LA Galaxy stun Real Salt Lake with late rally

Dave Romney and Emmanuel Boateng scored six minutes apart as the Galaxy mounted a furious comeback to defeat Real Salt Lake on the road for the first win of the 2017 season.

A few minutes in, Brooks Lennon glided unmarked to meet a cross deep inside the box, but his volley was just high as Clement Diop punched the air in frustration.

Diop had good reason to be upset. The Galaxy defense was dangerously lax, and it was no surprise when Yura Movsisyan powerfully re-directed a header past the goalkeeper in the 18th minute to put the hosts ahead.

Things looked bleak for LA, who were sputtering offensively and generally looked aimless. But RSL tossed the Galaxy a buoy when Kyle Beckerman earned his second yellow needlessly fouling Joáo Pedro in the 44th minute, and suddenly there was hope.

The second half started off sluggish for LA, who enjoyed 80% possession but were not threatening

And all of a sudden, the match turned on its head. Romain Alessandrini’s swerving cross in the 69th minute was met by Dave Romney who smashed a picture-perfect cannon past a helpless Nick Rimando.

A minute later substitute Chad Barrett flubbed his lines when he basically missed an open net that would have put RSL back up front.

In the 75th minute, the comeback was complete when Alessandrini got to the sidelines and squared a low cross that Boateng got on the end of and struck home.