By JONATHAN VERA
CARSON, Calif. – Depending on who you asked, the only thing worse than the weather during the Los Angeles Galaxy's 1-1 tie vs. New England was the officiating.
Referee in charge Hilario Grajeda negated a goal scored by Juninho early in the first after LA’s Mike Magee “fouled” keeper Matt Reis. Two other goals were disallowed and rightfully so as they LA attackers were offside.
“Oh obviously [it was a foul], the referee gave it so it must have been,” said Revs coach Steve Nicol. “We’re looking at it as we got away with one. Last year we should have had a penalty in the 80th minute and not lost 1-0, sometimes you get them sometimes you don’t.”
The other, unexpected attraction, in Sunday night’s faceoff was the horrific weather conditions.
The rain made the pitch slick and greasy in the first minutes of play. But well into the second half, the field was so waterlogged the ball slowed and dragged noticeably in the passing.
“[The weather] brought back a few memories. It’s always good fun -- but it’s always fun if you get a result in tough conditions, but it’s good fun playing in those conditions,” reflected Nicol on his old England days as a player for Liverpool and others.
“I don’t think anyone can predict that kind of weather down here, but it was a battle in the game tonight and it was all about trying to win a 50/50 ball and working hard for each other, and our team did that tonight,” Said Joseph. “We got a point on the road against a good Galaxy team and we’ll take that and try to be better next week.”
Next week New England will take on D.C. United at Gillette Stadium.
