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MLS LA Galaxy

LA Galaxy Claim 1-0 Reserve League Win in Portland

July 15, 2013 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
LA Galaxy News Release


PORTLAND, Ore - A Jose Villarreal freekick was enough to give the LA Galaxy their second Reserve League win of the season, defeating the Portland Timbers 1-0 at JELD-WEN Field. Goalkeepers Brian Perk and Brian Rowe combined for the clean sheet, which was the first of the season for LA, who are now unbeaten in their last three Reserve League games.

Villarreal gave the Galaxy a lead just 11 minutes into the game with the first shot for either side, curling a freekick past Portland goalkeeper Milos Kocic. Pablo Mastroeni, who was wearing the captain's armband for LA earned a freekick 22 yards from goal when he was fouled by Anthony Hobbs, who plays for the Timbers' U-23 side. Villarreal struck the freekick with his left foot, curling a shot over the wall and into the top left corner of Kocic's goal for his first Reserve League goal of the year, making the score 1-0.

In the 24th minute, Brian Perk was called into serious action for the first time when he raced off his line, beating Portland's Jose Valencia to the ball 30 yards from goal and clearing it away to maintain LA's 1-0 advantage.

It was not until nine minutes later that Perk was called upon to make his first save of the game, easily stopping a low Sebastian Rincon shot from the edge of the penalty area. However, the Timbers continued to push for an equalizer an nearly got just that in the 45th minute, only for Perk to produce a fantastic double save, the first off Sal Zizzo while the second saw him dive at the feet of Valencia to make the save, making the save while colliding with the Colombian forward, leading the Galaxy goalkeeper to receive treatment, but sending his team into the halftime break with a 1-0 advantage.

The Galaxy made two changes at the half with Brian Rowe coming on for Perk and former Chivas USA midfielder Laurent Courtois entering for Colin Clark. Just minutes after the restart, Courtois collected a loose ball inside the center of box and fired a shot on goal, only to see it blocked on the line by Portland's Ryan Miller, keeping the Galaxy lead at 1-0.

Just after the hour mark, the Timbers had their best chance to equalize when Steven Evans collected a Valencia header and fired a low, right-footed shot that beat the dive of Rowe but struck the post, keeping the score 1-0 in favor of the Galaxy.

In the 79th minute, Rowe was called upon for a final time, racing off his line to save at the feet of Valencia, and seal LA's second Reserve League win of the season.

The Galaxy are now 2-1-2 for eight points on the season. They return to Reserve League action at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 22 when they take on Chivas USA at StubHub Center.

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