Steven Gerrard Off To Dream Start in LA, Scores On MLS Debut As Galaxy Trounce Earthquakes
Steven Gerrard got off to a dream start in Los Angeles, scoring a game-tying goal for LA Galaxy after just 37 minutes of his first game in Major League Soccer.
The 35-year old Gerrard, who joined the Galaxy this summer after ending a 25-year stay with his hometown club, made his much anticipated debut against the San Jose Earthquakes on Friday night, starting in an attacking midfield position just behind Galaxy captain Robbie Keane, a former teammate at Liverpool, as he helped the Galaxy turn around a two-goal deficit to beat their local rivals 5-2.
Good debut from Gerrard. Benefited from the role created for him by Arena. Found the right spaces. Stamped his impact on the game. #MLS
— Kyle McCarthy (@kylejmccarthy) July 18, 2015
But the evening didn’t start well for Gerrard and the Galaxy as they found themselves trailing by two goals after just 25 minutes, thanks to two quick goals from Quincy Amarikwa. Keane scored from the penalty spot to cut the deficit after 31 minutes, but it was Gerrard’s goal seven minutes later that grabbed all the headlines.
The Galaxy broke away from just outside their own penalty box, and Gerrard was involved in the build-up, taking a pass just before the half way line and striding forward towards the Earthquake goal. His pass found the overlapping Juninho wiquakede on the right, and when his cross-shot took a slight deflection in the Earthquake box, Gerrard, having continued running, was on hand to place a well-struck shot past the statuesque David Bingham in the San Jose goal.
Keane scored two more after the break, and Sebastien Lietget headed home in stoppage time to complete a fantastic turn-around for the Galaxy and make it a memorable MLS debut for Gerrard, former captain of Liverpool and the England national team.
Gerrard had also ended his Liverpool career in good goal scoring form — he scored three goals in his last four games – is still held in high esteem in Liverpool and The Liverpool Echo set up a Liveblog to follow Gerrard’s debut match, despite the time difference (England’s Greenwich Mean Time is eight hours ahead of California’s Pacific Standard time) which ensured that only the earliest of early birds could follow the game.
Debut goal, 2 assists, free-kick against the bar. Yup Steven Gerrard's MLS career is up & running. Read all about ithttp://t.co/yXsmaK6583
— Liverpool FC News (@LivEchoLFC) July 18, 2015
Gerrard captained Liverpool for 12 years before moving to LA, following in the footsteps of another former England captain, David Beckham, who was among the watching crowd at the Stubhub Centre. Beckham helped the Galaxy to two MLS Cup titles in his five-year stint with the club between 2007 and 2012.
David Beckham and Landon Donovan are watching Gerrard's Galaxy debut together, smokin and jokin in a luxury box. LA trails 1-0 early.
— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) July 18, 2015
Gerrard – and the Galaxy – will be hoping his stay with the club proves just has successful.
He has certainly started off on the right foot.
[Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images]
