CARSON, Calif. – In a seven-goal thriller, the San Jose Earthquakes fell to the LA Galaxy 4-3 Sunday night at Dignity Health Sports Park in the 100th California Clásico between the two clubs in all competitions.
The hosts opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Gabriel Pec outraced. The Galaxy would add a second one 10 minutes later when Joseph Paintsil converted from the spot after a video replay ruled a handball in the box had occurred off a set piece. The Galaxy added a third when Maya Yoshida headed home a corner kick at the half-hour mark. However, San Jose would answer three minutes later when Rodrigues headed in a set piece that came off a deflection of a Cristian Espinoza service.
LA extended the lead once more in the 56th minute when Riqui Puig netted in transition, but the Earthquakes refused to fold. Espinoza collected his second assist of the match in the 58th minute when he found substitute Benji Kikanović, who promptly pulled one back for San Jose. Then in the 70th minute, the Quakes clawed back into the game when Galaxy defender Eriq Zavaleta hauled down Jeremy Ebobisse in the box. A red card was given and Ebobisse scored the ensuing penalty to cut the deficit to one. With LA playing with 10 men, the Black and Blue furiously pushed the issue for the rest of the game but could not find a late equalizer before the final whistle.
The Quakes now travel to Tennessee for their next match against Nashville SC on Saturday, April 27. Kickoff from Geodis Park is set for 5:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, as well as on local radio via AM 810 The Spread (English) and AM 1370 La Kaliente (Spanish).
GAME NOTES
In MLS play, the Earthquakes now hold a 28-39-17 record against the Galaxy, including a 10-24-6 record on the road.
In all competitions against LA, the Quakes’ record falls to 33-48-19 (142 GF, 163 GA) and 12-29-6 as the visiting team (61 GF, 86 GA).
San Jose forward Preston Judd played his second game against his former Galaxy teammates, while assistant coach Ian Russell once suited up for LA (2007) after spending the majority of his playing career with the Quakes (2000-05).
Winger Cristian Espinoza continued his torrid pace in the California Clásico, notching fifth and sixth assist in 15 appearances for the Quakes versus their SoCal rivals.
The two assists marked Espinoza’s second multi-assist game of the season. He also amassed two assists against Seattle on March 23 in a 3-2 Quakes win.
Forward Jeremy Ebobisse remained a thorn in the Galaxy’s side with 10 goals in 15 career games against the Galaxy. Four of those goals have come with the Earthquakes, while the other six were tallied during his tenure with the Portland Timbers.
LA Galaxy 4-3 San Jose Earthquakes
Sunday, April 21, 2024 – Dignity Health Sports Park; Carson, Calif.
Attendance: 25,335
Scoring Summary:
LA (1-0) – Gabriel Pec (unassisted) 14’
LA (2-0) – Joseph Paintsil (penalty kick) 24’
LA (3-0) – Maya Yoshida (Joseph Paintsil) 30’
SJ (3-1) – Rodrigues (Cristian Espinoza) 32’
LA (4-1) – Riqui Puig (Gabriel Pec, Dejan Joveljic) 56’
SJ (4-2) – Benji Kikanović (Cristian Espinoza) 58’
SJ (4-3) – Jeremy Ebobisse (penalty kick) 72’
Misconduct Summary:
LA – Joseph Paintsil (caution) 7’
SJ – Cristian Espinoza (caution) 45’
SJ – Carlos Gruezo (caution) 54’
SJ – Vítor Costa (caution) 65’
LA – Eriq Zavaleta (ejection) 70’
SJ – Jack Skahan (caution) 76’
LA – Miguel Berry (caution) 90+2’
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: William Yarbrough; Carlos Akapo, Tanner Beason, Rodrigues, Vítor Costa (Ousseni Bouda 87’); Carlos Gruezo (Alfredo Morales 77’), Jackson Yueill (C), Niko Tsakiris (Jack Skahan 57’); Cristian Espinoza, Amahl Pellegrino (Benji Kikanović 57’), Preston Judd (Jeremy Ebobisse 46’).
Substitutes not used: Emi Ochoa (GK), Paul Marie, Daniel Munie, Jamar Ricketts.
POSS.: 42.1%; SHOTS: 19; SHOTS ON GOAL: 7; CORNERS: 5; SAVES: 3; FOULS: 21; xG: 2.5
LA GALAXY: John McCarthy; Julian Aude, Maya Yoshida (C), Martin Cáceres (Eriq Zavaleta 61’), Gaston Brugman; Mark Delgado, Riqui Puig, Edwin Cerrillo (Mauricio Cuevas 65’); Dejan Joveljić (Miguel Berry 85’), Gabriel Pec (Daniel Aguirre 85’), Joseph Paintsil (Diego Fagundez 66’).
Substitutes not used: Novak Micović, John Nelson, Jonathan Pérez, Gino Vivi.
POSS.: 57.9%; SHOTS: 11; SHOTS ON GOAL: 7; CORNERS: 3; SAVES: 4; FOULS: 11; xG: 2.6
EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH LUCHI GONZALEZ
On takeaways from tonight’s match:
“We’re creating danger and we’re effective in most moments. With Colorado we didn’t show effectiveness, but tonight we were more effective. … We had that same feeling in Austin, where we’re conceding too many [goals]. The first goal was a setup play and built up from the goalkeeper that we worked on and we know where to play and how to win. In that second goal, we knew how to create that numbers advantage but we didn’t execute it and we didn’t have the best transitions. … The one is a transition moment as well. These are the transition moments that are hurting us. Set pieces and transitions are hurting us.”
On Preston Judd and Jeremy Ebobisse on the roster alternating starts recently:
“It’s one game a time. Those two players are competing. It’s really good healthy competitions. They both give us things that are dangerous for a center forward. Preston got the nod tonight. It wasn’t his best night. It happens. ... But we decided to make an early sub with [Jeremy]. And that shows you his mentality to be ready to come in and make a positive impact. That’s what you expect from the guys who maybe don’t start and come in and grab opportunities. We’ll take it one game at a time, but the competition is healthy. It’s good competition, and we’re hopeful it brings out the best in both of them.”
On the Quakes fans, many of whom made the trip south for the 100th California Clásico:
“Thank you to the fans that came out to support us in numbers tonight. We heard you. We felt you even in this L.A. environment. I know they saw the guys fight until the end and not give up.”
EARTHQUAKES MIDFIELDER JACKSON YUEILL
On reflections from tonight’s match:
“I’m always impressed with the effort that the guys give. That’s one of our values; our ability to work as a team, to work as a group, to give 100 percent for each other and for the group. It’s a good team that we played against and we’re not happy with the result, but we’re going to keep working and keep fighting to turn things around here.”
On motivating the team as captain:
“The group has been motivated from Day One. Some of the results haven’t gone our way. We’ve shot ourselves in the foot a few too many times and given up good leads, but I’m proud of this group. I still believe in this group. [We have] some fantastic players, and we’re going to keep fighting. I think you can see it in the group, a resilient group. We’re a couple steps away from getting the results we wanted. We’ll keep working and look forward to the next game Saturday.”
On what spurred the second-half comeback:
“We just wanted to reinforce our game plan. Unfortunately, the goals we gave up in the first half weren’t really through field play. I think it was a lack of focus on certain moments in set pieces, and I think it was about refocusing and knowing we have a game plan, and executing a little more. We let a little bit of the first half get away from us and dug ourselves into a little bit of a hole. But the guys spoke to each other. We said, ‘This is the situation. We’re not going to complain. We’re just going to go back out there and fight for one another and see what we can do.’ The guys showed a lot of heart, and for them to do what they did in the second half, I’m proud of them.”
