Page 21 - ATD10August2015
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SPORTS A21
Monday 10 August 2015
Dos Santos has debut goal, assist as Galaxy win 3-1
GREG BEACHAM Donovan Ricketts made reacquired the goalkeeper
AP Sports Writer his first home start in three from Orlando City after Jai-
CARSON, Calif. (AP) — years for the Galaxy, who me Penedo left the club.q
Giovani dos Santos is still
getting to know his LA Los Angeles Galaxy’s Giovani Dos Santos, right, shoots under
Galaxy teammates, and
he isn’t yet in ideal game pressure by Seattle Sounders’ Zach Scott during the first half of
shape.
That didn’t stop the Mexi- an MLS soccer match, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2015, in Carson, Calif.
can playmaker from hav-
ing a dynamic MLS debut Associated Press
for his loaded new team.
Dos Santos had a goal and leashed the full might of most eager to see Dos San-
an assist Sunday in his first
MLS game, leading the their reloaded roster for tos, who wears the No. 10
Galaxy to a 3-1 victory over
the Seattle Sounders. the first time. The five-time Galaxy shirt most recently
After setting up captain
Robbie Keane’s tiebreak- champs have scored 22 occupied by the retired
ing goal in the 47th min-
ute, dos Santos confident- goals in their last five MLS Landon Donovan. Dos San-
ly scored his first goal in
the 64th minute, taking a home games, staying in tos also is likely to play in
beautiful pass from Keane
on the run and burying his the Western Conference the midfield at some point,
shot past Stefan Frei.
The sellout crowd at Stub- race despite a slow start to although Arena won’t use
Hub Center gave a stand-
ing ovation when dos San- the season and continued him there until his match fit-
tos left in the 69th minute
after delivering the latest struggles on the road. ness is optimal.
big debut for the defend-
ing MLS champions. “We have a long way to The 26-year-old dos San-
“We created a lot of
chances,” dos Santos said. go,” coach Bruce Arena tos began training with the
“For me, it’s very easy to
play with a team like that. said. “We’ve played 25 dif- Galaxy a week ago after
... I think we have a lot of
possibility. We can achieve ferent lineups in 25 games. arriving from Mexico’s Gold
every goal we want. We
have a great team.” Hopefully over the next Cup title run. The two-time
Dos Santos started up front
alongside Keane and took month or so, we start get- World Cup performer spent
corner kicks as the Galaxy
(11-7-7) officially unveiled ting in good form. ... Dos the past two seasons with
the newest acquisition
in their star-studded line- Santos is going to take a Villareal in La Liga after a
up. Dos Santos, who also
scored a goal in a CONCA- little time, but I think al- career that began in Bar-
CAF Champions League
match Thursday, even lived ready the chemistry with his celona’s famed La Masia
up to the standard set by
English star Steven Gerrard, teammates is really good.” academy.
who had a goal and an
assist in his winning Galaxy Chad Barrett scored in the While dos Santos’ Europe-
debut last month.
With David Beckham opening minute for the an career was inconsistent,
watching from a luxury
suite, Gyasi Zardes also Sounders (10-12-2), who the Galaxy have been
scored as the Galaxy un-
competed without any chasing him for years, be-
designated players after lieving his combination of
leaving Clint Dempsey and offensive flair and Mexi-
Obafemi Martins at home can heritage would be an
from the rivalry game. enormous boost on the
Dempsey strained his ham- field and among Southern
string in training Friday, and California’s enormous Mex-
Martins still isn’t quite ready ican-American population.
to return from a groin injury. When MLS altered its desig-
Barrett also left the game nated player rules to allow
with an injured right ham- a fourth big-ticket addition
string immediately after his this summer, the Galaxy
stunning opening-minute swiftly closed a deal to add
goal. Zardes equalized in even more talent to their
the 13th minute with his side — and dos Santos im-
25th career MLS goal. mediately showed the flair
But the sellout crowd was they expect.
