Giovani Dos Santos Scores in LA Galaxy Debut

The highly anticipated Major League Soccer debut of Giovani Dos Santos kicked off with a bang on Thursday. Dos Santos scored in the 76th minute and the Los Angeles Galaxy blew out Trinidad and Tobago's Central FC 5-1 in the CONCACAF Champions League Group D opening game at StubHub Center.

Dos Santos came on as a substitute in the 57th minute and received a thunderous ovation from the heavily Hispanic crowd of supporters. Despite a two-goal lead, it didn't take long for Dos Santos to make an impact on the pitch.

"I think it was easy for me," Dos Santos said of his performance. "My teammates are top players, it's easy to play with good players. I think everything was perfect for my first game. My team won and I scored a goal."

Sebastian Lletget deked his defender and delivered a pass on a dime to Rafa Garcia, Garcia sent a cross into the front of the net where Dos Santos tapped it into the bottom right corner of the net with the side of his right foot.

Alan Gordon, wore the captain's armband for the Galaxy with multiple stars on the starting XI resting ahead of Sunday's showdown with the rival Seattle Sounders.

"It feels great, it feels good that Bruce had confidence in me to lead the group," Gordon said. "I take that with a lot of pride and I take it very seriously."

Gordon got the goal scoring going with a header in the fourth minute. USMNT forward Gyasi Zardes sent an unguarded cross into the far post that Gordon headed into the net to give the Galaxy an early 1-0 lead.

It would be short-lived however, as Central FC scored minutes later on a questionable penalty kick call after the head referee whistled Galaxy keeper Brian Rowe for a foul in the penalty box.

"The ref said I grabbed the forward's leg I think, so I am not quite sure what he saw, but I thought it was a clean play," Rowe said of the foul. "We know from the past what to expect with the refs, it is something that we can't control. You have to keep playing and keep going."

It would be all Galaxy from there as Zardes, Raul Mendiola, Dos Santos and Ignaciao "Nacho" Maganto would all score and the Galaxy went on to rout their Caribbean opponents.

Mendiola scored in the 32nd minute blasting a shot from the center of the box into the bottom right corner of the net. Gordon and Mendiola both went up for the ball, but Mendiola stole it from his teammate, moved to his right and quickly shot on target.

"He stole that from me, I would have been in," Gordon said smiling. "He apologized after, but good for him."

Zardes converted a penalty to start the second half, Gordon drew a foul in the box from Central FC defender Keion Goodridge and Zardes stepped up to nail the PK.

Dos Santos made his MLS debut two minutes later when he came onto the pitch for Gordon in the 57th minute. The Monterrey, Mexico native has played for El Tri in two different World Cup tournaments in over nine years with the national team.

"I'll be in the history books again for shaking his hand the first time he ever came on," Gordon joked. "I'm smarter than everyone thinks."

Dos Santos didn't waste time opening up his Galaxy campaign and thanked his supporters who were mainly dressed in Mexico kits.

"I feel good," Dos Santos said after the match. "We had a great win. I am happy to score my first goal for the club and I'm looking forward to keep that going."

Nacho made it 5-1 in the waning minutes (84th) after some fancy footwork enabled him to beat the Central FC defense, sneak into the center of the box and direct his shot to the bottom left corner of the net.

"I got the ball in the top of the box, choose a side and went for it," Maganto said. "It was good to get a goal and was really important to keep my confidence up."

The Galaxy last won the Champions league in 2000, and used the game primarily as a tune-up for Sunday's MLS match against the Sounders.

New goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, star transfer Steven Gerrard, and reigning MLS MVP Robbie Keane did not play in the match.

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