CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy’s Emmanuel Boateng is generously listed at 5 feet 6 on the team roster, but he stood tall in Saturday’s impressive 5-2 trouncing of previously unbeaten Real Salt Lake in front of a sellout crowd of 25,876 at StubHub Center.
The 22-year-old, who joined the five-time MLS Cup champions during the preseason on a transfer from Swedish side Helsingborgs IF, scored his first MLS goal and assisted on two others as the Galaxy rolled to their fourth win of the season against just one loss.
Doing much of the damage was Boateng, whose speed terrorized the Real Salt Lake flank the entire match.
“Man, he was fun to watch,” said the Galaxy’s Mike Magee, who headed in a perfect cross from Boateng for a goal from point-blank range in the 26th minute that put the Galaxy ahead to stay at 2-1.
Boateng made his second start of the season only because winger Sebastian Lletget came down with a groin injury during training on Friday. But Boateng, who spent much of his youth in Carpinteria and then played college at UC Santa Barbara, proved to be more than up to the challenge.
The season hadn’t been exactly been smooth sailing for the native of Accra, Ghana who had made four previous appearances and had been credited with only one shot on goal. But on Saturday, he was a force to be reckoned with.
“You know he had a couple of games where I thought he didn’t feel comfortable,” Magee said. “Sometimes when things don’t go your way games get tough. But he probably was the best player on the field.
“He was brilliant tonight. I appreciate him giving me a tap-in, too.”
The soft-spoken Boateng said he had a “fun night."
“I think I’m learning a lot,” he said. “They’re helping me out every game, I’m listening and working hard to improve every day.
“I just tried to help the team any way I could.”
Boateng scored the first goal of his MLS career when he was on the receiving end of a nice combination from Giovani Dos Santos and Gyasi Zardes.
“I just rushed in there and poked it in,” he said quietly.
The Galaxy’s Baggio Husidic said he knew Boateng was special when he watched him put his impressive speed on display during a preseason match against the San Jose Earthquakes in Las Vegas.
“When I saw him smoke Marvell Wynne I was like, ‘Holy crap this guy is fast,’ ” Husidic said. “He just flew by him. He’s only going to get better with his decision-making and he’s so explosive.
“He’s such a good kid and such a hard worker. I was happier than he was when he scored. He deserved it.”
