The LA Galaxy should be happy enough with a 0-0 result Thursday in Costa Rica, where playing Herediano to the scoreless draw in CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal action leaves the MLS side in reasonable shape for next week’s return leg.
The Galaxy back line, as A.J. DeLaGarza renewed his central partnership with Omar Gonzalez, was strong throughout. Robbie Keane pushed past a slow start at the packed Estadio Eladio Rosabal Cordero to ask some questions of the Costa Rican defense here and there through the night.
Mike Magee did find the net, and may have actually been onside when he scored off Juninho’s cross – although officials didn’t see it that way.
At the other end, the moment that mattered was Ismael Gomez’s 87th minute penalty kick, which banged off the crossbar. Gomez earned the spot shot on the most marginal contact from Sean Franklin. On the one hand, Franklin gave Jamaican Courtney Campbell the opportunity to make a call by reaching out for Gomez. On the other hand, Gomez clearly threw himself to the ground. And theatrically so.
Still, the Major League Soccer teams all stand reasonably well heading into next week’s second legs. Houston carries a tenuous 1-0 lead into Mexico for its return leg against Santos. Seattle is behind, 1-0, in its series with Tigres, but finds solace getting the Mexican side back into CenturyLink Field. And the Galaxy, with the weekend off of MLS action, has almost a full week to prep for the return engagements with Herediano at the Home Depot Center.
Full LA Galaxy match highlights are here:
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