CARSON, Calif. – LA Galaxy head coach Sigi Schmid laughed when asked if he looked twice at the StubHub Center scoreboard Saturday night to make sure it read correctly. No one could have faulted him if he did.
The five-time MLS Cup champions had just shut out the Colorado Rapids 3-0 in front of a crowd of 17,683 for the team’s first home victory since a 2-0 win over Montreal on April 7, a span of almost five months. The Galaxy had gone 0-6-4 and been outscored 21-9 since then on their home turf.
But Saturday they put forth one of their better efforts this season, albeit against a club that has yet to win on the road (0-11-2).
“We talked about that after the game,” Schmid said of the Galaxy’s struggles (2-8-4) at home. “We said, ‘Hey, we have to turn this place into a fortress again,’ and today was maybe the first step in that direction.”
Romain Alessandrini opened the scoring in the 18th minute on a penalty kick – it was the Galaxy’s first goal at home since Bradford Jamieson’s 89th-minute tally in a 6-2 loss to Real Salt Lake on July 4 – and Ema Boateng made it 2-0 five minutes later.
Gyasi Zardes then scored his first goal since Aug. 24, 2016 in the 56th minute for a 3-0 advantage.
It all made for a memorable night in a performance that might have exorcized a few home demons.
“I didn’t know that,” Boateng said when asked if he was aware it had been so long since the Galaxy (7-14-5) won at home. “It’s good to get a win now.
“I try to put it all out of my mind and take it one game at a time.”
The StubHub struggles, however, definitely had been weighing on players’ minds.
“Yes, it’s been a long time,” defender Daniel Steres said with a somewhat pained expression. “I don’t know about counting the exact number of days or focusing on when the last win was, but it’s been a long time.
“I’m very aware of that.”
Fellow defender Dave Romney said the victory lifted a huge weight from the Galaxy’s collective shoulders – to a point.
“Yes and no,” he said. “This isn’t where we want to be at all … the season is still a disappointment in my eyes. One win in the grand scheme doesn’t mean a lot.
“It does help the confidence. Unfortunately, playoffs are out of our hands. We can do as well as we can, but if other teams get results then it doesn’t mean anything.”
Jermaine Jones, who played despite a pregame procedure to remove two stitches from the right big toe he injured against New York City FC on Aug. 12, said the Galaxy must have the same approach they displayed Saturday.
The win, Jones acknowledged, was satisfying – “It’s been a long time,” he said -- but it was only a start heading into next Sunday’s match at Seattle.
“We have to see every game as a final now,” he said. “That’s it, win or lose. Today we went out there and we showed that from the first minute. That’s what we have to do when we go to Seattle.”
