Crew Get "Blackout" in Loss to Galaxy

By Robert Ivory

COLUMBUS, OH - May 29, 2010 - On "Blackout the Galaxy" night in Columbus, the Crew dropped a 2-0 decision to the Los Angeles Galaxy Saturday night at Crew Stadium in front of 18,000 strong. Michael Stephens scored his first career MLS goal and Bruce Arena got his 100th career MLS coaching win, only the fourth to do so, as the Galaxy is now the last unbeaten team in MLS.

The Crew came out looking to score quickly as the Galaxy were fresh from their friendly with Argentina’s Boca Juniors on Sunday and Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle being absent due to their call-ups to the U.S. World Cup roster.

But it would be L. A. that would score first in the 10th minute, when midfielder Michael Stephens scored his first MLS goal. Stephens received a pass from Chris Birchall and Stephens was left all alone by the Crew defense and put his shot past crew keeper Will Hesmer, quieting the Nordeke.

“I floated to the back post,” Stephens said. “Birchall played a good ball across the box and I was wide open for an easy goal.”

The Crew had the better half offensively; ending with ten shots, but could not put away the goal. Steven Lenhart was a thorn in the side of the Galaxy as he continually tested Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts (who had four saves all night). Lenhart got closer and closer to equalizing, but never could find the answer.

Andy Iro almost had the first Crew goal in the 75th minute, as he put a header on the right posts. It looked like the Crew were sniffing their big goal.

Columbus Head Coach Robert Warzycha had his team push for that equalizer and would even use all his subs before the 75th minute. Most notably of those subs was Jason Garey, who thought he had a goal when he put the ball past Ricketts and the stadium erupted. However, Garey was called for offside and the goal disallowed. Just a minute later, the Crew looked to have L. A. down to ten men after Birchall cut down Emilio Renteria from behind, but he was only cautioned.

Warzycha threw everything he had at the Galaxy in the last fifteen minutes, putting all of his men forward looking to get the goal the Crew usually get at the end of games.

“I think they threw a lot of energy in at the end of the game,” Galaxy Head Coach Bruce Arena said. “Be my guest to figure what formation they were playing at the end. It looked like everyone they had they threw in there.”

The difference was Ricketts, who leads the league with 8 shutouts and 9 wins, has not conceded a goal since a 4-1 win over Philadelphia on May 2. 

The Crew would dominate the stats, as they out-shot LA (21-3), shots on goal (4-3), corner kicks (15-0), and LA out fouled (12-4), and were cautioned four times to the Crew’s one.

“You can win the game on the stat sheet, but you have to finish your chances,” Warzycha said after the game. 
Galaxy forward Tristen Bowen put the game away in the 87th minute, when he got a nice pass from Chris Klein and had enough time to put it past Hesmer for the nail in the coffin. The start for Bowen was only his second of the year, but his services were needed with the absence of Donovan and Buddle.

“We’re often criticized for how old our team is, nice to see some of the young guys helping us out,” Arena said, “And they have done a good job.”

The Galaxy still lead the Western Conference with 29 points, most in MLS, and the Crew stay at 20 points, five ahead of New York Red Bulls.

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