Gareth Bale Scores as Tottenham draw with LA Galaxy
By Logan Holmes
A first half goal by Gareth Bale was quickly equalised as Tottenham and LA Galaxy drew the first game of Spurs’ three match tour in America. After a bright start, defensive uncertainty caused Spurs numerous problems as they attempted to maintain a high defensive line. In the second period they were more settled and missed opportunities to win.
LA Galaxy 1 Tottenham Hotspur 1
Scorers: Lopes Bale
Team: Cudicini; Walker (Naughton), Kaboul (Dawson), Vertonghen, Bassong (Assou-Ekotto); Livermore (Huddlestone), Sigurdsson (Carroll); Townsend Lennon), van der Vaart (Jenas), Bale (Bentley); Defoe (Kane).
Tottenham started their first match in America at the Home Depot Centre LA with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Summer signings, Jan Vertonghen and Gylfi Sigurdsson, both started in a team which had Carlo Cudicini in goal and Sebastien Bassong at left back. Sigurdsson and Jake Livermore had the midfield holding role behind Andros Townsend, Rafael Van der Vaart and Bale. Jermain Defoe was the lone striker. Former Spur, Robbie Keane started for the home team but there was no David Beckham.
Bale and Townsend provided the first early threat with a Bale cross from the left and a shot from Townsend which the goalkeeper took diving to his left. Keane responded for Galaxy with an attempted chip over Cudicini which went wide. Defoe was then threatened when he took a flick on from Bale and saw the goalkeeper save his shot for a corner.
After seventeen minutes, Bale put Spurs ahead with a header from a Sigurdsson cross. The lead was short lived as Galaxy put together a move, just before the half hour which undid the Spurs defence. A cross field pass was immediately crossed in for Lopes to score.
The home team threatened again when Keane beat the offside flag but Kyle Walker got back to cut out the danger and then Cudicini made a good save to deny a header from Stephens. Jermaine Jenas replaced the injured Van der Vaart with Sigurdsson taking up the Dutchman’s more advanced role after 36 minutes. Defoe put a header from a Sigurdsson free-kick straight at the goalkeeper. With Spurs playing a high defensive line, Keane had a one on one chance from a long clearance but Cudicini dived at his feet and then Keane put the rebound wide. Just before the interval Bale shot over from distance. In the first half Spurs’ defence looked uncertain with the high line they were trying to hold and Galaxy took advantage of that to cause them numerous problems.
At the start of the second half, Benoit Assou-Ekotto replaced Bassong and Aaron Lennon came on for Townsend. After ten minutes, Defoe had the first chance of the half when put clear by Younes Kaboul but with only the goalkeeper to beat he put his effort wide. Galaxy had a chance which went over before Bale caused more concern for the home defence with claims for a penalty when he seemed to be brought down by the goalkeeper and with a cross which found Sigurdsson but went just wide.
With twenty five minutes remaining, Kyle Naughton replaced Walker who was injured, Dawson came on for Kaboul and Harry Kane took the place of Defoe as lone striker. Spurs were more comfortable in the second half and were less susceptible to the long ball over the defence as more substitutions disrupted the game. Tom Huddlestone and David Bentley replaced Livermore and Bale. Tom Carroll was next on in place of Siggurdson. In the final minutes Spurs were looking for a win with Kane appealing for a penalty and a Lennon shot which hit a defender and went just wide.
The match had started promisingly with two early goals but Spurs’ defensive uncertainty in the first half are a cause for concern but they were more comfortable after the interval and could have won before the usual rush of substitutions saw the game drift to its conclusion in the final minutes.
Next for Andre Villas-Boas is a match against Liverpool in Baltimore on Saturday.