Robbie Keane converted from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute.
By Ivan Yeo
Mike Magee is certainly no stranger to the Los Angeles Galaxy faithful.
During the early part of the decade, Magee had cultivated himself to almost cult-like status among Galaxy fans for his ability to score clutch goals during the most important times for LA. His presence was a critical factor in the Galaxy in its MLS Cup seasons of 2011 and 2012 as well as a Supporters Shield in 2010.
Well, on Sunday night, as the Galaxy opened up its 2016 campaign against DC United, there was Magee, displaying the clutch gene that had endeared him to Galaxy fans during his first tenure in Los Angeles. Magee came in as a second half substitute and immediately made an impact, scoring two goals, assisting the Galaxy’s opening goal and setting up another goal by drawing a foul inside the penalty area in the Galaxy’s 4-1 win over DC United.
“It feels a little bit surreal,” Magee said after the game. “I didn’t know what to do after I scored. Literally I haven’t scored in years. It felt weird and a little uncomfortable with people jumping at me. Once the game ended it felt weird but incredible. I’m still obviously scrambling for words right now so you can imagine what’s going through my mind.”
Magee first arrived in Los Angeles in 2009, having been traded from the New York Red Bulls in exchange for a 2010 second round pick. Magee was a relative unknown, having played sparingly with the Red Bulls. Magee featured regularly for the Galaxy in the 2009 and 2010 seasons, but his stats weren’t all that impressive, as he had scored just three times during those two seasons. Magee was a factor for LA in the 2009 playoffs, tallying a goal in the opening game of its first round series against Chivas USA and scoring the Galaxy’s lone goal in the MLS Cup final loss.
Things finally started to turn around for Magee in 2011, but ironically, it started not as a goal scorer, but as a keeper. On June 25, playing against the San Jose Earthquakes in Santa Clara, a wild turn of events ensued. First, the Galaxy’s starting keeper, Donovan Ricketts, injured his shoulder when Steven Lenhart collided head first into him, then the backup keeper, Josh Saunders, was red-carded for a dubious elbow he threw against Lenhart. With no other options for LA, Magee got the call between the pipes, which in most cases would be a disaster waiting to happen, but Magee surprisingly asserted himself, making four saves, including a one-on-one against Lenhart, and the Galaxy escaped with a scoreless draw that afternoon.
Magee officially cemented his status as a folk hero in the 2011 playoffs. Magee scored two goals in the Galaxy’s first round series against the Red Bulls, then scored the go-ahead goal in the Western Conference final against Real Salt Lake and LA eventually went on to win the MLS Cup that year. Magee’s clutchness was once again on display in the 2012 playoffs, as he scored the equalizer in the wild card game against Vancouver, scored the goal that put LA up on aggregate in its first round series against San Jose and added another goal in the Western Conference final opener against Seattle. All-in-all, Magee scored eight postseason goals from 2009 to 2012.
Magee had started out on fire in 2013, recording a hat trick in the season opener against Chicago and had scored six goals, which surpassed his goal totals from the 2011 and 2012 seasons. However, Galaxy fans were shocked and disheartened on May 24 of that year when he was traded to the Fire for Robbie Rogers. Magee apparently saw an opportunity to play closer to his family and friends in his hometown of Chicago, and he immediately made himself right at home, scoring an astounding 15 goals the remainder of the season, which gave him a total of 21 goals. Magee’s scoring prowess that year kept Chicago in playoff contention all the way to the last week of the season and won him the MVP award.
The 2013 MVP season earned him a contract extension that put him almost in Designated Player status. 2013 however turned out to be the pinnacle of Magee’s career, as injuries, particularly to his labrum, hampered him severely in 2014 and 2015, and he and the Fire parted ways. Not much was made when Galaxy head coach/general manager Bruce Arena brought him back to LA in the offseason. Most assumed he would be a mere depth player, which Head coach Bruce Arena was quick to stress after the game.
“We’ve been very careful with him in preseason and we will continue to be in the beginning of the season,” Arena said. “We want to be smart about his minutes and make sure he is completely healthy and have him ready to have a great year.”
On Sunday night however, there was Magee again, reminding the Galaxy and its fans why he still holds that special place in their hearts. Coming in as a halftime substitute after Giovani Dos Santos got injured, Magee made his first impact in the 54th minute, as he sent a corner into the penalty area and Daniel Steres headed the corner into the back net to level the match. Magee then got himself on the score sheet in the 65th minute when he received a cross from Sebastian Lletget and shot towards goal. It looked like a bad touch, but it was enough to get past keeper Andrew Dykstra and into the far post net to put the Galaxy ahead.
“It was a very calm finish you saw with the first goal and that’s something he’s going to bring to the squad,” Robbie Keane said. “First time around when he was here, he was brilliant and he’s continued on from there.”
Magee wasn’t done yet. Magee had another key play in the 82nd minute, as he chased down a ball sent forward by Ashley Cole into the penalty area, Dykstra also came out for the ball, Magee drew the foul on Dykstra to earn the penalty, which Keane buried a minute later to widen the lead. Magee finished off matters in the 87th minute, as he headed a Steven Gerrard free kick into the back net to seal the three points.
“I was the beneficiary of some incredible movement on the first goal and an incredible ball by Sebastian,” Magee said. “My touch was just bad enough to bounce up and the rest was easy. The second time I was just trying to get in the box and it just hit me in the head. Stevie played a perfect ball. Not easy at all as far as I go, but my teammates made it look easy for me.”
“I think he changed the game for us,” Gerrard said. “It was a man of the match performance and he deserved all the applause he gets. He was sensational.”
LA is looking to win its sixth MLS Cup in 2016, and while it’s only one game in, it looks like if LA is to retain the cup this season, Mike Magee could once again be the X-Factor that makes that goal a reality for Los Angeles.
