CARSON, Calif. – Former Galaxy star Mike Magee scored two goals, and an assist, in his return home to Los Angeles as the Galaxy defeated DC United 4-1 in the MLS season opener at StubHub Center on Sunday night.
The two teams reignited one of the longest running rivalries in Major League Soccer when they took the pitch for the first and only time this season. Both teams were fresh off quarterfinal eliminations in the CONCACAF Champions League, and each had something to prove to open the 2016 campaign.
It didn't take long for DC United to make a statement as former Seattle Sounders forward, Lamar Neagle, scored the game's first goal in the 5th minute when his left-footed shot from outside the box got past Galaxy goalkeeper Dan Kennedy and found the bottom right corner of the net.
"It feels good to finally get on the field and score early," said Neagle who made his first appearance for DC. "I would have liked the final result to be better for my debut."
Kennedy, who was acquired from FC Dallas in the offseason, left the game in just the 20th minute with a lower body injury and was replaced by backup keeper Brian Rowe. Rowe kept a clean sheet while in net, and made a total of six saves in the match.
Los Angeles was sloppy in the first half, and repeated much of the same dull defense and lackluster offense that saw them lose to Santos Laguna 4-0 in Torreon, Mexico just one week prior.
"DC United did a good job being organized and getting numbers behind the ball and making things difficult for us in the first half," LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said. "Conceeding a goal in the first four minutes is never easy, we knew we needed a goal in the second half."
The Galaxy were lucky to escape the first half allowing only one goal. Neagle nearly gave DC a two-goal lead if not for a stellar save by Rowe in the 40th minute.
Defender Daniel Steres --making his first career MLS start – surprisingly scored the Galaxy's first goal of the 2016 season when he headed in a corner kick from Mike Magee in the 54th minute. The goal was well earned by LA who should have scored two minutes earlier on two missed headers by Robbie Keane and Gyasi Zardes.
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"I knew we needed to get back in the game," Steres said. "I got a good ball in a good spot, and Gyasi [Zardes] made a great pick for me. I have to give Gyasi a lot of credit, we've worked on a couple plays like that and he gave me a great pick."
Magee played the familiar role of hero for the Galaxy when he scored the go-ahead goal just ten minutes later. Magee had a successful run with the Galaxy from 2009 to 2013 before being traded to the Chicago Fire. Magee received a cross from Sebastian Lletget and sent a lovely lob over Andrew Dykstra's outstretched hand for the goal.
"My touch was just bad enough to bounce up," Magee said of the goal. "My teammates made it look easy for me."
Lletget was arguably the best player on the pitch for the LA Galaxy despite not playing in the preseason with an injury.
"He is a beast physically," Arena said of Lletget. "He gave us a terrific 80 minutes. I wanted to limit him to 60 minutes, but he did a great job and was a handful for DC United tonight."
Magee was awarded a penalty after he was tackled in the box in the 83rd minute. Keane took the penalty and promptly buried into the bottom right corner of the net for the vital insurance goal. The former 2013 MLS MVP continued his magic night when he scored his second goal of the night off a free kick from Steven Gerrard in the 87th minute.
Magee, who had not scored a goal since August 10, 2014, was near tears after the game as fans throughout the stadium chanted, "Magee, Magee, Magee is on fire!" as they gave the man of the match a standing ovation.
"It feels surreal. Literally I haven't scored in years. It felt weird and uncomfortable," Magee said after the game. "It was incredible. Literally i'm still scrambling for words to describe how I feel."
The victory was the LA Galaxy's first win in competition since Sept. 27, 2015.
Notes:
Giovani dos Santos was substituted at halftime with a left leg injury. Jelle Van Damme was replaced by Daniel Steres in the starting lineup with an ankle injury. 25, 670 people turned out for the game at StubHub Center.
