Over the years, the clashes between the San Jose Earthquakes and the LA Galaxy have proven why the battle between the Western Conference rivals is considered the premier rivalry in Major League Soccer. The two teams have faced off 59 times in the regular season and another 10 times in the playoffs, collecting a total of seven MLS Cups between them. 24 players have suited up for both teams, including Landon Donovan, Todd Dunivant, Joe Cannon and Brian Ching. Also, the clubs have been led by four of the best head coaches in MLS history – Sigi Schmid and Bruce Arena (LA), and Frank Yallop and Dominic Kinnear (SJ) – with at least two MLS Cups each.
TICKETS: Quakes vs. Galaxy Friday, August 28
With the memory of such matches as the 2013 California Clasico, where the Quakes scored two goals in stoppage time despite being a man down to win 3-2, still very fresh in the mind of fans, it only makes sense that Stanford Stadium host the first matchup of the clubs in 2015. The California rivals competed against each other in front of a sellout crowd of 50,422, the largest gathering in the history of the annual event.
Although the Quakes nearly scored in the first minute of the match, it was the visitors who recorded the first goal of the contest. In the 19th minute, Galaxy midfielder Juninho found a loose ball about 30 yards from goal and ripped a one-time shot past San Jose goalkeeper David Bingham.
However, it only took nine minutes for the Earthquakes to respond in kind. After creating space for himself on the right flank, Quakes midfielder Matias Perez Garcia played a ball across the box about waist high and San Jose forward Chris Wondolowski volleyed a rocket past LA’s keeper. San Jose then took the lead in the 53rd minute when Perez Garcia swung a corner kick into the box that Quakes defender Clarence Goodson found himself on the receiving end. Goodson beat his man to the near post and headed the ball in, which marked his first MLS goal since August 11, 2007 and his first as an Earthquake. It also marked Perez Garcia’s second assist on the night. The Earthquakes doubled their lead in the 72nd minute after Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Team member Cordell Cato showed off his skillful footwork, dribbling around multiple defenders before driving a low, left-footed strike past the goalkeeper. The goal marked Cato’s first goal of the year and first since September 7, 2014.
Despite a convincing win at home over the 2014 MLS Cup champions, the second meeting of the year was a reversal of fortunes. The Quakes were forced to play without two of their three goal scorers – forward Chris Wondolowski and midfielder Cordell Cato – due to call-ups to their respective national teams. However, both teams debuted new additions to their lineups, with LA subbing in former Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard and the Earthquakes starting former Chicago Fire forward Quincy Amarikwa.
Similar to the first match, the away team got on the board first. In the 22nd minute, defender Marvell Wynne sent a pass down the right flank and midfielder Sanna Nyassi sprinted up the sideline to track it down. Nyassi played a quick ball across the penalty area and Amarikwa one-timed a shot from about 15 yards out, beating the keeper. It marked Amarikwa's first goal of the season and first with San Jose since his rookie year of 2009. Just three minutes later, Amarikwa doubled his scoring total. Following a free kick by Perez Garcia, the ball was batted around and fell loose in front of goal. Amarikwa was the first to get to it and calmly slotted his shot into the bottom-right corner of the net. It marked the first multi-goal game of his career.
But although the Earthquakes burst out of the gates, a hat trick by former Irish Men’s National Team member Robbie Keane and a goal by Gerrard helped secure a 5-2 Galaxy victory at StubHub Center.
This year’s Quakes-Galaxy rivalry will come to a conclusion on August 28, when San Jose hosts the series’ rubber match at Avaya Stadium. The contest marks the first time the Galaxy and Earthquakes have faced off in the regular season at Avaya Stadium, with the clubs having previously met at the Quakes’ new venue during the preseason and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
LA will pit it’s newest signing, Giovani dos Santos, against San Jose for the first time. Giovani is a Mexican international midfielder with nearly 100 caps for his country. Moreover, dos Santos has suited up for many of the most well known clubs in the world, including FC Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur and Villareal.
With exciting twists and turns every time these clubs step on the pitch together, the match on August 28 is sure to be must-see action.
