Twenty years ago today, the LA Galaxy took the field for the first time.
On April 13, 1996, the Los Angeles Galaxy played their very first match when they took on the New York/New Jersey MetroStars in front of 69,255 at the Rose Bowl. The crowd was the largest ever for a non-World Cup or non-Olympic game in Los Angeles at the time.
"It was like memories of the World Cup," 1994 World Cup veteran Cobi Jones told the Los Angeles Times after the match.
The Galaxy, in their iconic 1996 multicolored kits, sent the droves who packed the historic Pasadena venue home happy with a 2-1 victory over the MetroStars.
Jones scored the first goal in Galaxy history with a close-range finish that was set up by a lovely pass from Ecuadorian forward Edward “El Tanque” Hurtado.
"I saw the opening on the right," Jones said of the first goal. "Hurtado played a nice pass. I touched the ball and cut in front of him [defender Nicola Caricola]. I was either going to get past him or felt he would take me down in the box [earning a penalty kick]."
Mexican goalkeeper Jorge Campos set up the winner with a throw to Arash Noamouz who dribbled through the MetroStars defense and then beat goalkeeper Tony Meola for the finish. Giovanni Savarese scored the lone goal for New York.
Above you can find the complete match from 1996.
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at www.LAGalaxy.com/Insider and contact him at LAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com
