CARSON, Calif. – LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena, trying to carry on with a squad hit hard by early-season injuries, found himself in a familiar predicament in Sunday’s MLS clash with the Portland Timbers at StubHub Center.
Right back Robbie Rogers was hurting from a left hip contusion suffered in a collision with the Timbers’ Fanendo Adi only minutes into an eventual 1-1 tie and Arena looked to his bench for a replacement.
He decided on an unlikely candidate in Rafael Garcia, who normally is a holding midfielder, but the 5-foot-6, 150-pounder went on to give a surprisingly solid performance in an unfamiliar role.
The only blemish in his otherwise impressive night occurred in the 52nd minute when Adi got around Garcia in the Galaxy’s penalty area and scored on a right-footed blast for his fifth goal against the Galaxy in six career games. Other than that, Garcia proved to be a dependable replacement.
“He did a good job,” Arena said. “It was the one position on the field we kind of didn’t have cover for. Rafa has played there before, that’s why we put him in.
“The other choice would have been (Dave) Romney. We felt Rafa’s had enough experience there that we put him in. I thought he did a solid job. I think obviously on the goal he probably could have done a little bit better, but overall he had a good game.”
The 27-year-old Garcia, originally a second-round selection (38th overall) in the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft, said he had barely sat down on the bench when he saw Rogers get hurt just moments into the contest. Rogers stayed in the game but then had to come out at the eight-minute mark.
Garcia was ready.
“I saw Robbie go down and I could see he was hurting a little bit, so I knew my number might have been called,” Garcia said. “It happens where guys take a knock and you’re kind of like, ‘He’ll shake it off.’ But I saw he was hurting. I knew right away I had to be an option.
“I was happy to step on the field tonight and help any way I could.”
Garcia said he wasn’t sure what happened on Adi’s goal, but he planned to study the sequence closely.
“We’ll regroup and talk to the coaches and see what I could have done better,” he said. “My thinking was there was an overlapping guy, so I didn’t want to necessarily dive and have him slip in. Then we’re kind of naked there.
“I’ll take a look at the play tonight.”
Garcia said he was thankful for the opportunity – he hadn’t played with the first team since last Aug. 23 against New York City FC – and plans to stay ready as usual.
“You gotta step in and get the job done,” he said. “It’s been a while since I played there; I thought I managed. That’s your job as a professional, always be ready when your name gets called.
“Tonight I felt like I did that.”
