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LA Galaxy dismantle Real Salt Lake 5-2

By Mike Gray
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The attack is back.

Real Salt Lake came into the contest as the highest scoring team in the league, but it was the Galaxy who ran roughshod over a hapless Real Salt Lake side, dismantling RSL 5-2 Saturday night at the StubHub Center.

Emmanuel Boateng replaced Sebastian Lletget in the lineup after the winger suffered an undisclosed knock in training.

The opening 15 minutes was a clinic of missed opportunities for LA. In the fifth minute, Giovani dos Santos was pulled down in the box, but when Steven Gerrard stepped up to take the penalty, his low attempt was successfully blocked by the penalty kick king, Nick Rimando.

Determined to get on the scoresheet, minutes later dos Santos outmuscled a RSL defender to create a one on one with Rimando, but after beating the keeper his attempt was unlucky to crash off the left post. Soon afterwards, Mike Magee blew a wide-open attempt from point blank range.

If the Galaxy's luck weren't bad enough, RSL went ahead when Luke Mulholland sprayed a cross to the far post and Juan Manuel Martinez outjumped A.J. DeLaGarza to head an athletic header past a surprised Brian Rowe to give RSL a surprise lead.

And then the goals started to flow for LA. First the Galaxy tied the match in the 19th minute when Gyasi Zardes ran at the RSL back four, cutting inside a defender before unleashing a golazo that nestled into the side netting.

Rimando didn't even bother to dive.

Seven minutes later, the excellent Emmanuel Boateng whipped in an inch-perfect cross that eluded a flailing Rimando, and all Magee had to do was re-direct into the net.

Boateng capped a stellar performance with a goal of his own in the 41st minute, taking advantage of a bad Zardes touch to drive a low finish into the goal.

Finally, Giovani dos Santos collected from Boateng in the box, took a look up and chipped an unstoppable shot over a helpess Rimando and in to thunderous cheers from the Galaxy faithful, caping off a stellar half of soccer.

The Galaxy took the pedal off in the second half, but despite Javier Morales converting a penalty to pull a goal back for RSL, Steven Gerrard would add a fifth late, accepting a Ashley Cole switch and embarrassing two RSL defenders before sliding a simple finish past Rimando, putting an exclamation point on a defining performance.

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