Too hot to handle: FC Dallas 1, LA Galaxy 0

After a rousing win in the last game, the LA Galaxy experienced yet another false dawn in their 2022 MLS regular season, after squandering chances to get a result and falling 1-0 to FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium on Saturday.

An early mistake put LA behind the eight ball, and in muggy conditions they never fully recovered, even failing to capitalize on their penalty kick attempt in the 2nd half.

Dejan Joveljić went back to the bench to start the game, with Kevin Cabral and Douglas Costa flanking Chicharito in attack from the start. Eriq Zavaleta retained his spot in central defense alongside Derrick Williams.

Chicharito had a great look in the 3rd minute, with a header off a cross, but he was a bit off balance and his attempt sailed just over the goal.

That proved costly, as FC Dallas grabbed the lead in the 8th minute through Franco Jara, the veteran just beating Jonathan Bond to poke a shot home.

The weather was incredibly hot in Frisco, and both teams played pretty slowly from there. LA’s next solid chance came in the 36th minute, with Sacha Kljestan dumping a ball over the top to Chicharito, but the Mexican star was offside and the chance died right there.

That was it for the first half, essentially, with Dallas just barely outplaying the Galaxy and both teams sweating their way to the halftime break.

Raheem Edwards and Sega Coulibaly were LA’s first subs, entering the game to start the 2nd half in place of Chase Gasper and Zavaleta.

Gaston Brugman had a sharp one-timer from distance in the 48th minute off an attack initiated by Edwards, but his shot was blocked by Dallas GK Maarten Paes. The energy level was up by the Galaxy to open the second 45, as they pushed for an equalizer.

Victor Vazquez and Dejan Joveljič entered the game in the 62nd minute, for Rayan Raveloson and Douglas Costa, with the score still 1-0, but with Dallas knocking at the door, hitting the woodwork moments earlier.

The game looked like it would turn in the 64th minute when Chicharito was brought down in the box by Marco Farfan. Joveljić had the spot kick, but it was saved by Paes and the opportunity was lost.

LA tried to get another look but it was tough sledding in the final minutes.

The Galaxy played incredibly slowly for much of this game, but while I normally hammer them for that, seeing how worn out FCD also were by the heat in their home stadium, I’m willing to give a bit of a pass for not going at a brisk pace throughout. What is tough to take is that again the Galaxy found a way to lose the game on both ends. Miscues in defense and Bond failing to get the ball on the goal was the first gaffe, before Joveljić failed to convert the penalty when I think pretty much all of us thought the in-form striker would bury it. But it wasn’t meant to be, and the Galaxy lose ground in the playoff chase. Can they make it up down the stretch? It would be nice if they could string a couple results together at this point, to be honest.

LA will be back in action on Wednesday, for their Leagues Cup Showcase friendly at SoFi Stadium against Chivas de Guadalajara. It’s the annual midseason friendly, and it should be a good opportunity against Liga MX opposition, before they get back to business at the weekend in league play.

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