Galaxy gets massive road win over Real Salt Lake

It’s official, the 204 Los Angeles Galaxy are contenders.

Contenders for the Supporters Shield, contenders for the MLS Cup title. The Galaxy sent that message loud and clear on Saturday night, as the Galaxy (10-3-7, 37 points) got a late strike from Gabriel Pec, and made the goal stood, and the Galaxy earned perhaps its biggest result to date, a 1-o win over Real Salt Lake at America First Field.

“For everybody, it’s special that it’s three in a row,” Galaxy midfielder Diego Fagundez said. “It’s crazy to go back a long week and win two games and lose one. To finally break that little streak, it’s nice. I think it shows how much work we wore trying to put out there on the field and how much it means to everybody. Not one player didn’t leave a hundred percent on the field. So that’s a huge part. Being in this league this long, we know that this half of the season is the toughest. So showing all that hard work and everything, it means a lot to all of us.”

The result means there is now a three-way tie with RSL and LAFC for first place in the Western Conference. However, LAFC gets to claim the top spot in the West for the moment, as they have one more win than both the Galaxy and RSL.

The moment came for the Galaxy in the 75th minute. Diego Fagundez played a ball forward to Dejan Joveljic, who then touched a ball to Pec, and the Brazilian forward raced one one RSL defender, dribbled towards the top of the penalty area and fired the left-footed shot just outside the 18-yard box, keeper Zac MacMath could not make the save, as the ball deflected off him and went in at the near post.

“We’ve used him on the right and left, just looking at getting different looks and giving different looks to the opposition as well,” Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said. “One of the keys is I think he’s just really been involved and the more touches we get, then the better it is for him; the more he’s happy, you know. With these guys, they want to touch the ball. I think just his developing relationship with the guys on either side is starting to come around as well. So we know the quality he has.”

Real Salt Lake came into the match immediately looking to assert themselevs on its home turf. RSL got is first chance in the 16th minute, as an Alexander Kataranis brought down a ball inside the penalty area, gathered himself and took the shot on goa, but keeper John McCarthy was able to parry the ball away from goal. Then in the 25th minute, Andres Gomez brought down a goal kick from MacMath, dribbled past the Galaxy defense into the penalty area and quickly fired the ball at goal, but McCarthy calmly collected the ball.

“The performance of this week is very solid, and very good team work,” Galaxy defender Maya Yoshida said. “We do what we need to do, so very happy for that. And of course, as a defender, a clean sheet is always feeling good. Even we have many games, a clean sheet makes me feel much better, so very happy for that. To be honest, the game was tough. We fight, very dry. Place is very high land. You know, it’s really difficult. But it was a challenge for us to get three wins in a row. We made it the first time, so very happy for ourselves and very happy for Greg (Vanney), as well. We have a small, short break and ready for next important games for the (California) Clásico and (El) Tráfico.”

The Galaxy will next head up to Stanford University for its annual showdown with the San Jose Earthquakes at Stanford Stadium next Saturday.