MLS BEST GALAXY SURVIVE FC DALLAS

The Los Angeles Galaxy have dominated the early play in the US Major League Soccer season, posting the league’s best record with an impressive +14 goal differential.  Despite this success, they approached their road game at struggling FC Dallas with some trepidation.  The Galaxy are without their two best players, as Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle are away with the United States national team preparing for World Cup competition.  While it certainly wasn’t ‘a game for the ages’, the Galaxy were able to take care of business and eke out a 1-0 victory.  Mike Magee provided the only goal of the contest, which enabled his team to remain undefeated on the season.

Although FC Dallas was installed as a small favorite for this game, soccer betting enthusiasts that backed the road team enjoyed a nice +215 profit with the Galaxy’s victory.  Odds on the draw were listed at +245.  The single goal scored went well UNDER the posted total of 2’.  Los Angeles improved their road record to 4 wins and a draw, while FC Dallas’ home mark slipped to 1 win, 3 draws and 1 loss.

The game was largely devoid of action, with the two sides combining for a meager fourteen shot output.  The Galaxy got the goal they needed at the 17 minute mark when midfielder Chris Klein found Tristan Bowen deep in Dallas territory.  Bowen should considerable poise for such a young player, passing up a shot and instead tapping the ball to a wide open Mike Magee who easily beat Dallas goalkeeper Kevin Hartman.  The rest of the game was a tedious back and forth battle of possession, with the home team squandering their only real opportunity to even the score midway through the second half.

Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle have not only paced the Galaxy’s offensive attack all year, but are among the scoring leaders for the entire league.  Buddle has 9 goals on the season, three more than Toronto’s Dwayne DeRosario.   Donovan has scored only one goal this season, but has become a consummate playmaker and leads the MLS with 8 assists—twice as many as San Jose’s Bobby Convey and New England’s Kheli Dube who have four apiece.  Los Angeles goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts had an easy night en route to his seventh shutout and leads the league in that category.

Los Angeles will face a very stiff challenge in their next game, heading to Columbus to take on the East leading Crew on May 29th.  They’ll return home for their following contest, hosting the Houston Dynamo.  Dallas will play on the road against the Chicago Fire next Thursday, followed by a home game against another of the better teams in the West as the San Jose Earthquakes come to town.