by Marko Ukalovic
SAN JOSE, Calif- Beat LA, Beat LA. That could be the new motto for the San Jose Earthquakes.
For the the second time in less than a week, the Quakes pulled off a dramatic come from behind victory over an MLS team from Los Angeles. This time it was the Los Angeles Galaxy’s turn to suffer the sting of defeat in a 2-1 loss on Saturday evening at Earthquakes Stadium in the third installment of the California Classico.
Andrés “Andy” Ríos cashed in a penalty kick in the 82nd minute to give the Quakes their first and only lead of the match. It was set up when Cristian Espinoza set in a cross over to Shea Salinas just inside the box. Rolf Feltscher tripped up Salinas on the ensuing play and referee Robert Sibiga awarded San Jose the eventual game winning shot. It was Ríos third goal of the season.
The win for San Jose has given them something they haven’t had during the regular season in 2020, a winning streak. For LA, they have lost four matches in a row and are currently on a five-match winless streak. San Jose has now climbed out of the basement of the Western Conference and sit only a point out of the 8th and final playoff spot with 17 points (Real Salt Lake has 18 points). The Galaxy are now dead last in the conference.
For the second match in a row, Quakes head coach Matias Almeyda stayed with the same starting lineup he had last Saturday against LAFC.
Also for the second time in a row, the Quakes conceded the first goal of the match early in the first half. It only took the Galaxy four minutes in to the first 45 minutes to get on the scoreboard.
Quakes killer, Cristian Pavón set up LA’s lone goal with a nice cross inside the box where Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez hit the right post with his shot attempt. The rebound squirted out to Sebastian Lletget, who one-timed the ball into an empty net for his sixth goal of the season. He has scored four of the last five Galaxy goals.
San Jose (4-6-5) had a great opportunity to even the game in 12th minute when Los Angeles conceded a penalty kick off a handball by Nicholas DePuy off a Chris Wondolowski pass attempt. After a video review the call stood on the pitch.
However, Wondo telegraphed his penalty kick attempt to the right that allowed Galaxy goalkeeper David Bingham to make a diving one-handed save to deny the all-time career MLS goal scorer from getting number 164.
San Jose controlled played for the last 20 minutes of the first half. Headers from Wondo in the 26th minute and Florian Jungwith in the 32nd minute gave the Quakes momentum after the fast start by Los Angeles.
The Quakes scored the equalizer at the 42nd minute when a cross from Nick Lima sailed over from right to left on to the foot of Marcos López. The 20-year old left back made one touch before blasting a left footed strike past Bingham into the upper right corner of the net for his first career MLS goal.
“For me, it means a lot because I’ve wanted it for a long time. I find it in a good time professionally, I’m still growing as a player, but I’m glad for my goal and happy for the team. I thank God for the opportunity and also the team for giving it their all,” López said.
Things got chippy at the 58th minute when Lima and Joe Corona challenged for a ball near the sideline that resulted in Corona slapping Lima in the back of the head when both players were down on the ground. Emotions flared as Jackson Yueill confronted Corona by pushing him. Both Yueill and Corona received yellow cards for their actions.
“I wouldn’t count it to one moment exactly,” said Lima regarding the team’s first winning steak of the season. “I count to a couple days leading up to the game and not playing the role of the victim. We went down to LAFC knowing that it was going to be a tough game, but we went and played freely. We emphasized that, and we emphasized work rates, just kind of the simple things that you can control. We made that front and center, and that we have a goal. At the time we had to solidify something that we’re all achieving. I think getting into a playoff spot is what that is right now, and we go out there each game with that goal in the back of our minds. We’re trying to get that.”
San Jose’s backline did an impeccable job at keeping Los Angeles’ (4-7-3) big three of Pavón, Chicharito and Jonathan dos Santos off the scoresheet. Pavón was left frustrated on the final play of the match when his free kick from 20 yards out sailed high and wide of the net.
“Tonight, we felt joy. The players in these last two games have given a whole lot. They are believing more in themselves, and luckily after a long time we were able to train for one week straight. I think today we faced a very difficult opponent, the previous game as well, and we were able to be competitive and get the victory,” Almeyda said.
Quakes goalkeeper J.T. Marcinkowski didn’t record a save in his second straight victory. Bingham made four saves in the losing effort.
GAME NOTES: San Jose three corner kicks. Los Angeles had four.
Yony González made his Galaxy debut. The 26 year old from Colombia came in as a substitute in the 72nd minute for Lletget.
Quakes forward Danny Hoesen underwent surgery to repair oblique and adductor muscle tears on Friday. The surgery, performed by Dr. William Brown, is expected to sideline the forward for the remainder of the 2020 regular season.
Hoesen, 29, has made 104 appearances (64 starts) for San Jose since joining the club in 2017, tallying 23 goals and 12 assists. Hoesen was named the team’s Most Valuable Player in 2018 and his 23 goals rank seventh all-time in Earthquakes history.
San Jose is now 5-2-2 against the Galaxy in its last nine matches. LA leads the overall series 32-25-16.
The Earthquakes are one of four teams in MLS, and one of just two teams in the Western Conference, to win each of their last two matches.
The Quakes held LA to just one shot on target.
UP NEXT: San Jose hosts the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday 10/7 at 7:30pm at Earthquakes Stadium.
Sports Radio Service 