CARSON — The Galaxy kicked off the second half of the season, short-handed and staring at a tough three-game in eight-day stretch.
Short-handed? No problem.
Dejan Joveljic (40th minute), Gabriel Pec (54th) and Joseph Paintsil (75th) scored to lead the Galaxy (8-3-7, 28 points) to a 4-2 win over Sporting Kansas City Saturday in front of 22,198 at Dignity Health Sports Park.
“At halftime, I told the guys the window of opportunities were there, we were just missing the final action,” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. “In the second half, we found them. The goal (Joveljic) coming late in the first half, that forced them open up and spaces opened up.”
The game was the first for the Galaxy since June 1. The win keeps the Galaxy unbeaten at home (5-0-3).
The Galaxy were missing two starters with Riqui Puig sidelined with a groin injury and Gaston Brugman out with a knee injury. The roster depth also took a hit with those two absences and the departure of Daniel Aguirre to Chivas. The game was only the second this season that Puig has missed, the first came on May 5 due to yellow-card accumulation.
The night might have started frustratingly as the Galaxy looked to find their way after a two-week break, but Joveljic’s goal sent the team into halftime on the right foot. It took some determination for the opening goal. SKC goalkeeper Tim Melia blocked the initial attempt by Pec and the rebound came to Joveljic, who was also turned aside by Melia, however, the third attempt, Joveljic shot high, beating Melia for the goal.
After Pec’s goal in the second half, the Galaxy appeared on the verge of taking firm control, but a 2-0 proved to be anything but safe.
SKC cut the deficit in half with Stephen Afrifa’s goal in the 66th minute. However, the Galaxy restored the two-goal advantage with Paintsil’s goal, that was set up by a perfect pass out the back by Miki Yamane to Pec. Pec, on the left, crossed to Paintsil for the easy finish and the 3-1 lead.
However, again, a two-goal lead wasn’t comfortable for the Galaxy. SKC responded in the 82nd minute as Robert Castellanos scored off of a free kick to make it 3-2.
Finally, early in stoppage time, the Galaxy finally put the game away with Miguel Berry’s tap in to make it 4-2.
“We were able to manufacture some great moments,” Vanney said. “What I was disappointed with were the goals that we gave up. We gave up a lot of shots, but the goals come at moments where we have lapses of judgment and those are moments we have to eliminate.”
This meeting was almost as wild as the first between the two teams. Back on March 23, the Galaxy trailed 2-0, but rallied with three goals after the 70th-minute mark for a 3-2 win.
“I think we made the game difficult in the second half,” defender Maya Yoshida said. “I was happy with the first half. Too careless …we need to improve still.”
SKC entered having snapped a 10-game winless streak last week with a 2-1 win over Seattle.
The turnaround for the Galaxy will be short. The team returns to action Wednesday at home against New York City FC and then travels to face Real Salt Lake, June 22.
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