The LA Galaxy and Montreal Impact played to a 1-1 draw in front of 60,860 spectators at Olympic Stadium in Montreal this afternoon. David Beckham scored the equalizer in the 61' against former LA Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts. The point is LA's first in three matches, while Montreal pushes an unbeaten streak to four matches.
"We're going through a tough time where we're not getting the results, we're not getting the run of the green," David Beckham said after the match, "but we've got character. We've got a lot of pride."
The Galaxy equalizer was set up when Collen Warner fouled Landon Donovan thirty yards out from goal. The expectation was that Beckham would go for the cross, but seeing Ricketts' positioning Beckham went for the direct strike. The ball spun and dipped just inside the near post.
"I think the way our guys played in the second half," said Bruce Arena. "They got after it, got the ball on the ground and started passing and moving. We were a different team."
It was certainly a match of two distinct halves. The opening goal was scored by Montreal eight minutes into the match. A.J. DeLaGarza made a challenge that left Dan Keat alone with Davy Arnaud. Arnaud got the drop on Keat, who simply didn't have the speed to catch up. Arnaud chipped it over Brian Perk who got his first start of the year. Nelson Rivas sent the ball forward on that break.
For the Galaxy, they did not have a shot on target in the first half, and took very few chances. In the second half things opened up with six shots on target. The Galaxy, playing from behind most of the match, dominated possession, but it wasn't until after the Beckham goal that the possession resulted in chances.
David Beckham also had some key passes to set up Galaxy opportunities. A 64' pass to Robbie Keane inside the box that Donovan Ricketts managed to save, and a few others on that same sequence as the Galaxy continued to pepper Ricketts who proved up to the challenge.
Marcelo Sarvas came in off the bench, and had an impressive strike from just outside the left side of the box that Ricketts barely got a hand to. Ricketts made six saves on the night, many of them with just a hand on the ball. His saves are likely the difference in the match for Montreal.