LA Galaxy's Chad Barrett, David Beckham Silence Chivas USA 1-0
Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy shut out Robin Fraser's Chivas USA 1-0, thanks to a textbook goal from Chad Barrett via the English magic man known as David Beckham.
Seriously folks, this story of deal is becoming old hat for a certain team in blue and gold. Now contrary to what people believe, LA vs. Chivas is still Major League Soccer's derby. Or, for you noble Cascadiaphiles (yes, I'm talking to you in the Pacific Northwest), this is Major League Soccer's first derby. See? I'm a nice guy to you lot, too.
Unfortunately, sad to say, this is becoming more like a one-team race. I repeat, a one-team race.
Zoom zoom.
Chivas USA had, I believe, two or three opportunities to get one through the line. But when you can't break through the chaos in your attacking third, and you even have a shot hit the post...mercy, you will not gain any ground on the rivals that continue to make this derby more and more decisive.
Now, even though the Manchester Derby is longer and more storied, I think it draws parallels to the Honda Superclasico. They involve two teams from the same town, and the two cities are sister cities. (Yes, you can look that up; I kid you not) And one team is clearly dominant than the other. Chivas USA is your Man City, the LA Galaxy are your Man United. The only clear differences are trophies and history.
But, as a columnist here on the View from Victoria Street and Bleacher Report, I digress.
It's been a while since Chad Barrett got on the score sheet. I reminded you readers that he was due for one, and in the 26th minute, he got it.
And it's sort of like deja vu all over again because David Beckham got his sixth assist from literally the same spot he got his first goal of the year. Drove it low enough for Barrett to get a head on it, and goalkeeper Dan Kennedy was helpless to save it.
You can't draw those types of set pieces any better. Again, I use the allegory of the slot machine towards David Beckham's set pieces because with one turn of the crank—or in this case one swing of the leg—you never know if it will be a payoff or not.
It's a shame that he may not be able to make it for the match against Houston due to a testimonial for one of Manchester United's storied players in Gary Neville (godspeed, Gary), but this could open the door wide for Miguel Lopez—who came off the bench in the second half for Barrett in the 71st minute—to try his luck at the free kick slot machine.
In all honest, this should have been a win for Chivas USA. It is unacceptable to leave goals at the door. You don't leave them at the door; you bring them in.
Exhibit A: Minute 65. Ben Zemanski with a cracking shot hits the woodwork. Had that gone it, it's 1-1. Whole new game, whole new world.
Exhibit B: Minute 83. This could have been the equalizer amidst the chaos, but credit has to go to the LA Galaxy back line for stepping up and scrapping it out.
It seems to me that this back line lets it all out when they take on their rival. Omar Gonzalez, A.J. DeLaGarza, Sean Franklin and Todd Dunivant put on a scintillating display of marking and clearances. It was clinic in the last 10 minutes.
No matter how hard Chivas USA tried to get respectability back, they could not solve the back line. And this back line has been prone to giving up production from opposing teams.
Never mind that Landon Donovan, Juninho and Juan Pablo Angel couldn't find the net, with the chances they had. It's like this: Who cares if we can't finish our way out of a wet paper bag? Let's go ahead and get the goal, then put on a defensive clinic in the second half because that's what we tend to do.
Indeed, according to the stats from MLSSoccer.com, Chivas USA won the possession battle, 52.6 percent to 47.4 percent.
At the end of the night, when you don't finish, you don't score, you don't win, and you let one team's dominance extend for another game.
Such is the case with the Honda SuperClasico, which now sees the Galaxy lead the series 13-3-6.
And don't forget, Chivas USA...the rent's still due on the first.
The Galaxy will look to continue their form when they host the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday, May 25. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by Fox Sports Prime Ticket.
