would get them back in the win column and thus propel them on a late-season run. Instead, the Galaxy delivered Austin FC its biggest win in the brief history of expansion franchise. Second half goals from Moussa Djitté and Orrin McKinze Gaines II enabled Austin to withstand early pressure from the Galaxy, who saw its winless streak reach eight games following the 2-0 result at O2 Stadium.
“I think for sure everybody feels urgency and everybody’s disappointed,” said LA Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney. “There’s a sense in the locker room that the guys put out a good shift and it’s about execution. Now, it’s about putting the ball in the back of the net when we get the opportunities and execute around our goal.”
The result leaves the Galaxy still in fifth place in the Western Conference, though its position is getting more and more precarious as the season wears on. The Galaxy (12-10-4, 38 points) are just one point ahead of sixth-place Minnesota United and just two points ahead of seventh place Real Salt Lake. In fact, even a playoff berth, which just a month ago seemed secure, is also on shaky ground, as LAFC, the San Jose Earthquakes and the Vancouver Whitecaps are just five points shy of the Galaxy with eight matches left to play.
“We know that every game right now is like a final,” said Galaxy midfielder Jonathan Dos Santos. “I think they’re (Austin FC) the team that played better, but in these kind of games, every small detail can change the game.”
The Galaxy were aggressive just two minutes into the match. Dos Santos played a ball to Victor Vasquez, who was near the top of the penalty area. Vazquez touched a ball to Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, which freed up Chicharito for a run at goal, Chicharito however did not put enough on a left-footed shot, which was easily saved by keeper Brad Stuver. The Galaxy had another great look at goal in the 62nd minute with the same three players involved. Dos Santos played a ball to Vazquez, who was a little further away from the box, Vazquez took a couple of touches before playing a ball to Chicharito, who was outside the top of the box, Chicharito fired off his right foot on target, but Stuver parried the ball away from goal to his left.
Austin eventually made the Galaxy pay for those missed chances. Fagundez dribbled outside the Galaxy penalty area, tried to play a ball to Djitte, the ball was deflected in the air, but Fagundez chased the ball down, passed to Sebastián Driussi, who then passed to Djitte, and he wound himself up and first a shot that was saved b y keeper Jonathan Bond, but Djitte tracked down the ball and buried the rebound chance into the upper corner net to stake Austin to the lead. Austin made it a two-goal lead in the 79th minute, as Driussi held the ball on the right side of the field, fought off Sega Coulibaly’s defense long enough to leave a ball for Nick Lima, who made the overlapping run. Lima crossed into the penalty area and Gaines took a touch before he fired a powerful right-footed volley that got past Bond into the back net to give Austin FC the cushion it needed to ride out the remainder of the match.
“In the second half, it becomes a game of moments,” Vanney said. “They get theirs in transition and get their chance and they put it in the goal. It changes the emotion of the game. The emotion is a big part of it, because now they have the goal lead, they’re pushing a little bit more. They also can stay compact, but then they’re step out pressing a little bit faster.”
Things won’t get any easier for the Galaxy this week, as they face a pair of opponents also desperate for results. First a midweek match in Utah against Real Salt Lake, followed by the final match of the 2021 version of El Trafico against LAFC at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday.
