In Its Trip Out West, United's Fortunes Go South in Defeat

United goalkeeper Louis Crayton dives too late to stop a goal by the Galaxy's Alan Gordon in the first half. D.C. became the first team in more than three months to lose to the Galaxy. (By Mark Avery -- Associated Press)

Khumalo knocked down the English veteran in midfield, but Vaughn ignored it. Beckham berated Vaughn as play continued and received the warning.

The rest of the half belonged to the Galaxy.

Chris Klein threaded an elegant through ball to Donovan, who sped through the heart of D.C.'s defense to take possession and close on the advancing Crayton before cleverly using the outside of his right foot to tie the match in the 23rd minute.

Eddie Lewis sent Beckham's cross off the far post, but the Galaxy continued to exploit the disheveled visitors. In the 35th, after Crayton did well to thwart Alan Gordon, Donovan was given too much time on the ball and ripped a 25-yarder into the left corner.

"We got careless," Soehn said. "I'm not sure if the early goal caused that, but we turned over the ball in some really bad spots."

Three minutes later, during a chaotic scene in the penalty area, Crayton failed to cover a dangerous pass. A poor clearance landed at the feet of Lewis, whose shot was blocked by the scrambling goalie. The rebound fell to Gordon, whose shot beat Crayton and two sliding defenders to the near corner.

There could have been more as a blown offside call gave Edson Buddle a breakaway, but Crayton made a terrific save and Buddle's second attempt skipped off the crossbar.

"We got caught in two mind-sets, trying to press them at times and no one was really on the same page," McTavish said. "Defenders got caught trying to sit back and some other players got caught trying to press. There are certain times to press and certain times to sit back, and in the situations where you are on the road and you are up 1-0, you just have to sit back and get 10 guys behind the ball and just defend."

The second half started as well as the first for United as Khumalo, in just his third appearance, took advantage of more sleepy defensive play, collected Gonzalo Martinez's long ball and easi ly freed himself to beat the wandering Wicks.

But as United pressed for an equalizer, Burch was sent off.

"The second half we were playing well and the ref turned it around and made it an impossible game for us to win," Burch said.

Reserve Peter Vagenas promptly sealed the outcome in the 81st minute, volleying Donovan's splendid cross from deep in the box, and Donovan completed the hat trick in the final moments with his 19th goal on what United thought was an offside situation.