An 89th-minute goal by Javier “Chicharito” Hernández gave the Los Angeles Galaxy a 1-0 win against New York City FC, MLS champions last year but this Sunday they were inferior to the Los Angeles team.
The Galaxy had dominated New York City for most of the game but they had been inaccurate all afternoon.
However, Chicharito appeared at the decisive moment with a great shot inside the area after a brilliant cut to Maxime Chanot, a goal with which the Angelenos achieved a victory “in extremis” against the current champions of the league.
The joy may have been fleeting as in minute 92 Heber had a very clear chancebut the New York City forward crossed the ball too much.
Chicharito was the main reference in attack of some Galaxy in which the Brazilian debuted Douglas Costa, who is the great addition to the team for this new season after playing in Europe in prestigious teams such as Bayern Munich or Juventus.
Costa, who played with a changed leg starting from the right wing and who he was substituted by Efraín Álvarez in the 66th minutestood out in the first half with several incursions and dangerous diagonals.
Instead, Chicharito had had a couple of good chances in the second half before in the 89th minute he scored the decisive goal.
For its part, New York City FC went from plus to minus, gave the Galaxy complete control in the second halfand his best moments this afternoon came in the first half and at the hands of Argentine striker Valentín Castellanos, top scorer in MLS in 2021 with 19 goals tied with Ola Kamara of DC United.
More than 25,000 people attended the first game of the season at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles (USA).
The project of the Galaxy returns to focus on Chicharito, who stood out last season with 17 goals.
However, the Galaxy did not live up to expectations and they didn’t even qualify for the playoffs.