Out of This World: United Has the Tough Task of Stopping Galaxy

IT'S HARD TO BE HOTTER than D.C. United's Luciano Emilio, who has left his indifferent start in the dust with seven goals in his past five games.

And yet that still likely wouldn't be enough to guarantee a starting spot for the Los Angeles Galaxy, who have lived up to the hype and come into Sunday afternoon's showdown at RFK Stadium boasting MLS' two leading scorers and its most prolific offense.

In addition to U.S. national team star Landon Donovan (11 goals in 10 games) and the resurgent Edson Buddle (nine in 10), the West-leading Galaxy (6-4-3) features a David Beckham who, this season, has been just as good as advertised.

Now healthy after an inaugural MLS campaign that was plagued by injury, the English icon has been at his active and incisive best. He has four goals and six assists, and still can turn any possession into a scoring opportunity with his accurate and timely passes.

"It's a potent offense, and they're going to come at you in different ways. It's going to take our best effort to keep them out of the net," D.C. defender Devon McTavish said. "We have to limit Beckham's service out wide. We have to limit his space out there. He's a world-class player. He always finds a way.

"And in terms of Donovan and Buddle, they're different players, but they're about finding the back of the net for him."The challenge will be a stiff one for a United defense that has been the league's worst.

Integrating a new goalkeeper (Zach Wells, who has struggled) and two new starters has proven difficult, as D.C. (6-7-1) has yielded the most goals in MLS (25) and is the only team yet to post a shutout. But United has won three straight, thanks to its improving offense, and fighting fire with fire may be D.C.'s best hope on Sunday.

"I think the key will be to keep the ball," United's Clyde Simms said. "We do that and it's going to be a tough one. You waste a lot more energy defending than attacking, so if we keep the ball and make them run around a little bit, make their attacking options a little tired, then I think we can do well."

Written by Express contributor Brian Straus
Photo by Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images