Galaxy Shut Out Revolution

Esandarian's 6th Minute Goal Stands in 1-0 Victory

July 5, 2009

CARSON, Calif. -- Making his debut for his new club just three days after being acquired via trade, Alecko Eskandarian scored the only goal of the game in the eighth minute to lead the L.A. Galaxy to a 1-0 win over the New England Revolution Saturday night at The Home Depot Center.

Wells Thompson

Injuries forced Wells Thompson to start at left back Saturday night in Los Angeles. (Photo by CHRIS ADUAMA/aduama.com)

Eskandarian – who only started the match because Alan Gordon suffered an injury in pregame warm-ups – was traded to the Galaxy from Chivas USA on Wednesday and immediately made an impact with the game-winner on Saturday night.

It was New England’s (4-5-4, 16 points) first loss to L.A. (4-3-9, 21 points) in a regular-season match since April 3, 2004. The Revolution was 6-0-3 in its last nine regular-season meetings with the Galaxy prior to Saturday night’s setback, including 3-0-1 in their last four trips to The Home Depot Center.

The already shorthanded Revs were dealt a further injury blow before the match even began, as defender Chris Tierney suffered a sprained left knee in training on Friday and was forced out of the lineup. As a result, midfielder Wells Thompson was inserted into the left back position, marking Thompson’s first-ever start as a defender in an MLS match.

The Galaxy pressed for an early goal from the opening whistle and the hosts were rewarded for their efforts when Eskandarian scored his first goal for his new club. Defender Todd Dunivant created the goal with a lofted cross from the left wing to Eskandarian, who met the ball near the penalty spot with a right-footed volley, which he placed low inside the left post.

The game settled down following the early goal and chances were limited for both sides in the middle stages of the opening half. Kheli Dube’s deflected drive, which sailed just wide in the 24th minute represented New England’s best chance, while L.A. defender Omar Gonzalez’s 30th minute header was saved by Revs goalkeeper Matt Reis, who was well-positioned.

New England almost found the equalizer before the half when some clever interplay between Mike Videira and Sainey Nyassi created a chance for Nyassi in the 43rd minute, but the Gambian’s drive from 18 yards was saved by Galaxy goalkeeper Josh Saunders.

Nyassi was again active early in the second half as he forced another save out of Saunders in the 58th minute. Fellow countryman Kenny Mansally’s cutting through ball sent Nyassi into the right side of the box, but Saunders charged off his line and smothered Nyassi’s shot just as it came off his foot.

The Revs continued to search for an equalizer and in their quest handed a debut to Lithuanian striker Edgaras Jankauskas, who replaced Dube in the 61st minute.

New England came close again in the 73rd minute, this time via the head of Videira. From a free kick on the left wing, Mansally whipped an in-swinging cross to the penalty spot, where Videira flicked on a header that was heading inside the left post. Saunders sprawled to his right and pushed the ball around the post, however, to maintain the Galaxy’s lead.

After holding off the Revs throughout the majority of the second half, the Galaxy had two great chances to put the result beyond doubt in the 82nd and 83rd minutes, but was denied by Reis on both occasions. First, second-half substitute Chris Klein had a close-range header saved by Reis’s diving effort, while Dunivant’s flicked header was tipped over the bar by Reis one minute later.

Although the Galaxy didn’t find a second goal, the home side ultimately held on for the three points.

The Revs will return to action Saturday when they host the Kansas City Wizards in the first game of a tripleheader at Gillette Stadium. New England and Kansas City will kick the afternoon off with an MLS regular season contest at 4 p.m., to be followed by a pair of CONCACAF Gold Cup matches.

The national team will host Haiti at 7 p.m. in the second match of the tripleheader, while Honduras and Grenada will close the evening out with the third game at 9 p.m.