SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes fell to the LA Galaxy 3-2 on Saturday night at Dignity Health Sports Park. Sixteen-year-old Cade Cowell became the youngest player in club history to start and the youngest player in club history to score, while rookie defender Tanner Beason made his MLS debut.
San Jose jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when defender Tommy Thompson sent a low cross that found Vako at the back post and his first-timed shot flew past goalkeeper David Bingham. It marked Vako’s second goal of the season and 25th of his MLS career. Vako is now tied with Brian Ching for the fifth most goals in club history.
The Galaxy tied the match 22 minutes later by way of a Daniel Steres header.
The Earthquakes regained the lead on a curling effort by Cowell in the 59th minute, the first of his career. He cut the ball from the left onto his right foot and sent his shot from distance just inside the far post.
LA scored two goals over the last 20 minutes to regain the lead and ultimately hold on for three points.
The Earthquakes will return to San Jose before traveling back to Los Angeles to face LAFC at Banc of California Stadium on Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 8:00 p.m. PT. The match, presented by Michelob ULTRA, will be broadcast live on UniMas/TUDN, KNBR 1050 and1370 KZSF.
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GAME NOTES
San Jose now holds a 2-2-2 record this season and sit in eighth place in the Western Conference.
The Earthquakes are now 3-2-1 against the LA Galaxy in their last six meetings.
Sixteen-year-old Cade Cowell scored his first MLS goal during his first MLS start, playing 67 minutes. He has now made three appearances for the Quakes this season.
Rookie defender Tanner Beason made his MLS debut, starting and playing 90 minutes.
Midfielder Vako scored his second goal of the season and 25th of his MLS career. With the goal, he tied Brian Ching for fifth most goals in Earthquakes history.
With tonight’s goal, Vako has now scored in each of the team’s last three matches against the LA Galaxy.
Defender Tommy Thompson tallied an assist on Vako’s goal, his second assist of the season and seventh of his MLS career.
Midfielder Cristian Espinoza tallied an assist on Vako’s goal, his third assist of the season and 16th of his MLS career.
Midfielder Jackson Yueill wore the captain’s armband for the first time with the Quakes.
San Jose had three Homegrown Players in the starting lineup for just the fourth time in club history and first time since 2018.
MLS Regular Season
LA Galaxy 3 – 2 San Jose Earthquakes
Aug. 29, 2020 – Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif.
Scoring Summary: SJ – Vako (Tommy Thompson, Cristian Espinoza) 11: LA – Daniel Steres (Sebastian Lletget) 33; SJ – Cade Cowell (Vako) 59; LA – Cristian Pavon (penalty) 72; LA – Sebastian Lletget (unassisted) 82.
Misconduct Summary: LA - Rolf Feltscher (caution) 52; LA – Julian Araujo (caution) 56.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: Daniel Vega; Nick Lima, Tanner Beason, Florian Jungwirth, Tommy Thompson (Paul Marie 82); Jackson Yueill, Judson, Cade Cowell (Shea Salinas 67), Vako (Danny Hoesen 82), Cristian Espinoza; Andy Rios (Chris Wondolowski 82).
Substitutes not used: Eric Calvillo, Luis Felipe, Guram Kashia, Marcos Lopez, JT Marcinkowski, Chris Wondolowski.
SHOTS: 10, SHOTS ON GOAL: 4; SAVES: 6; FOULS: 11; CORNER KICKS: 5, OFFSIDES: 2.
LA GALAXY: David Bingham; Emiliano Insua, Daniel Steres, Nick DePuy, Julian Araujo, Rolf Feltscher (Efrain Alvarez 62); Perry Kitchen, Joe Corona (Jonathan dos Santos 62), Sebastian Lletget (Emil Cuello 88); Cristian Pavon, Ethan Zubak (Kai Koreniuk 89).
Substitutes not used: Cameron Dunbar, Giancarlo Gonzalez, Jonathan Klinsmann, Diedie Traore.
SHOTS: 21; SHOTS ON GOAL: 11; SAVES: 2; FOULS: 10; CORNER KICKS: 8, OFFSIDES: 1.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH MATIAS ALMEYDA
On if the team was affected after not playing a match in a month:
“I don’t think the result was a good justification. The reality in football becomes very difficult when there is so much instability. You change training schedules; you change schedules and it stops being football. It was a Clasico today, and it seemed like a friendly after flying on the same day. It seemed amateur, but this did not have an impact on the result because the opposition was better.”
On conceding from set pieces and why it’s been a problem:
“What you said is true and I agree with you. We’ve been here for a year and seven months. Every week, we spend an hour and a half, hour and 15 on set pieces. We also work on crosses and following our marks and I can assure you every time we concede a set piece goal, it hurts me more than anybody else. It’s a matter of insisting and keep working on it because there’s been many games where we’ve conceded like this and they’ve hurt us with set pieces.”
On why he started Cade Cowell and Tanner Beason for the first time each:
“Two of our players got injured. Based off what I saw in training, I thought it was time to use the youngsters, especially in these types of games which will develop them as good professionals. With the remaining time in the season, I’m going to try things out. There’s a situation with contracts ending. Thinking about next year, I want things to be very clear when I decide who I can count on and who I will stop counting on. And these two young players, who have been training well, who have been playing well, I thought it was time to give them playing time to start developing them for the future.”
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES FORWARD CADE COWELL
On scoring his first MLS goal in his first MLS start:
“It felt really good tonight. No better feeling to have my first start. I was really excited and on top of that, to have a goal and put my team in the lead. It was a great feeling but an unlucky result tonight.
On if he feels confident to contribute more minutes for the team:
“Whenever Matias calls on me, I’ll be ready every single time but until then, I’ll always be ready and hopefully I will do the same thing every time.”
On the 3-2 loss:
“I felt like it was a very unlucky game. Other than that, we’ll get the next one. Like the players said, it was just an unlucky game today.”
On his goal:
“I got the ball on the left side and I cut it onto my right, took one touch and then I curled it around the keeper and then it happened to go in, so it was a nice feeling.”
On the moment Almeyda informed him that he’d be starting:
“At training, he was discussing starting lineups to prepare for the game, and we were going over set pieces. I was in the starting lineup and he was just telling me to be confident and play calmly and that I have nothing to prove out there.”
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES DEFENDER TANNER BEASON
On his first MLS appearance:
“I felt good out there. It’s just exciting to be out there. Happy to get a chance to compete out there with the guys. Everyone was super helpful and encouraging me, helping me feel confident. It was fun to be out there and I look forward to watching the video and see more technically how I did.”
On the hand-ball decision:
“I’m also looking forward to watching that one. I know, because it hit me, that it hit me on the shoulder. He whistled it right away and seemed to be conferring with someone over the [earpiece], but he didn’t go to watch himself. That’s on them to make those [calls], but it’s unfortunate. Little disappointed on that one but super excited to get my first start and be out there competing with the guys.”
