Houston Dynamo And LA Galaxy Share Points in MLS 2020 Opening Day

MLS 2020 Opening Day

MLS was returning over the weekend as LA Galaxy and Chicharito were making their grand debut in the league. The Galaxy have high hopes this season with their Mexican superstar as they look to build on a strong season last year. 

With Ibrahimovic and Alessandrini now gone, Pavón and Chicharito are now the new  faces of the team. The Argentine player scored the first goal for his team this season in the draw at Houston Dynamo 1-1. Coaches react post-game:

Dynamo Head Coach Tab Ramos

 “First of all I’m proud of the team. I think the team made a really good effort. I thought the first ten minutes we looked a little bit nervous. So, other than that I’m happy with what the team did today.”

We pride ourselves and sort of build the teams so that we can play the ball wide and get the ball open so that we can have 1v1s on the wings and we did that a lot. It must have been 30 or 40 times that we found ourselves in good positions wide. We need to work on a little bit on what happens after because I think we get ourselves in good position. We won the ball back on their half of the field many times which is what we want to do but I think our final ball was not a good one. I think our running in the box was not great and we need to move a little bit better in order to find the openings in the box.”

I really felt that after the first 10 maybe 15 minutes that we really were the team on the field that had the ball and were going after the result. So, I felt like at halftime all I needed to do was let them know that we were doing well and to make sure that we don’t have the first 10 minutes of the second half like we started the game. I think the guys came in focused and in the second we picked up right where we left off at the end of the first half, so I was really happy with that.”

“I’m pleased with it. Obviously, we want to win the game. We’re home. Anytime you don’t win at home you feel like you’re leaving something and that’s something that we are going to have to get somewhere else which is difficult. In general, I’m happy with where the team is at this point considering the absences. We have but sometimes missing players is an opportunity for other players, and they have to take advantage of that. I think a few guys did a pretty good job today.”

Galaxy head coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto

“I think we played very well for the first 20 minutes, but then [the Houston Dynamo] started to manage the ball, and kept managing the ball until they scored. Then, we changed [Aleksandar Katai] with [Joe] Corona and we started to manage the ball. We could have won the game. I think Chicharito was part of the team, but maybe we could not take the best for Chicharito, like scoring. But we were trying and looking for him in the box. I think he worked very hard for the team and I am happy with the point. I think this point is important if we beat Vancouver [Whitecaps] next game at home. So, I think [Chicharito] was part of the team and I think we played really good soccer. We played well and we fought. We tried the whole time to win the game.

I think we might need to find Chicharito more times. We gave like six or seven really good crosses, but none of them found Chicharito. I am happy with the team and how we tried to reach Chicharito and how Chicharito moved in the front.”