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McBean's header gives Galaxy late lead, but rookie Alvarez pulls Chivas USA even for 1-1 draw

By: The Associated Press

Posted: 03/17/2013 7:00 PM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 03/17/2013 8:30 PM

CARSON, Calif. - The Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA traded late goals following a disputed red card, and the first meeting this season between the SuperClasico rivals finished 1-1 at the Home Depot Center.

Jack McBean's header in the 83rd minute gave the dominant Galaxy (1-0-1) the advantage, but rookie Carlos Alvarez, making his MLS debut, tapped home a low cross from Carlos Borja in the 89th minute to pull Chivas (1-1-1) even.

Chivas played the final 50 minutes down a man after defender Joaquin Velazquez was ejected after tripping over Galaxy winger Colin Clark, who said he was kicked above the knee but that he didn't think it warranted a red card. Chivas USA already had lost midfield leader Oswaldo Minda to a hamstring strain after just 18 minutes.

"The equalizer is not my goal, it's the whole team's goal," said Alvarez, whom Chivas took with the second overall pick in the January draft. "We were all fighting for this game. We were fighting each ball. The team deserves this."

Borja sent the low cross through the Galaxy box after Eric Avila eluded one defender and threaded a ball past three on the right flank.

"That's usually what we're good at the last few years: 1-0 wins, 2-1 wins, things like that, closing games out," said A.J. DeLaGarza, the nearest defender to Alvarez. "We were just lackadaisical, a lot of us, on that play."

Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said it was a "sloppy effort" on the goal and that he thought his players took for granted that they would win following McBean's goal.

"I think it was a poor performance on our part today," Arena said. "Bad game, a lot of fouls, a lot of time wasting. Not well-played on our part, and a terrible effort in closing the game out at the end."

McBean, who came off the bench in the 64th minute, scored after DeLaGarza brought the ball up the right side, played a quick give-and-go with Sean Franklin deep in the box, then fed Mike Magee, whose deflected ball found the 18-year-old forward's head. Chivas goalkeeper Dan Kennedy got his hand on the shot but couldn't keep it out of the net.

The Galaxy twice hit the goal frame. Jose Villarreal headed off the crossbar in the 31st minute, after Omar Gonzalez headed Juninho's free kick into the goalmouth. Magee headed off the left post from DeLaGarza's cross in the 50th minute, and Kennedy dove to parry Marcelo Sarvas on the rebound.

Chivas had lost seven of the previous eight meetings with the Galaxy and has won just once in the series between in-stadium rivals since 2007. The Galaxy have an 18-4-7 record against Chivas in all competitions.

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