CARSON — It might have been unfair to label a season opener as a must-win, but considering where the Galaxy were last year, Sunday’s opener seemed of the high-importance variety.
Last year, the Galaxy opened the season with a 16-game winless streak and didn’t win for the first time until May 31.
The Galaxy might have had their sights focused on the win after an early goal by João Klauss in the second minute, but things always have a way of changing with the Galaxy and that’s what happened in the 65th minute.
The Galaxy’s fortunes changed in the 65th minute. Defender Emiro Garces was issued his second yellow card after fouling Nico Fernandez. The play went to video review, and referee Martin Rivas was eventually called over for a look. He would officially confirm the penalty and the yellow card, sending Garces off for the rest of the night and leaving the Galaxy with 10 men.
“Initially in the run of play, I thought penalty,” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. “When I watched it back, I’m not as convinced as I was when I saw it in the run of play, just because I couldn’t tell if the player runs in Emiro, because they’re both kind of angling toward the ball and then goes down.”
To compound the situation, Garces was due to be subbed out before picking up his second yellow card.
Fernandez converted the penalty, tying the game at 1-1 and that’s how the game ended in front of 25,025 at Dignity Health Sports Park.
“I thought our start to the game was fantastic,” Vanney said. “And then I thought we struggled to create attacks, build attacks from the back for pretty much the rest of the game.
“I felt the combination of the group of players were just having a hard time finding the in sync with each other.”
Klauss’ goal gave the Galaxy some life and excitement, but they were unable to capitalize the rest of the half. NYCFC actually won the possession battle in the half (61-39 percent), but didn’t have a shot on goal.
“We know his qualities,” Klauss said of Marco Reus, who had the assist with a nifty backheel. “After the goal, we had two or three good moments that maybe we have to a little bit better. I think most of the time they had the ball, but we didn’t suffer a lot.”
The final possession totals still showed the Galaxy having one of their lowest nights of possession (62-38 percent).
“I thought we had a hard time with the ball,” Vanney said. “I thought we did some really good defensive work. They gave us the ball right back. We gave it right back to them, probably 15-20 times in the game. They give us the pass, we give it right back.
“We have to be much, much better on the ball, keeping the ball.”
The Galaxy opened their competition schedule last Thursday in Panama in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw, with the deciding leg set for Wednesday at Dignity Health Sports Park.
The positives for the Galaxy are that they will have a chance to win their opening Champions Cup series against Sporting San Miguelito Wednesday, and they’re taking a point from Sunday, despite being a man down.
“I like the mentality, I think it’s important, early in the year, if you can, I would have liked the three points, but if you have those games where you grind early in the year and get results, they can pay dividends for the team in the long run.”
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