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Things went as planned for the LA Galaxy, as they get three points and increase their goal differential with a 2-0 victory over Liga Alajuenese in CONCACAF Champions League play. The Los Angeles Galaxy went with their best lineup, with the weekend match in New York postponed. Chad Barrett and Omar Gonzalez scored the two goals for the LA Galaxy.
The mood on the pitch was tense, and the goals seemed to do little to diffuse the tension. When Omar Gonzalez headed in David Beckham's corner kick in the 38' there was a release, but it didn't feel good enough. That Chad Barrett's goal didn't come until late in the second didn't help. David Beckham did a great job finding the trailing Sean Franklin, who hit an early cross the Barrett. Robbie Keane made a run to the near post to draw off the defense, a key but uncredited part of the play.
There was a black mark on the game, and that was the 87' red card ejection of Juninho for a high elbow in the box. What could have been a simple 50/50 ended up a headhunting play that left the Galaxy playing a man short for the waning minutes of the match. The game was marked throughout by questionable refereeing by Marco Rodriquez.
David Beckham and Landon Donovan received yellow cards, one deserved and one not so much. Landon Donovan received his for a horse collar tackle in the 68' that reeked of frustration. David Beckham's was more comical, as the assistant referee refused to move out of his way on a corner kick. Beckham hollered for him to move, and got a card for dissent.
Mike Magee picked up a yellow card too. On a restart, Mike Magee picked up the ball and lobbed it over to Alajuelense, which upset the referee.
Much of that was that the match seemed lost in translation. The most egregious example was Greg Berhalter going down with a broken foot, and the referee not allowing the medical staff to come on. David Beckham yelled "he broke his foot" repeatedly, but the ref wouldn't listen. Berhalter tried to walk off, couldn't, sat down on the pitch and took off his boot. Finally medical staff was allowed on to give him attention.