CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy dropped their first game on the preseason in a 1-0 defeat to Real Salt Lake on Friday in the club’s third preseason match of the year.
The match was marred by wet and windy conditions that played an impact on the style of play. After much of the game was stuck in the center of the park, Salt Lake went up 1-0 in the 27th minute when winger Ned Grabavoy received a ball from Kenny Mansaly and slotted a beautiful strike past goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini. LA nearly leveled the score in the 41st minute when a give-and-go between Rafael Garcia and Robbie Keane put Garcia free on goal, but his chance was saved by RSL’s Nick Rimando.
In the second half, a familiar face returned to the Home Depot Center as Josh Saunders – who is currently on a trial with RSL – took over for Rimando in net. Despite having more of the possession in the second half, LA challenged Saunders only once in the 79th when Jack McBean’s header was saved by the former Galaxy goalkeeper.
More notes from the scrimmage below…
LA lined up in the following lineup at the start of the match:
-------------Cudicini--------------
Franklin—DeLaGarza—Meyer—Dunivant
Jimenez---Sarvas---Garcia---Clark
--------Magee------Keane-----------
Garcia was by far the most active player on the field as the second-year midfielder combined well with Sarvas and showed a willingness to go forward.
LA made two changes in the second half as McBean replaced Mike Magee and Michael Stephens replaced Hector Jimenez.
Stephens was making his preseason debut after missing LA’s previous two matches with an ankle injury.
By the 65th minute, LA was in the following lineup:
-------------------Rowe-----------------
Sorto---DeLaGarza---Opare----Gaul
Riemer---Stephens----Juninho-----Cochrane
---------Arriola-----McBean-----------
The match was Juninho’s preseason debut and the Brazilian told reporters that he is at “85 percent” fitness at the moment and hopes to start in the club’s next preseason match.
RSL lined up in the following lineup at the start of the first half
------------------------Rimando------------------
Palmer---Watson-Sirboe---Schuler----Mansally
---------------------Stephenson-----------------------
Velasquez---------------------------------Grabavoy
----------------------Beckerman-------------------------
-----------Sandoval----------Plata----------------------
*At the start of the second, Josh Saunders took the net for RSL. A photo of him in action is below…
By the second half RSL was in the following lineup…
-------------------Saunders--------------------
Granger -----Maund-----Salcedo------Davis
-------------------Alvarez---------------------
Sterzer------------------------------------Martinez
------------------Grossman-----------------------
---------Viana-------------Lopez---------------
Justin Davis is an RSL trialist, who spent last season with the NASL's Minnesota Stars FC while Benji Lopez is an RSL Academy player.
