|
Game stats: 
CARSON, California - Tommy Meyer scored his first goal for the LA Galaxy and 17-year-old Jack McBean had his second, leading the U.S. champions past the Puerto Rico Islanders 4-0 on Wednesday to take command of Group 5 in the CONCACAF Champions League.
The result moved the Galaxy alone atop the group with six points, three better than Metapan. The Islanders have zero points and neared elimination as the Group Stage reached its midpoint.
Los Angeles, however, must play its remaining two games away - including its finale at Metapan on October 25.
Despite playing without its three major attractions: David Beckham, Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane - the latter pair who didn't even dress, the Galaxy avenged its 4-1 loss to the Islanders at home two years ago that essentially eliminated Los Angeles in the Preliminary Round.
Donovan, who leads the Galaxy with 11 assists, is nursing a strained left hamstring muscle suffered in the United States' friendly win against Mexico on August 15. Keane, the team leader in goals with 11, was suspended after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession in last week's Champions match against Metapan.
Beckham, who played 78 minutes of the Galaxy's last league match against FC Dallas before leaving with the flu, was listed as a substitute but did not play.
The Galaxy, starting mostly young reserves, went ahead in the seventh minute. Meyer, 22, who has played in four games his rookie season, headed in Kenny Walker's corner kick from five meters.
Jose Villarreal doubled the advantage seconds into the second half. McBean's glancing header off Hector Jimenez's long ball found Villarreal sprinting through the middle of the field. Chased by Richard Martinez and Anthony Vasquez, Villarreal drew goalkeeper Richard Martin off his line.
As the three Islanders converged on Villarreal, Martinez bumped the 18-year-old American striker, but not before he was able to poke the ball past Martin and rolled the ball into the net from outside the 18.
McBean extended the lead to 3-0 in the 80th minute. Martinez blocked McBean's 10-yard, right-footed shot off Michael Stephens' right-wing cross, but McBean converted the rebound with his left foot from eight meters.
Two minutes later, Stephens finished the scoring. The Islanders' Pari Pantazopoulos tried to secure a loose ball but his tackle sent it to Stephens, who scored from 13 meters
Puerto Rico's Jonathan Fana also missed the game because of a hamstring injury. Fana leads the Islanders with five assists.
