Author: Gerry Maravilla
It is always something special when two rival teams meet for their first showdown of the regular season. Soccer derbies, when two teams with the same hometown face each other, always bring an extra level of intensity to a game that is usually found only during playoff matches.
On April 26, Major League Soccer (MLS) showcased its Honda Super Clasico in which LA’s two home teams, the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA, met for the first time since last season’s heated contest at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA.
Plagued with bad luck and an injured David Beckham, the Galaxy ranked last in the MLS’s western conference in the 2007 season. Despite the team’s lack of publicity, Chivas USA outranked the Galaxy and managed to a put a dent in the Galaxy’s dominance in the rivalry’s history.
In their last match, players from each side were handed red cards and Beckham found himself in a screaming match after a player took a shot at his injured knee. With a fully fit Beckham, a new coach and a more balanced roster, the Galaxy were looking to reclaim their spot as LA’s number one soccer franchise.
The Galaxy’s vice-captain Landon Donovan scored the first goal of the game right before the 20-minute mark, giving the Galaxy a fairly early lead. Chivas USA managed to rebound as star player Sacha Kljestan tied the game towards the end of the first half.
The game also saw two goals from Galaxy mid-fielder Alan Gordon. His first came during the second half, breaking the game’s 2-2 tie. The other came as an assist from Donovan and Beckham.
In the end, the star of the game was, without a doubt, Donovan. The California native and US team captain achieved the second hat trick of his career and the first for Los Angeles. Making use of his incredible break and sprint strategy, Donovan slammed three incredible goals in the back of the net, two of which were unassisted. The Galaxy’s goal-scoring powerhouse managed to prevent Chivas USA from finding another goal in the entire second half.
Donovan is now the current holder for he most goals scored in the 2008 MLS season. Fans are confident that this displays Donovan’s return to top form that he lacked last season and in his ventures abroad in Germany. If he maintains his ability to find the net, the Galaxy may become the MLS powerhouse that its owners and stockholders have hoped their monetary investments would manifest.
The Galaxy’s overall dominance in the game did not lead to any controversial challenges or bitter words between team members and coaching staff. Donovan’s boastful words were well- deserved and Chivas USA were much too humbled to combat them.
Galaxy fans hope the newfound chemistry between Beckham and Donovan carries through the rest of the season. The team looks to earn another victory against Real Salt Lake this Saturday and continue to win until they gain their third MLS Cup. Coupled with Beckham’s stardom, a championship might cement the Home Depot Center as the primary home of the Galaxy and leave Chivas USA as the Clippers franchise of Los Angeles.
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