Los Angeles Galaxy tie TFC 2-2

By Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press

Teenage substitute Jose Villarreal scored in the 92nd minute Saturday afternoon, connecting on a bicycle kick to give defending MLS champion Los Angeles a 2-2 tie with Toronto FC in a game that saw Galaxy star Landon Donovan make his comeback.

The stoppage-time goal came on a free kick that saw the ball headed back in front of goal by Toronto defender Darel Russell where the 19-year-old pulled out his acrobatics.

Toronto substitute Jonathan Osorio looked to have given the Reds their second victory of the season with the first goal of his MLS career in the 78th minute.

Fellow sub Luis Silva made the Osorio goal, twisting and turning a Los Angeles defender on the edge of the penalty box before sending the ball across goal where Osorio, a 20-year-old rookie midfielder playing in his hometown, got a foot to it. It marked the first time the Galaxy, who had given up just one goal in three previous league outings, had trailed in MLS play this season.

But the deficit didn’t last long.

Los Angeles (2-0-2) probably deserved not to lose on run of play but Toronto (1-2-1) seemed to have found a way to win. New manager Ryan Nelsen promised to make BMO Field a fortress and his team has now won and tied its first two games at home — one of which came at Rogers Centre.

Mike Magee scored his fifth goal of the season in the 16th minute to give Los Angeles the early lead before 18,355 on a sunny 10-degree day on Toronto’s lakefront.

Robert Earnshaw pounced on a defensive miscue to tie it 13 minutes later for Toronto, which showed composure in mounting a first-half comeback against talented opposition. Previous editions of TFC might have folded.

Fresh from a sabbatical of nearly four months, Donovan returned to action as a substitute in the 61st minute. He could have celebrated his comeback with a goal a minute later when Magee found him behind the defence but he scuffed the shot and Toronto goalkeeper Joe Bendik gathered it in.

The 31-year-old Donovan is the Galaxy’s all-time leading scorer with 92 goals.

The Los Angeles starting lineup was missing more star power in the absence of striker Robbie Keane, who suffered a calf strain playing for Ireland in a World Cup qualifier against Sweden. Keane (123 games, 54 goals) and Donovan (144, 49) have 267 international caps and 103 goals between them.

The visitors looked comfortable on the ball from the get-go, probing the Toronto defence and winning the battles in central midfield.

Toronto’s backline was ripped open in the 16th when Magee tapped in a mis-hit shot from Marcelo Sarvas that angled through the penalty box. Jack McBean found time and space for the setup with a nice spinning move to elude Toronto midfielder Jeremy Hall and feed the ball to Sarvas. Magee then beat Russell to get to the ball.

It could have been 2-0 in the 21st but a diving Bendik made a marvellous one-handed save off a Magee header after the Galaxy forward outjumped Danny Califf.

Earnshaw equalized against the run of play in the 29th minute after Toronto pressure led to a Galaxy mistake. Racing off his goal-line after a poor pass from Leonardo, Carlo Cudicini tried to reach a ball in another time zone. The speedy Earnshaw got to the ball first, flicking it past the floundering goalie and then firing it in from 35 yards out with his left foot.

The Welsh striker celebrated with his trademark somersault, adding his flamboyant matador finish. And why not? He has been a one-man scoring machine for Toronto, accounting for the club’s first four goals.

Toronto winger Reggie Lambe had a good chance in the 36th, firing a shot that grazed the side netting.

Earnshaw got nothing from referee Hilario Grajeda when he went down in the box late in the half.

Silva, who had been sidelined with a hamstring injury, made his season debut for Toronto when he came on in the 72nd minute.

Los Angeles started Magee and the 18-year-old McBean up front. Omar Gonzalez slotted back into the defence after being away with the U.S. team.

Toronto shifted Richard Eckersley from right back to left with fellow Englishman Russell entering at right back. Ashtone Morgan, the 22-year-old incumbent left back who had been away with Canada on international duty, moved to the bench.

Russell had a difficult afternoon. But he got little help from a sluggish John Bostock, who was playing ahead of him.

Up until Saturday, it’s been a smooth entree to MLS for Cudicini, who came into the game with two shutouts and just four saves in three league games. In his five previous games for L.A. in all competitions, the 39-year-old had three shutouts and allowed just two goals.

Toronto came into the game with a 2-4-5 career record against the Galaxy. Its last league win came in 2008, when it swept the season series. But TFC tied and defeated Los Angeles in CONCACAF Champions League play last season.

The Galaxy had tied in their last three visits in Toronto and were 1-1-3 in past games at BMO Field, with all three draws finishing at 0-0.

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