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The LA Galaxy picked up three points on the road against the Chicago Fire on the strength of a Robbie Keane brace. Keane also wore the armband today, his birthday, as Landon Donovan was held from the starting lineup. Juninho picked up a yellow card, meaning he is suspended from the Galaxy's next match on the road in Portland.
"Our guys played well," said Bruce Arena. "We had a few injures today, short some players. Played pretty solid for 90 minutes. Wasn't our best game, but good enough for three points. It was a good effort by the group."
The first goal came after a Chicago Fire hand ball just inside the penalty area. Keane stepped up to take the penalty and made Sean Johnson go left then kicked it right for the first goal of the match in the 24'.
Landon Donovan was held from the starting eleven, suffering a minor injury in Wednesday's match, and only played 25 minutes. Still he was able to make a big impact as he and Keane worked a two on two fast break. Donovan drew the defenders to him the laid of to an unmarked Keane who dribbled into the penalty area and laid it past Sean Johnson.
"[Donovan was] a little fatigued," said Bruce Arena. "He had a little bit of a nick and we wanted to be smart about that."
Omar Gonzalez was listed as part of the 18, but did not make it into the match. The 2011 MLS Defender of the Year made his season debut on Wednesday coming back from an injury. With no reserve league matches until August, the team is trying to slowly work him back into the fold.
"Given the conditions, the travel the heat, we decided to hold him back. We want to slowly build his minutes and bring him back at the right time.
Ultimately it was a match where the Galaxy found a way to a first half goal, weathered the storm of a second half barrage from Chicago, then brought in Donovan to seal the match late. A well scripted match in a season that has been anything but scripted.