McInerney's goal a bright spot in Union loss

In a game in which not much went right for the Union, one of the bright spots was provided by the team's youngest player.

Jack McInerney, the Union's 17-year-old forward, scored his first Major League Soccer goal in a bittersweet moment late in Saturday's 3-1 loss to the host Los Angeles Galaxy at the Home Depot Center.

Los Angeles (5-0-1) jumped out to a 3-0 first-half lead, exposing several sizable holes in the defense for the Union, which fell to 1-4. McInerney's goal came in the 84th minute. Receiving a nice feed from midfielder Fred, McInerney took one dribble inside the box before firing into the back of the net.

"It was a good feeling getting that first goal - but, unfortunately, it came in a loss," McInerney said in a telephone interview.

The Union didn't pack it in after going down 3-0 at halftime forcing action in the second half while playing with ten men on the pitch.

Near the end of the first half, midfielder Stefani Miglioranzi was given a red card when his late slide tackle, with both feet flying, leveled the Galaxy's Juninho.

It was the third time this year the Union have had to play a man down because of a red.

"Playing a man down isn't easy, but you have no other choice but to work hard," McInerney said.

As for his goal, McInerney cited his teammate: "We had a two-on-one and [Fred] created space for me, gave me the opportunity to shoot it."

The Galaxy set the tone almost immediately when A.J. DeLaGarza scored on a feed from Edson Buddle just 53 seconds into the game.

Buddle increased his league-leading goal total to nine with two scores before halftime.

Although Union goalkeeper Chris Seitz has been maligned during the early part of the year, the goals were the result of a shaky defense that allowed Galaxy players to roam freely.

The Union, who visit defending MLS champion Real Salt Lake on Saturday, played without leading scorer Sebastien Le Toux, out with a left knee injury.