LA Galaxy beat NY Red Bulls 2-1 to win sixth MLS Cup crown
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Los Angeles Galaxy defender Eriq Zavaleta holds the Philip F. Anschutz trophy after they won the MLS Cup final against the New York Red Bulls.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
CARSON – Los Angeles Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said he was proud of his players, after they defeated the New York Red Bulls 2-1 to clinch a record-extending sixth MLS Cup on Dec 7.
Victory also ended a decade-long title drought for the Major League Soccer (MLS) glamour club. First-half goals from Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic proved decisive for the Galaxy, roared on by 26,812 fans in bright sunshine at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson.
Their title win completes a remarkable transformation for the Los Angeles side, who finished one place off the bottom of the Western Conference last season – their worst-ever regular-season record.
However, the club who once dominated MLS during the David Beckham era always looked to have the upper hand against a Red Bulls team who advanced to the play-off finale after a giant-killing post-season campaign.
“I’m so proud of this group,” Vanney said.
“From Day 1 when I came here and the guys we were working with and everybody, we committed to this... Even in that difficult year of last year, we stuck to it.”
The victory was especially sweet for Vanney, who finished on the losing side in three MLS Cup finals as a player.
“It feels good because I fell on my face three times as a player,” he admitted.
Galaxy took control of the final in a devastating early spell that left them 2-0 up after just 13 minutes.
New York had been forced into a hasty defensive switch at the last minute after centre-half Andres Reyes fell sick moments before kick-off. That meant a first start in more than two months for Noah Eile, and the 22-year-old Swede’s lack of match sharpness was soon exposed.
Eile was caught napping for Galaxy’s first goal, playing Paintsil onside after Gaston Brugman’s superbly weighted through ball split the Red Bulls defence.
Paintsil made no mistake with the finish, slotting under advancing Red Bulls goalkeeper Carlos Coronel to make it 1-0.
Serbian international Joveljic doubled the lead four minutes later with Eile again caught out of position.
There seemed no way back for an out-of-sorts Red Bulls after Galaxy’s second, but they regrouped and hauled themselves back into the game just before the half-hour mark through Sean Nealis.
There were no more goals in the second half as Los Angeles cruised to victory.
Red Bulls skipper Emil Forsberg lamented his team’s slow start but was proud of how they clawed their way back.
“I think the first 20 minutes were a little bit sloppy from us, and they scored two fast goals,” he said. “This just gives us motivation for next year. Now we’re hungry for more.” AFP
