2:3 Los Angeles New York Kamara dos Santos Royer Valot Romero Gamarra 04.28.18 · League

Two years ago, when a formidable Metro team made a habit of turning two-goal leads into ties, one such match happened in LA. It was marred by two horrible refereeing decisions in injury time, when Metro was denied two blatant penalty kicks.

Tonight, another two-goal lead was blown, but Metro did get a favorable call, converting a PK to beat the Galaxy 3:2. Perhaps it made up for past awfulness, perhaps not...

Jesse Marsch shifted to a five-man backline, inserting Aurelien Collin. Marc Rzatkowski and Florian Valot made way in midfield for Sean Davis.

After some early dominance by LA, Metro got one against the run of play in the 7th. A terrific low cross from Bradley Wright-Phillips found an onrushing Daniel Royer, with the Austrian finally breaking through in league play. Soon after, LA looked to have evened the score after getting behind the Metro defense, Romain Alessandrini converting. However, VAR clearly identified that the initial pass was offside, and the goal was called back.

The rest of the first half was choppy at best, with Royer and Tyler Adams forcing saves from David Bingham, and Aaron Long's header grazing the post.

At the half, Marsch decided that the fifth defender was not needed, and took off Collin for Valot. That immediately paid off four minutes in. Alejandro Romero Gamarra jumped on a loose ball, and BWP played provider again, finding the onrushing Frenchman in front of the net to double the lead.

The Galaxy looked inept up to that point, but the second goal woke them up. LA got one back in the 61st, when a Zlatan Ibrahimovic pass sent Ola Kamara on a breakaway. Five minutes later, the Galaxy won the initial header off a corner, and Giovani dos Santos converted from close range. Then, Ibrahimovic looked to have scored... but was called offside.

In the 83rd, a Kemar Lawrence cross went off the hand of a diving defender in the box. With Royer now out of the match, Romero Gamarra stepped up and blasted the ball into the bottom left corner, Amado Guevara style.

Metro held on for the rest of the match. As long as blowing two-goal leads doesn't become a habit again...

Lineup: Robles, Lawrence, Long, Parker, Collin, Murillo, Adams, Davis, Royer, Romero Gamarra, Wright-Phillips. Subs: Valot, Etienne, Muyl.