Miguel Berry’s goal deep in stoppage time Saturday gave the Galaxy a 2-2 tie with Real Salt Lake before a sellout crowd of 25,220 at Dignity Health Sports Park.
Berry came off the bench in the 69th minute, then 25 minutes later banged in a cross from Riqui Puig on the final touch of the game to rescue a point. The Galaxy’s other score came from Gabriel Pec, whose low left-footed shot deflected off RSL keeper Zac MacMath early in the second half to snap the team’s 269-minute scoreless streak dating to April 21.
Cristian Arango got RSL’s two scores in a 21-minute span of the first half. Even with the late score RSL (6-2-4) extended its MLS-best unbeaten streak to eight games and its lead atop the Western Conference table to two points over Minnesota United, the Galaxy’s next opponent.
The Galaxy (5-2-5), winless in their last three, remained third in the standings.
The Galaxy were on the front foot from the start, outshooting RSL 9-0 in the first 19 minutes. But the visitors made their first shot count, with Arango beating defender Maya Yoshida to a high cross in the center of the box, then heading it past former LAFC teammate John McCarthy in the 21st minute.
Arango beat McCarthy from the center of again 21 minutes later, this time with his right foot, one-timing home a nifty pass from Andrés Gómez. That goal was Arango’s 11th of the season, tying him with DC United’s Christian Benteke and Inter Miami’s Luis Suárez for the MLS lead.
Galaxy forward Miguel Berry celebrates his game-tying goal against Real Salt Lake Saturday in Carson.
(Ryan Sun / Associated Press)
Pec pulled that back after an RSL turnover 10 minutes into the second half.
Winger Joseph Paintsil wound up with the loose ball and sent it on to Riqui Puig, who dribbled across the top of the box before right-footing a soft feed in front of a hard-charging Pec on the left wing. After the goal, his third of the season, Pec lifted the bottom of his jersey to show a message on his white undershirt that dedicated the goal to the people of Rio Grande do Sul, his home state in southern Brazil, which has been devastated by recent floods.
Puig also assisted on that goal and leads the team with seven. More importantly, however, the score gave the Galaxy life and they pushed hard for the equalizer, outshooting RSL 23-12 and putting six shots on target. They also had 10 corners to RSL’s four.
But MacMath was stout in goal until the final seconds, making five saves, before Berry finally got a right-footed shot past him for his first score with the Galaxy.
