Galaxy miss golden opportunity

The Los Angeles Galaxy's 0-0 tie against Deportivo Saprissa, in the first leg of their quarterfinal matchup in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, was a case study in a team meeting low expectations.

You know the kind I'm talking about. You go into the match at less than full strength and the odds are stacked against you. And the prospect of giving up a vital organ or two in exchange for a draw seems like a pretty fair trade. But then you find your team playing well, creating better chances and doing enough to win the match in fact. You end up with a draw that 90 minutes ago would have exceeded your wildest dreams. Except now you want your kidney back, because instead of elation, the tie feels like a missed opportunity that's going to cost you dearly down the line. I'm guessing this is exactly how the Galaxy are feeling right about now.

Entering the contest, Galaxy head coach Steve Sampson couldn't have liked what he saw. Not only was his team playing their first competitive match since November, but he was also facing a Saprissa squad deep into its regular season. Los Angeles was a bit dinged up as well, with Chris Albright and Paulo Nagamura sitting out the because of injuries.

Sampson's day then deteriorated even further. Left back Todd Dunivant, who was expected to provide much of the width to the Galaxy attack, was held out because of a hip injury, and Ned Grabavoy was stricken with flu-like symptoms. As a result, Sampson was forced to throw rookie Nathan Sturgis and the relatively untried Memo Gonzalez into the mix. Christian, meet Lion.

But the Galaxy received a most unexpected gift from Saprissa head coach Hernan Medford, who instead of fielding his full team, opted to sit the likes of Walter Centeno, Cristian Bolanos, and top scorer Alvaro Saborio.

I still can't decide whether Medford's decision was genius or a near-terminal case of overconfidence. From one angle, Medford's choice to rest those players makes perfect sense. The "Purple Monster" is set to take on longtime rivals Alajuelense this weekend, and given the fact that the Costa Rican league standings find Saprissa in a first place tie with Group A contenders Puntarenas, it's obvious that every point counts. When combined with the poor road form that MLS sides have historically shown in the CCC, Medford had every reason to feel confident that his team could at least get a draw in the away leg, and then prevail when the teams meet again in two weeks' time.

On the other hand, the Galaxy's weakened lineup presented Saprissa with a golden opportunity to put the cup tie away. And as Thursday's match wore on, it seemed as though Medford would pay for his decision. The Saprissa side was the better team in the first 20 minutes, and nearly scored from Pablo Brenes' header just 12 minutes into the game. But after some early jitters, the Galaxy settled down, and began to carve out the better opportunities. This was especially true after Josh Gardner was brought on at halftime for the ineffective Gonzalez, and the half saw Cobi Jones exert more influence as well.

Galaxy forward Landon Donovan nearly scored in the 58th minute, but Saprissa defender Jervis Drummond responded with an acrobatic goal-line clearance. It represented the Galaxy's best chance, but it was by no means the only one. Donovan put Herculez Gomez through on goal in the 71st minute, only for Saprissa 'keeper Jose Porras to save at the Galaxy forward's feet. Porras then produced the save of the match when he swatted away Alan Gordon's goal-bound header seven minutes later.

But just when it seemed like the Galaxy were about to break the game wide open, their window of opportunity was slammed shut when Medford made some substitutions that stemmed the tide. And that's why this game is going to feel more like a negative result than a positive one.

In the process, L.A. got a glimpse of what they can expect during the return leg on March 8. Medford brought on Bolanos and Centeno late in the game, and the added spark both players brought to the match was evident, especially when Centeno released Bolanos on a clear breakaway in the 83rd minute. Only a perfectly timed tackle from Galaxy defender Tyrone Marshall saved L.A. from giving up what would have been a backbreaking away goal. Still, it's the kind of incisive play that Los Angeles will need to prevent when the teams meet again.

That said, the Galaxy do have some reasons to be encouraged. Players like Marshall, Jones and Ugo Ihemelu looked to be in midseason form. Gardner's play on the left gives Sampson a valuable option off the bench, while the likes of Dunivant, Grabavoy and Albright should return to the lineup soon. And most important, the ensuing two weeks should see the entire team gain some valuable fitness and sharpness on the ball.

Of course, that will be mitigated by the fact that Medford will field his full team, in a Ricardo Saprissa Stadium that is among the most hostile venues in CONCACAF. This is where having the experience of players like Dunivant, and in particular Albright, is vital. While the Galaxy defense held up well on Thursday, the inexperience of Sturgis was exposed at times, as he was caught in possession far too often. And while Troy Roberts filled in capably for Albright, his limitations going forward were evident.

For the Galaxy to advance, however, it will take more than just the contributions of Dunivant and Albright. Donovan and Gomez must convert the chances that went begging in the first encounter. That way, the expectations that were met on Thursday can be exceeded during the return leg.

Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPNsoccernet. He can be reached at eljefe1@yahoo.com