Could this be the week things turn around for the LA Galaxy?
Mired in last place in the Western Conference, and coming off a dreadful home performance against the Colorado Rapids a week before, the Galaxy spent this past week looking to make amends for that performance, and the Galaxy did just that.
Three days after advancing in the US Open Cup with a win over Seattle, the Galaxy put the foot to the metal on Mother’s Day against the San Jose Earthquakes. The Galaxy buzzed around San Jose’s net for most of the match, but it wasn’t until the second half that the Galaxy finally broke through. Goals from Martin Caceres and Dejan Joveljic enabled the Galaxy to get its second win in league play this season with the 2-1 result at Dignity Health Sports Park.
“After each win you are more happy, more ready,” Joveljic said. “I think that we played good, not that good but we played decent games in the first 10 games of the season but we couldn’t score. When we scored the first goal it looks like we are going to win every game so we didn’t use our chances but we didn’t have very good chances so it will be better I hope so.”
After a scoreless 59 minutes of play, the Galaxy edged ahead in the 60th minute. After a volley from Lucas Calegari was parried by Keeper JT Marchinkowski over goal, Memo Rodriguez sent a corner into the penalty area, Martin Caceres headed a ball into the six-yard box, Keeper JT Marchinkowski could not corral the ball, which snuck in past the goal line at the far post area, with Riqui Puig at said far post area in case he needed to rebound the shot into goal. San Jose pleaded first that Puig actually touched the ball in an offisde position, and VAR did look at the play, but ulitamtely it was determined that Puig did not touch the ball, and the goal for Caceres stood.
The Quakes had one great chance to equalize in the 68th minute. Jeremy Ebobisse, marked by multiple defenders, back-heeled a ball to Jamiro Monteiro, which left Montero wide open inside the six with just Keeper Jonathan Bond to beat, Monteiro took the shot, but Bond made himself big in front of the net, making the save and while the Quakes got the rebound, the Galaxy were able to snuff out any potential second chances. Galaxy wrapped up the three points in stoppage time, as Joveljic took advantage of a mishandled ball from Jonathan Mensah, Joveljic stole the ball, dribbled into the penalty area and slotted the shot past Marchinkowski into the back net to seal the win for the Galaxy. Only a Ousseni Bouda goal at the death prevented the Galaxy from getting its second shutout of the season.
“For 90 minutes, it was a very professional performance,” Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said. “I thought it was our best, by far, best defending game of the season. Just, the collective work. Reactions. The way we dealt with situations. I thought was very, very good.”
The Galaxy next head east, first to Columbus for a mid-week tilt with the Crew, then to the nation’s capital to face DC United on Saturday.
