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Donovan's late goal gives L.A. draw at New York

Sat 19th, July 2008

East Rutherford, NJ (Sports Network) - Landon Donovan scored his league-leading 12th goal in extra time as the Los Angeles Galaxy tied Red Bull New York, 2-2, on Saturday night in front of 46,754 fans at Giants Stadium.

Former MLS MVP Carlos Ruiz scored his first goal of the season to give L.A. the early lead but Dave van den Bergh and Juan Pablo Angel scored for the Red Bulls to set up the exciting finish.

Donovan had the ball just outside the left corner of the penalty area and tried to find teammate Edson Buddle with a cross. Buddle jumped to head the ball and New York goalie Jon Conway was waiting for a deflection. But the cross was high and the ball went over Buddle and sailed just inside the right post.

L.A. (6-6-5) has won just one time in eight Major League Soccer games against Eastern Conference teams and moved into a first-place tie with Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference - at least temporarily.

New York (5-6-6), which got two assists from new midfielder Jorge Rojas, picked up one point to pull level with Kansas City at the bottom of the East.

The match didn't quite live up to last year's 5-4 classic won by New York, but both sides created chances in a fast-paced match.

Angel had the first good scoring chance in the 19th minute. He made a move to lose a defender and shot toward the upper right, but L.A. goalie Steve Cronin punched the hard blast away.

Donovan, who entered the match tied with Buddle for the MLS lead in goals with 11, made a great run to set up Ruiz in the 21st minute but the veteran couldn't finish the chance.

Ruiz took advantage of his next chance, though, opening the scoring in the 29th minute by finishing a play set up by David Beckham and Buddle.

Beckham sprung the play with a long pass from the midfield circle to Buddle on the outside left of the penalty area. Buddle settled the pass, lost Jeff Parke and got Conway to charge off his line before chipping to Ruiz.

Ruiz ran under the perfect cross with three Red Bulls players just yards away and slotted the ball inside the left post from deep inside the area. Ruiz made just his second start this season after getting injured in the season opener.

Although L.A. was starting to control the match, New York tied the score just six minutes later on a great finish from Van den Bergh.

Seth Stammler won the ball in the midfield circle and quickly passed to newly- signed Venezuelan midfielder Rojas. He flicked the ball behind his leg to Van den Bergh and he did the rest of the work for his team-high fifth goal.

Van den Bergh, a left-footed player, took a shot with his right foot from about 30 yards that went by a diving Cronin and inside the left post.

The chances continued early in the second half, with both goal scorers coming close to finding the back of the net again.

Ruiz had the first chance in the 52nd minute, but his shot from inside the area was knocked away by Conway. Van den Bergh followed with another long blast in the 55th but Cronin deflected the shot away from the upper left corner

Van den Bergh and Stammler combined to set up New York's next chance, but after finding Rojas wide open behind L.A.'s defense, the new striker fired high from just six yards out.

Rojas had another chance in the 69th minute to score his first MLS goal but his header aimed inside the right post was saved by a diving Cronin. Rojas wasn't rattled by the miss, though, and helped set up Angel's goal two minutes later.

Rojas fed Angel down the left side and, after a long run, he lost Chris Klein in the box and got Cronin to come off his line. Angel, who scored 19 goals last season, flicked the ball with outside of his right foot to chip it over Cronin and into the net for his fourth goal of an injury-plagued season.

Angel had a chance to put the match away in the 73rd minute, but the Galaxy's Ante Jazic deflected his shot off the line. Ruiz followed with a chance in the 78th minute that could have pulled L.A. even but his shot from deep inside the area was deflected by Conway.

The Red Bulls unveiled their other new signing, midfielder Juan Pietravallo, in the 89th minute but Donovan spoiled what could have been a huge victory for New York.

Donovan sent the innocent cross into the area in the 92nd minute and it sailed past Conway, who sat on the ground in disgust after allowing the goal.

New York was rattled and Donovan nearly gave L.A. the victory with a blast off the post in the 94th minute. Peter Vagenas had a shot off the rebound but shot high.

L.A.'s winless streak reached five matches, but Donovan's goal saved the Galaxy from their third loss in their last four. Real Salt Lake plays later Saturday and could regain sole possession of first place.

Los Angeles will try to get back in the win column on July 27 at FC Dallas. New York, which is winless in four straight, will try to end its skid on July 27 at the San Jose Earthquakes.

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