CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy sure look unstoppable right now, pouring in five goals in more games than not over the past couple of months, and Robbie Keane is making a strong case to repeat as Major League Soccer's MVP.
More evidence on both accounts were seen Sunday, when the Galaxy's captain figured in four goals in a 5-1 romp over visiting New York City FC that sent the defending MLS Cup champions to the top of the Western Conference and Supporters' Shield standings.
The Galaxy's front six, once they found their footing about 15 or 20 minutes into the clash, did nearly as they pleased, producing 23 shots – 19 of them from inside the NYCFC box and 12 of them on frame – from superb passing sequences and a vibrant counterattack that might have led to double-digit goals with a little more precision.
They've scored at least five times in seven of their last nine competitive matches at StubHub Center – in four of their last six MLS home games – with Keane in particularly glorious form, with four straight multigoal games, 13 goals and six assists in his last 10 league outings and 18 goals and eight assists in his last 13 competitive games.
“It's the same most weeks,” Steven Gerrard said of Keane's run of form. “When the guy's in form and he's sharp and he's injury-free, he's always going to get you goals. His movement's clever. The one disappointment I've got personally [from this game] is that he never got that third goal and the hat trick.
“Everybody in this dressing room is desperate for Robbie to go on and achieve the MLS again, and we all have the responsibility to keep serving him and keep providing goalscoring opportunities for him, and we're certainly doing that of late.”
Keane has three hat tricks this season, two in MLS play, and might have notched another Sunday, when he hit the crossbar, saw a header cleared off the goal line, and competed with Gerrard at the finish to see who was most unselfish before a two-on-one break disappeared as they played the ball back and forth.
The Irish striker won the MVP award last year, when he scored 19 goals with 16 assists in 29 games, and he has 15 goals and seven assists in 17 matches this year after missing nearly two months with a groin injury. The individual honors mean less to him than the titles, and the way the Galaxy are playing now, another trophy appears within grasp.
“We know we have the players in the team that are quite capable of continuing to do this,” he said when asked if the Galaxy could sustain their form into September, October and the playoffs. “Listen, if we don't concede too many goals, we're going to be a hard team to beat. Because we've got quality in the side, and we've got players that can score goals.
“The good thing is you look at the front four [Keane, Giovani Dos Santos, Sebastian Lletget and Gyasi Zardes], and everyone scored today, which is always a good sign. You got Juninho and Stevie [in central midfield}, who can score also. It's certainly exciting times we have, but just continue, don't get carried away, continue playing as we've been playing for the last month. As long as we can do that, I think we'll be fine.”
