The Los Angeles Galaxy was able to continue its unbeaten streak tonight after taking down the New England Revolution. It was a messy match, and both teams were down to 10 men in the first half. Galaxy took an early lead, which it was able to expand on to win 5-1. Although, Robbie Keane made a stellar goal that is definitely “goal the week” material, Gyasi Zardes was the player to once again prove his worth to MLS fans by scoring twice in tonight’s match. This means he has made at least one goal in 5 of his last 7 matches. He is becoming the incredible scorer Galaxy fans were hoping for back when the team signed him as a Homegrown Player.

Zardes signed with Galaxy last year with a homegrown contract after playing three years at Cal State Bakersfield. Prior to his time at Bakersfield, Zardes played one year in Galaxy’s academy, which is what allowed Galaxy to sign him. Zardes was definitely the number one pick in the 2013 SuperDraft, and many non-Galaxy fans felt cheated when Galaxy was able to swipe the number one pick to add to its already stellar lineup. It may not have been cheating, but it sure felt like it.

However, Zardes career didn’t start off with a bang. Although, he quickly joined the LA Galaxy first team, his minutes with the team were rarely fruitful. There was a strong learning curve for Zardes, and many impatient fans thought the homegrown signing was a mistake. Joining a professional league is obviously a shock to any player regardless of how great they are, and Zardes has shown that all he needed was some time to adjust.

This season has not been Galaxy’s best performance all-around, but it is definitely the season Zardes has made a name for himself. Although, Galaxy has struggled to win matches, it has been able to keep an 8-match unbeaten streak. Zardes has a lot to do with this streak, because he often has been making the goals to help the team win or draw.

Bottom line, Keane and Landon Donovan are no longer the only top scorers for Galaxy. Zardes is definitely working his was up the list. It is still very early in his career, and it is possible that he will one day be chasing Donovan’s all-time MLS scoring record if he keeps it up, and if the MLS can keep him in the league. It would be great if young players like Zardes do stay MLS, because it will only make the league better, and encourage more young talent to stay stateside.

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About the author
Jackee Arce
Writing is my life; soccer is my passion; everything else is just a bonus.