Photos courtesy of the LA Galaxy.
Despite giving up four goals, Keeper Jonathan Klinsmann was one of the few bright spots for the LA Galaxy on .Wednesday night
Guillermo Barros Schelotto was certainly thinking outside the box a little for Wednesday’s edition of the California Clasico.
With the LA Galaxy’s season further slipping away, Schelotto decided to shake things up before and during its match with the San Jose Earthquakes. Schelotto gave Keeper Jonathan Klinsmann, son of former USMNT and Germany manager Jurgen Klinsmann, his first start between the pipes, then in the second half, with the match threatening to get out of reach, Schelotto substituted his star striker Javier Chicharito Hernandez in the 54th minute for Efrain Alvarez, hoping that move would somehow provide a spark for his sputtering squad.
All those moves however were not enough to prevent another loss for the Galaxy. Carried by Nick Lima’s brace and Chris Fierro’s pinpoint passing, the Quakes sent the Galaxy to its sixth straight loss with a 4-0 result at Dignity Health Sports Park.
“We are very worried because we don’t know what has happened after four wins in a row and then you lose six. So, we need to think, we need to work, we need to check what has happened and try to figure it out,” Schelotto said.
The result was huge for the Quakes, and not just in terms of the California Clasico. The three points puts the Quakes into a playoff position in the Western Conference, as they now tied for sixth place with Minnesota United.
Klinsmann made his first save in the 12th minute, as Jackson Yueill sent a ball forward that was touched by Chris Wondolowski and Tommy Thompson broke for goal. Thompson dribbled for goal, then took a shot just outside the penalty area, but Klinsmann managed to parry the ball away from goal and eventually over the end line.
San Jose however had the final say as the first half came to a close. Carlos Fierro crossed a ball into the penalty area for Rios, the Galaxy’s Perry Kitchen missed on a clearance attempt, which allowed the ball to get to Rios’ feet. Rios quickly touched a ball to a trailing Nick Lima, who quickly one-timed a shot past Klinsmann into the back net.
The Quakes doubled their advantage in the 53rd minute, and again it was Fierro that was the catalyst. Fierro sent a ball into the penalty area, the ball went to Rios, who charged into the six-yard box and touched a ball past Klinsmann into the back net. Thompson sealed the three points for the Quakes in the 76th minute. Yueill sprung Thompson with a through ball, Thompson tried to chip Klinsmann, but Klinsmann wasn’t fooled, as he swatted the ball away and it trickled towards the end line, but Thompson chased the ball down and despite having a bad sightline, fired a ball that snuck in at the back post. Lima put the icing on the cake for the Quakes, as he again came in on the trailer, Cade Cowell played a pass back out of the six-yard box and Lima fired a one-timer into the back net practically uncontested.
“I think in the question asked before, it’s hard and weird to say a 4-0 goalie is doing a good job but I think he had a pretty decent game,” Galaxy defender Daniel Steres said. “I don’t think many of the goals you can really put on him. So yeah, on his side, I think it was good.”
