Gyasi Zardes scored his first goal of the season on Sunday against the New England Revolution.
By Ivan Yeo
It was a long time coming for Gyasi Zardes.
After scoring 16 goals last season, Zardes had yet to find the back net for the Los Angeles Galaxy so far this season. Not that it was stopping LA from winning matches, as they came into Sunday’s match with the New England Revolution at Gilette Stadium sportin g a 5-4-5 record.
Still, not having tallied almost three months into the season had to be just a tad concern to both Zardes and the Galaxy. However, on Sunday, the moment finally came for Zardes, as he finally found the back net for LA, and his goal in the middle of the first half was crucial in allowing the Galaxy to main its current unbeaten streak in a 2-2 draw.
“Just getting a goal is nice first of all,” Zardes said. “Scoring goals is tough in the league, and when you do goal, it feels great. Just going into camp with this work rate, I just want to keep it going and keep working hard.”
The moment finally occured for Zardes in the 27th minute. It started when Ignacio Maganto sent a long ball to Jose Villarreal just outside of the penalty area. Villarreal then back-heeled a ball to Zardes, who charged into the penalty area and fired a ball that beat keeper Bobby Shuttleworth into the back net.
“Gyasi needed the goal,” Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said. “He worked real hard tonight, technically at times could’ve been a little better, but he was a bit of a handful for 90 minutes.”
Scoring slumps aren’t uncommon at times. Even the best strikers in the world go through times when they are unable to put one in the back net. Whether its luck, injuries, or other factors in play (sometimes a combination of things), goalscorers go though rough patches of wondering whtat they have to do to finally score a goal. However, as is the case with most goal scoreres, once they finally bog a goal, more of them will surely flow in bunches, and Zardes is certainly hoping that wil be the case from this point on.
“When you’re playing up top and when you have opportunities, you just want just execute those opportunities,” Zardes said.
His next opportunity for more goals might come next in a U.S. shirt. Despite hot having registered a goal, Zardes was called up for the U.S. Men’s National team’s next two matches, which are friendlies against Germany and the Netherlands, so that first goal could not have come at a better time for Zardes, who will surely be looking to make one last impression on Jurgen Klinsmann before the start of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
“You want to be on the roster,” Zardes said of the chance to play in the Gold Cup. “Any American player, professional player wants to be called to that roster, so I just keep working hard to get my invite.”
