Gyasi Zardes’ brace was the difference against the Quakes on Saturday night
By Ivan Yeo
Back in the offseason, many assumed that when the LA Galaxy signed Jelle Van Damme, that he would fill the defensive void created by the departure of Omar Gonzalez.
Van Damme, a 6-5 center back from Belgium had played in numerous leagues across Europe before finding his way to Los Angeles, and he possessed similar attributes to the recently departed Gonzalez.
However, on Sautrday against the San Jose Earthquakes, it was Van Damme’s prowess on offense that was the spotlight for the Galaxy, as ability to find his teammates from the back was the difference for the Galaxy in its 3-1 win over the Quakes at the StubHub Center on Saturday night.
“He had a big game,” Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said. “[Quincy] Amarikwa is a difficult player to play against and they had a good battle on the night. For the most part I thought he did pretty well.”
After a scoreless first half, the Galaxy got on the board first in the 56th minute, and Van Damme was the difference, not necessarily from the back line, but still a difference. The Galaxy had a free kick on the left side of the San Jose penalty area, and elected to go short on it. Keane played a short ball to Magee, who then sent a cross into the box, Van Damme headed a ball into the six-yard box and Zardes was rite there to bury the shot near post to break the scoreless deadlock.
Six minutes later, the Galaxy found the back net again, and again, it was Van Damme who played a role. Van Damme sent a long ball from the back towards Magee, who was behind the San Jose back line. San Jose’s Kip Colvey actually got back and cut off the ball from Magee, but he misplayed it to Zardes, who one-time a ball past keeper David Bingham, who was caught out of position.
“Offensively, he is a great attacking threat,” Zardes said of Van Damme’s presence in the back. “His left foot is clinical but he can spread the ball. He can find our wingers and he can find our forwards and I think that is a key thing for a defender.”
Defensively, and now offensively, Van Damme will bring a whole lot to the table for the Galaxy, but midfielder Nigel De Jong says the center back also adds another element, particularly to the dressing room.
“He’s a great guy for the team and for the dressing room, always joking, and you need guys like that,” De Jong said of Van Damme. “On the pitch, he’s a great force on the pitch. He’s the only left-footed center back that we have. And the way that he plays – the long balls that he is hitting – is just phenomenal.”
Van Damme and the Galaxy will be off for the international break next weekend before heading to Vancouver to face the Whitecaps on April 2.
