San Diego Loyal SC fall to LA Galaxy 1-0 in U.S. Open Cup
Credit: SD Loyal
SD Loyal held scoreless as Galaxy advance to next round of U.S. Open Cup
The stage was set, and the atmosphere was electric as the San Diego Loyal traveled up north to LA to take on MLS’s LA Galaxy. The U.S. Open Cup returned to the professional state of soccer in America. Many USL Championship teams faced MLS teams Tuesday and will continue to do so during the week.
The Loyal just couldn’t connect with a goal in the loss to the Galaxy Tuesday night. The team played their hearts out and gave one of the better teams in America fits all night long. Both sides had chances for more goals, especially LA. The Galaxy finished with 18 shot attempts but only four on goal. The Loyal ended with 12 attempts and five on target.
Manager Landon Donovan was the talk of the match. He faced his former club, where he spent most of his legendary career competing in that very city. The players did everything they could to try and win that match for him.
Donovan issued a 4-4-2 formation and kept them in the entire match. The team had multiple starters and role players out tonight with injuries. Nikko Boxall subbed in for Grant Stoneman with just a few minutes left in the match. Other than that, everyone else played the entire 93 minutes.
LA Galaxy scored first in the 28th minute from froward Kévin Cabral.
Allez, Kevin 🇫🇷✨@KvinCabral opens the scoring! pic.twitter.com/eO0VYN1KPc
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) April 20, 2022
LA held on to that advantage and took it into the break. They looked like the more experienced team during the first half.
After many more chances were taken throughout the second half, the Loyal kept pushing. The defenders did an excellent job keeping the Galaxy from scoring again and giving the team a chance to even the score.
In the 87th minute, Evan Conway had a chance at a header from a few feet from the keeper. Elijah Martin set up the attempt with a perfect cross, but Conway just missed the attempt, popping it up right to the keeper. That was the last real chance SD had in the match.
The players did not quit. The Loyal did everything they could to try and even the score. They controlled the possession late as the Galaxy didn’t seem to even try and add on to their advantage. It just wasn’t enough.
The Galaxy advanced to the next round of the U.S. Open Cup and will await their opponent.
The Loyal get a bit of a rest and won’t play again until next week. The next match is next Saturday, April 30, on the road. They return to USL action and will travel east to Tampa Bay to take on former the former USL Champions. The Rowdies are (3-3-1) on the season with 12 points and a (+6) goal difference. San Diego is still atop the Western Conference with a (5-1-2) record with 16 points and a (+4) goal difference.
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News and Notes
- Jack Blake, Charlie Adams, Morgan Hackworth, Andrew Carleton, and Thomas Amang did not suit up for the Loyal.
- Grant Stoneman and Alejandro Guido both received yellow cards. LA did not receive a card.
Chris is a graduate of the University of San Diego. He is the former Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. Chris is also an athlete and is huge fan of San Diego sports. Chris has covered the San Diego Loyal, and contributes regularly about the Padres.