Sports stats



MLS LA Galaxy

Attack Comes Alive as LA Galaxy Beat Club Tijuana 6-2 in Home Preseason Finale

February 20, 2013 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
LA Galaxy News Release


CARSON, Calif. - Playing in front of a large crowd at The Home Depot Center for the first time this preseason, the LA Galaxy put on a show for their fans, cruising to a 6-2 win over Club Tijuana on Tuesday night. Bryan Gaul scored a pair of second half goals to lead LA in a wild game that saw eight goals as well as eight cards handed out by referee Juan Guzman. With the victory, the Galaxy are now 4-1-1 in the preseason, heading into their finale against the Colorado Rapids in Santa Barbara on Friday night.

Seeing his first game action since a 1-0 loss to Real Salt Lake on February 8, Robbie Keane got the Galaxy off to a flying start, running through the Tijuana defense before clipping a shot past goalkeeper Miguel Garcia for the game's opening goal.

The Galaxy would continue to pressure the Tijuana defense with Keane, Mike Magee and Omar Gonzalez each going close for the home side. However, it would take until the 36th minute for LA to double their lead, doing so through Leonardo. Marcelo Sarvas was played into the box on the left flank before cleverly clipping a cross toward the center of the goal. A Tijuana defender was able to get a head to the cross, but his clearance went only as far as LA's Brazilian center back, who hit a right-footed volley, low past Garcia to send the Galaxy into the halftime break with a 2-0 advantage.

After the break, rain began to pour down and tempers began to flare up. Rafael Garcia, who had come on at halftime for Sarvas, was sent off just two minutes into the second half for a foul on Oliver Ortiz.

But despite playing with just 10-men, it would be the Galaxy that struck next as Bryan Gaul hit his first of the game. A Tijuana clearance went only as far as Michael Stephens who headed the ball back into the box from 30 yards out. Gaul beat the offside trap and took the ball down on his chest before slamming a left-footed volley past Garcia, putting LA up 3-0 in the 65th minute.

Tijuana pulled a goal back four minutes later when Luis Garcia Carmona curled a left-footed shot past Brian Rowe from the corner of the area, cutting LA's lead to 3-1.

However, any hopes of a Tijuana comeback were laid to rest in the 72nd minute when defender Luis Trujillo, who had come on a minute prior, was sent off, leaving the two sides to each play with 10 men for the final 18 minutes.

With loads of space now available, the Galaxy pushed forward and grabbed a fourth in the 80th minute when Michael Stephens and Greg Cochrane combined on the left flank before the rookie midfielder cut the ball back to the penalty spot for Hector Jimenez, who calmly finished with his right foot to make the score 4-1.

Bruno Piceno, who had helped to set up the Xolos first goal, cut his team's deficit back to two three minutes later, curling a freekick over the wall and into the corner of the net to make the score 4-2 in the 83rd minute.

Just a minute later, Jack McBean restored his team's three-goal advantage, reacting quickest to a deflected Cochrane cross and heading a shot into the corner of the net past Garcia from six yards out.

Gaul, who was shown the first of the eight cards on the night in the 18th minute, rounded out the scoring in the first minute of second half stoppage time. The second-year defender stole the ball of the foot of Oliver Ortiz near midfield and raced 60 yards down the left flank before chipping his shot over the onrushing Garcia and into the net off the right post, giving the Galaxy a 6-2 victory.

LA will wrap up the preseason on Friday night when they take on the Colorado Rapids at Harder Stadium on the campus of UC-Santa Barbara. That game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are available through the University's ticket office by calling 805-893-8272.

Check out the LA Galaxy Statistics



Major League Soccer Stories from February 20, 2013


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central