Remember when, just a couple weeks back, it looked like MLS had finally broken down the wall that kept them from getting regular results in Mexico? I mean, going back to last season, MLS had a three match unbeaten streak in Mexico. RSL drew Monterrey, Dallas beat PUMAS, and Seattle beat Monterrey. Well...not so fast my friend.
Morelia sits over 6,000 feet above sea level. After watching the Galaxy play here in SLC, I can tell you they don't like the altitude, and I think it was a factor late in this one. The real unfortunate thing for LA is, I think they played good enough for at least a point, but you don't always get what you deserve in soccer.
LA's strategy, minus David Beckham, looked to be sit back, absorb the pressure, and try to hit on the counter. Give them credit, it worked for about 3/4 of the match. Thing of it is, you have to be picture perfect to play that way and win. As I heard a couple of times during both CCL matches tonight, Mexican teams will kill you when you screw up. You're not playing Vancouver anymore.
The first half went scoreless. Morelia had most of the possession, but LA really did have the best chance. They had a free kick that was headed just into the crossbar. That goal would have come in handy later.
Morelia really turned up the heat in the second half. Josh Saunders came under heavy attack in the LA goal, but for the most part tonight, he played totally out of his mind, making some unbelievable stops. He also triggered the counter that led to LA's goal in the 52nd minute. After a nifty throw out, the ball ended up at the foot of Landon Donovan who effortlessly found Robbie Keane. The Irish international captain schooled the keeper and put it in the net to make it 0-1. A few minutes later, he about scored from beyond midfield. He saw Vilar out of goal and smacked it on target. Vilar got back and just managed to tip it over the bar.
After that it was all Morelia. In the 82nd minute Adrian Aldrete hit a scorcher that seemed to be right at Saunders. However the LA 'keeper couldn't hold it and it squirted under him, as he dove back for it, he carried it over the line and we were level at 1-1.
LA looked to take the lead in the 90th as Robbie Keane knocked in a goal off of a Donovan corner, but Keane was ruled offside. Replays suggest that this was an incorrect call. It came back to haunt LA in stoppage time as Miguel Sabah hit a first class header on a corner to give Morelia the 2-1 victory.
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