ru24.pro
News in English
Календарь
Август
2024
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Galaxy needs penalty kicks to defeat Chivas in Leagues Cup battle

0
DailyNews.com 
1 of 25

Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper Novak Mićović (35) celebrates after blocking a penalty shot to win the game during the penalty shootout of a Leagues Cup group stage soccer match at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. on Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024. Los Angeles Galaxy won in a penalty shootout 5-4. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)

Expand

CARSON — The Galaxy were extremely close to advancing through Group B of the Leagues Cup undefeated.

However, in the second minute of stoppage time, Chivas’ Cade Cowell’s header tied the game at 2-2 and sent the game into a penalty kick shootout.

In the shootout, the teams were tied after five rounds, sending it into a sudden-death kick. In the sixth round, Miki Yamane converted his attempt and then Galaxy goalkeeper Novak Micovic came up with a save on Gilberto Sepulveda for a 5-4 win in front of a sellout crowd of 25,174 at Dignity Health Sports Park.

“I’m happy we won, my teams haven’t won many shootouts over the years, including in Guadalajara, once upon a time,” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. “I was glad …over the year, year and a half we’ve had some struggles with PKs, but to have five guys step up and finished them was great to see.

“I was pleased. I thought we stepped with pretty good conviction. I thought Novak, when he went, he went hard, which gave himself a chance to make saves and ultimately, sometimes it’s just one. He got help from the post on one, but then he made the play on the sudden-death one that’s the difference in the moment. I’m happy for our guys, in the normal season, you don’t see that type of scenario, so you get to see one and we have the experience under our belts.”

Even with the regulation draw, the Galaxy finished atop their group. The Galaxy earned an additional point, finishing with five. The Galaxy had clinched a berth in the Round of 32 with a win last Wednesday against San Jose. The Galaxy will be on the road in the next round against Seattle.

Cowell’s late goal summed up a wild and chaotic night between the two teams that have met several times throughout history.

The Galaxy took a 2-1 lead in the 67th minute on Gabriel Pec’s goal. Pec calmly tucked a shot inside far near post for the lead.

Needing a result to advance, Chivas applied heavy pressure, but it was an open header by Cowell that knotted the game at 2-2.

The Galaxy opened their Leagues Cup run with a 2-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes last Wednesday.

The game was billed as Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez’s return to Dignity Health Sports Park to face his former team. Hernandez spent four seasons with the Galaxy (2020-23) and scored 39 goals in 80 appearances.

When the starting lineups were announced, Hernandez was listed as a starter and captain, however, when the teams came out on the field he wasn’t among the starters and then it was announced that he would no longer be in the gameday roster for Chivas.

It was an unfortunate situation, because Hernandez said Saturday that he was looking forward to his return.

“It’s very emotional because in the four years that I was at this club, not only personally but professionally, I went through a lot of things, but I am happy to be here again,” he said.”

Chivas was the designated home team and they opened the scoring inside in the eighth minute on a goal from Alan Mozo.

The Galaxy responded in the 11th on Joseph Paintsil’s tap-in. Riqui Puig set the play in motion with a line-breaking pass through to Mauricio Cuevas on the right, who then fed Paintsil.

After that, the first half was chaotic with four yellow cards issued.

The Galaxy will face the Seattle Sounders on Friday in the round of 32. A kickoff time has not yet been determined.