Giovani Dos Santos tallied a goal and an assist in one of the more impressive MLS debuts in recent memory, and the LA Galaxy rallied from an early goal deficit to defeat the Seattle Sounders 3-1 on Sunday.
Dos Santos assisted the go-ahead goal in the 47th minute when his first touch went forward and LA Galaxy captain Robbie Keane sprang into action to bury it into the back of the net before the Sounders defenders could collapse on him.
"I just had a striker's instinct," Keane joked. "I went to the ball, turned and shot. Gio's goal was a great play and he made a fantastic run and made it look easy."
Keane returned the favor 17 minutes later when his beautiful through ball set up Dos Santos for the nail in the coffin, and the first goal of his MLS career.
"I'm very happy for my goal," Dos Santos added. "We have a great team, with a great attitude, with great players, and hopefully we can get a title."
The El Tri sensation started up to alongside Keane as the Galaxy used a 4-4-2 tactical approach against the Sounders. Dos Santos was assigned the task of taking the team's corner kicks throughout the game as the star-studded lineup featured Liverpool's Steven Gerrard, USMNT standouts: Gyasi Zardes, Omar Gonzalez and Alan Gordon.
The sellout crowd at StubHub center was loud and raucous throughout the game, giving Dos Santos a roaring ovation every time he touched the ball. chanting "Gio-vani! Gio-vani!" repeatedly during the game.
"It was amazing," Dos Santos said of the rivalry match. "Our fans were great today. This is a great rivalry with Seattle and we are very happy for the win."
LA Galaxy legend David Beckham and Scottish chef Gordon Ramsay watched the match from a luxury suite and received a rousing applause when showed on the jumbotron.
LA and Seattle are headed in opposite directions in the standings as the Galaxy are quickly climbing up the Western Conference table, leapfrogging FC Dallas into the second spot in the Conference. LA has scored 22 goals in their last five MLS home games and appear to be at peak form as their precision passing was on point throughout the game.
Meanwhile, the Sounders are in a state of free fall losers of their last five consecutive games and eight out of nine overall. They currently stand in sixth place in the Western Conference, with multiple teams chasing them for the final playoff spot in the West.
The Sounders struck first just 51 seconds into the match. Chad Barrett got behind Omar Gonzalez in the Galaxy's zone and Erik Friberg sent a lazer into the bottom right corner of the six yard box that landed on Barrett's right foot for the goal.
"We had a lack of concentration," Captain Robbie Keane said of the goal. "It was too easy, it's something we have to look at and make sure that their guy doesn't get on the ball early. You have to defend the post like that."
Ironically, Barrett strained his hamstring while celebrating the goal with his teammates and had to be substituted from the game. The goal was Seattle's first goal in 363 minutes as they have struggled, losing five consecutive games and have one victory in their last nine matches.
Zardes netted the equalizer in the 13th minute off of a great pass by Juninho. The Brazilian midfielder found Zardes at the far post and Zardes wisely sent a left-footed show to the opposite post and past the outstretched arms of Stefan Frei.
Keeping in the theme of scoring quickly, the Galaxy burst out of the gates in the second half with a quick goal in the 47th minute. Precision passing set up Galaxy captain Robbie Keane who scored his 11th goal of the season.
A.J. DeLaGarza sent a cross into the box that Dos Santos got a touch on before Keane burst onto the scene and buried it past Frei into the back of the net.
Dos Santos made 3-1 Galaxy when Keane sent a through ball to the Mexican native and the sure-footed striker easily blasted a left footed shot from the left side of the box into the bottom right corner of the net.
Dos Santos came off the pitch in the 68th minute for super-sub Alan Gordon who was denied a goal minutes later after his right-footed shot from the bottom right corner of the box hit the woodwork.
Robbie Rogers saved a goal in the 71st minute after Rickets came out of his net to make a save and dropped the ball at the far right post that rolled towards the net. Rogers made a diving save to clear the ball giving Seattle a corner.
Donovan Ricketts made his first home start in net for the LA Galaxy after being traded from Orlando City FC last week. Ricketts was between the pipes at StubHub Center in three years.
The Galaxy will next take on FC Dallas in Texas for what likely could set up to be a match that will decide who secures first place in the Western Conference table.
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