In case Major League Soccer harbored any secret ambitions of taking advantage of the NBA lockout, its two biggest-spending franchises have added a curiously compelling dynamic to the playoffs. The first leg of the conference semifinal between the Los Angeles Galaxy and New York Red Bulls on Sunday couldn’t have ended in more theatrical fashion, with Red Bulls defender Rafael Marquez chucking a ball at Landon Donovan after the final whistle of the 1-0 Galaxy victory.
A scuffle broke out that included Marquez missing with a haymaker intended for backup Los Angeles forward Adam Cristman before falling to the ground without any contact.
Donovan called Marquez “a disgrace,” then lashed out at the Red Bulls, saying, “In all my years in this league I’ve never played against a cheaper team, and they’ve been doing it all year.”
New York forward and Englishman Luke Rodgers — the subject of Donovan’s “I’m confused. Who is Luke Rogers?” tweet earlier this season — has used a few expletives more than once to describe the U.S. forward.
“It’s funny to me that people saying we’re the cheaper team,” Rodgers said. “I got into an argument with the goalkeeper, and he was saying, ‘You’re in my country now. You’re in my country.’?”
The chippy confrontation resumes Thursday in Los Angeles in what could be the last Galaxy game for David Beckham if Thierry Henry and the Red Bulls come from behind and win the total goals series.
– Craig Stouffer
