LA Galaxy 1–1 Tottenham Hotspur on 24 July 2012

MLS champions LA Galaxy held us to a 1-1 draw in the first friendly of our tour of the USA in Los Angeles on Tuesday night.

We certainly had the better of the possession and chances at the Home Depot Center, but couldn't find the winner after David Junior Lopes cancelled out Gareth Bale's opener.
Jermain Defoe was denied by Brian Perk in the first half and fired just wide after the break, while Bale provided Gylfi Sigurdsson with a golden chance in ther 64th minute only for the Icelander to sidefoot wide.

Galaxy worked tirelessly though and enjoyed a purple period in the first half when Lopes levelled and then Robbie Keane was denied one-on-one by Carlo Cudicini.

The only downside of the exercise was the dreaded I word - as both Rafa van der Vaart and Kyle Walker departed with injury.

We started well and took control of the first half. Bale's cross just needed tapping in and LA goalkeeper Brian Perk did well to claim Townsend's curler diving to his right.

Keane chipped wide but we were soon on the attack again as Defoe fired in from 20 yards, Perk this time producing a better save to divert wide.

The breakthrough arrived after 17 minutes as Bale nodded van der Vaart's pass down to Sigurdsson, peeled into the box and then planted home a bullet header from the Icelander's whipped in cross.

LA gradually got a foothold in the game and levelled in the 29th minute. Sarvas hit a crossfield pass to Jiminez, who crossed instantly for Lopes to slide home from close range.

Keane broke clear but was caught up by Walker and then Cudicini got down well to turn away Stephens' header low to his right.

Former strike partners Defoe and Keane had one more chance each before the break, Defoe glanced Sigurdsson's free-kick straight at Perk and then Keane was denied one-on-one by Cudicini.

Galaxy made a number of chances at half-time - including the departure of Keane - but we made just two as Benoit Assou-Ekotto replaced Bassong and Aaron Lennon came on for Townsend.

With Bale clicking into top gear down the left, we assumed control again in the second half.

Defoe was sent clear by Kaboul in the 55th minute but slid his one-on-one effort inches wide.

Bale was central to the action and looked to have been brought down in the box by Galaxy's second half goalkeeper Brian Rowe on the hour, but appeals were waved away.

The Welshman then hit the left byline at pace and crossed for Sigurdsson, who angled his sidefoot from eight yards just the wrong side of the post.

That signalled the first batch of six substitutions in the middle section of the half with Tom Huddlestone, Kyle Naughton, Tom Carroll, Harry Kane, David Bentley and Michael Dawson all introduced.

We had another claim for a penalty in the 79th minute as Kane looked to be taken down by Meyer, but referee Mr Bazakos was again unimpressed.

Jermain Jenas flashed a shot just wide from the edge of the box and Bentley forced Rowe to pluck his volley out as we searched for the winner.

LA Galaxy (4-4-2): Perk (Rowe, 46); De La Garza (Meyer, 46), Gonzalez (Boyens, 64), Junior Lopes (Jordan, 46), Gaul (Noonan, 21); Franklin (Garcia, 46), Sarvas (Walker, 46), Stephens, Jiminez (Magee, 46); Keane (McBean, 46), Villareal (Barrett, 69).

Spurs (4-2-3-1): Cudicini; Walker (Naughton, 65), Kaboul (Dawson, 65), Vertonghen, Bassong (Assou-Ekotto, 46); Livermore (Huddlestone, 74), Sigurdsson (Carroll, 76); Townsend (Lennon, 46), van der Vaart (Jenas, 36), Bale (Bentley, 74); Defoe (Kane, 65).