Gordon’s Homecoming Ruins Galaxy’s Plan for Victory!

When Chris Birchall scored his first MLS goal a minute and a half into the match, I admit that I thought to myself, “Alright, here comes a flood of LA Galaxy goals.”  They were playing against Toronto FC, who coming into the game had just two wins all season.  And when Miguel Lopez hit a rocket off of the post in the 10th minute, it certainly felt like another goal was inevitable.

But as the minutes passed, despite some great chances to score for the Galaxy, Toronto was looking increasingly dangerous in the box.  The game changer for Toronto came in the 43rd minute when former Galaxy player Alan Gordon came on as a substitute.  Galaxy fans at the Home Depot Center gave him a warm welcome, cheering as he ran onto the field.  It wouldn’t long before he would make those same fans—myself included—cursing and screaming.

In the 68th minute, Gordon headed the ball into the back of the net, leveling the score at 1-1.  The small pockets of Toronto fans at HDC erupted, while the rest of the stadium sat silently shaking their heads.  The irony was painful; of course it would be Gordon that scored to tie it up.

Gordon’s goal seemed to spark a fire in the Toronto players.  Just minutes later, Maicon Santos hit one off the cross bar.  The game’s momentum had swung in Toronto’s favor quickly, and  I was wincing every time they had the ball anywhere near the Galaxy goal.  I couldn’t believe that we were heading towards a tie—possibly even a loss—against Toronto. I mean, come on, it’s TORONTO. They have TWO wins.  Even without the missing players because of the Gold Cup, the Galaxy should be able to beat TFC.

Then, just as the match went into stoppage time, Juan Pablo Angel ripped a shot off of a rebound, and watched as it sailed into the back of the net.  The game-winning goal from Angel, who hasn’t been living up to the everyone’s expectations in his first season with the Galaxy.  It was an ending straight out of a Hollywood script…well, that was until Gordon went an ruined it, again.

The celebrations at the HDC lasted for all of three minutes.  The fairytale ending would instead go to Gordon, who scored in the fourth and final minute of stoppage time, tying the game up 2-2.  And what a goal it was.  The ball fell at Gordon’s feet, and he struck it with a full-force volley into the far corner of the net.  There was nothing that Saunders or the Galaxy defense could have done to stop it.  If it weren’t for Eric Hassli’s stunning goal up in Seattle, which very well may be the goal of the year, Gordon’s strike would probably win goal of the week.

What a homecoming it was for Gordon.  And what a huge disappointment it was for the LA Galaxy.  Another tie against a team they should have beaten, another two points lost at home, and another opportunity for Galaxy fans to question the true identity of this team!

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