SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes tied the LA Galaxy 0-0 on Sunday night at Earthquakes Stadium. With the result, the Quakes snapped the Galaxy’s four-match winning streak, the longest such streak in MLS heading into Sunday.
Head coach Matias Almeyda made five changes to the Starting XI from the team’s most recent match against Seattle Sounders FC on Thursday.
With the match scoreless heading into the final moments, the Earthquakes thought they had a game-winner in the 89th minute when forward Andy Rios redirected a cross into the back of the net, but the goal was negated due to an offside decision.
The Earthquakes will now prepare to host theMLS is Back Tournament champion Portland Timbers twice next week, beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 16, presented Fastmetrics. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. PT and the match will be broadcast nationally on FOX Sports 1, KNBR 1050 and 1370 KZSF.
GAME NOTES
San Jose now holds a 2-4-4 record in the 2020 regular season.
The Quakes now hold a 4-2-2 record in their last eight meetings with the Galaxy.
Goalkeeper Daniel Vega earned his third shutout of the season and 10th of his MLS career.
The Quakes have only lost one of their four matches at Earthquakes Stadium thus far in 2020.
San Jose made five changes to the Starting XI from team’s last match in Seattle on Thursday.
The result snaps a four-match winning streak for the Galaxy, who hadn’t dropped points in a regular season contest since July 23.
MLS Regular Season
San Jose Earthquakes 0 – 0 LA Galaxy
Sept. 13, 2020 – Earthquakes Stadium in San Jose, Calif.
Scoring Summary: None.
Misconduct Summary: SJ – Nick Lima (caution) 3; LA – Daniel Steres (caution) 17; LA – Julian Araujo (caution) 90+4.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: Daniel Vega; Nick Lima, Oswaldo Alanis, Guram Kashia (Eric Calvillo 64), Marcos Lopez; Florian Jungwirth, Tommy Thompson (Judson 58), Jackson Yueill, Shea Salinas (Cade Cowell 73), Cristian Espinoza (Vako 73); Chris Wondolowski (Andy Rios 73).
Substitutes not used: Carlos Fierro, Luis Felipe, JT Marcinkowski, Paul Marie.
SHOTS: 7, SHOTS ON GOAL: 2; SAVES: 2;FOULS: 9; CORNER KICKS: 6, OFFSIDES: 2.
LA GALAXY: David Bingham; Emiliano Insua, Daniel Steres, Nick DePuy, Julian Araujo; Perry Kitchen, Joe Corona (Jonathan dos Santos 57), Sebastian Lletget, Efrain Alvarez (Sacha Kljestan 88), Cristian Pavon; Ethan Zuvak (Javier Hernandez 57).
Substitutes not used: Cameron Dunbar, Rolf Feltscher, Giancarlo Gonzalez, Carlos Harvey, Jonathan Klinsmann.
SHOTS: 11; SHOTS ON GOAL: 2; SAVES: 2;FOULS: 13; CORNER KICKS: 8, OFFSIDES:2.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH MATIAS ALMEYDA
On the team’s performance:
“I think today we saw a different San Jose. Thinking about the previous game that we played, which was terrible, today we got back the intensity with how we pressed and saw a more focused team. We were recovering from a hard hit, and we knew that the first game of this season was going to be difficult for San Jose [after Orlando]. Whoever really studies San Jose knows we always prioritize the work, and the work is done during the week. Training once or twice a week is very hard. It is not an excuse, but a dynamic team like the one that we were when we were competitive, really needs to train and that’s something we cannot execute due to the format of the season. Today, the players played with self-love, passion and desire. That’s the way we become competitive.”
On what this performance means:
“This was an important game mentally and because it was also a Clasico. Last game, we played against a first-place team and we looked like a last-place team. We have to be real with ourselves, without lying to ourselves. Practicing only two days, playing every three days, and traveling are definite factors. Also, natural causes such as canceling a practice due to the bad air quality – it all affects us. Especially because this team needs to train. Tonight, the players left it all on the field. We’ll see how we recover for the next game.”
On Nick Lima’s and Marco Lopez’s performance:
“They played well today. They’ve also had bad and average games in the past like everyone else. The changes that we make are not to discover who will take that position. The changes are natural because the players cannot play twice a week.”
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES MIDFIELDER JACKSON YUEILL
On playing in the midfield with Tommy Thompson and Florian Jungwirth:
“I think of a little throwback to my first year. I think we were all in the midfield at one point then, so it was pretty cool to play with those guys again. I think the way we play, and the qualities of everyone, gives us flexibility, and I think those two did a really good job coming into the midfield. I think we all were positioned well and defensively we were really solid.”
On the team’s mindset going into the game after the loss to Seattle:
“We wanted to come out with unity. We wanted to be a team again and to press like a team. I think against the [Seattle] Sounders, we were missing a little bit of that aggression and that team bond that we carry with us. Today, our goal was to be aggressive, to be confident in one another, trust each other, and play for the guy next to you. I think the team did really well with that today.”
On playing three games over the next six days:
“I think you saw today, with a little bit of a change in the lineup, we have depth. We need everyone to be ready to play. These are tight games, and I think the lineup will change from player to player because the games are so close together. It’s a team game, and we’re going to need all the guys on the roster to be ready and to give it their all. Yeah, I think we’re excited that we have these next couple games at home. We’re definitely ready, and I think everyone is ready to step on that field.”
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES MIDFIELDER TOMMY THOMPSON
On tonight’s match:
“I think it was a hard-fought game. I think our energy and our discipline as a team was one of the biggest differences. We made it clear in the locker room that we wanted to show something different. What happened on Thursday couldn’t happen today. We wanted to make sure that we were in good shape, that we were doing everything we can to get back to the performances that we had in Orlando. We have a different schedule right now. There’s a lot of games in not a lot of time, and not a lot of time for training. Everyone has to be ready; everyone has to be on their toes, everyone’s got to contribute in any way that they can.”
On how he felt playing in the midfield tonight with Jackson Yueill:
“Jackson and I go way back, we even played together in a soccer camp a couple years in a row back in Wisconsin when we were 10 years old. On top of that, he’s been my teammate with the Earthquakes since 2017. We played together some time, and I felt comfortable out there. I think his ability to find passes under pressure is ‘next level’. I’m doing everything I can to get comfortable as quickly as I can. I felt good tonight, and I think this was a good step forward for us to continue to go in the right direction and turn the ship around.”
