(East Los Angeles, CA), September 3, 2020 [From The Editor’s Desk]: The L.A. Galaxy, now owners of a 3-game win streak, with their record of (3-3-2-11 points), have put together an “eye-catching” look from Western Conference teams, as they defeated the San José Earthquakes on Saturday, 8/29 by the final score of (3-2). To see highlights of the match, click here.
Not to overlook the fact that the Galaxy’s 8/26 match against the Seattle Sounders was postponed due to the historic “walk-out” of a scheduled NBA playoff game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Orlando Magic. In so doing, the Galaxy and the MLS continued to show their unwavering solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement. The Sounders match will be made up at a later date.
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Match Recap By Correspondent Javi Pérez: The Los Angeles Galaxy has dominated California’s teams as of late. After blanking LAFC (2-0), in last week’s “El Tráfico” rivalry at the Banc of California Stadium, the “G’s” returned back home to the Dignity Health Sports Park to host the “Cali Clásico” versus the San José Earthquakes and earned themselves a crucial victory in a thrilling (3-2) win.
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To keep with all of the Galaxy’s matches, click here. Next Match: Sunday, September 6, 2020, 7:30 pm/PT vs. Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) @ Dignity Health Sports Park. Broadcast: UniMas, Univision Deportes, SpectrumSN, 1330 AM (SP)
The Galaxy has experienced a most positive turn-around in their match results as their game has drastically improved, allowing them to secure two wins in a row and slowly climb up the Western conference table of positions.
For Saturday’s game, Galaxy Head Coach, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, opted for a 4-2-3-1 with David Bingham on goal along with Daniel Steres and Nick Depuy as center-backs accompanied by Rolf Feltscher and Emiliano Insua as fullbacks. Perry Kitchen and Joe Corona occupied the center defensive mid-field positions while Julian Araujo, Sebastian Lletget, and Cristian Pavon aided their lone striker, Ethan Zubak, up on top.
The San José Earthquakes came onto the pitch with the same 4-2-3-1 lineup with Daniel Vega on goal protected by a back-line of four which included Nick Lima, Tanner Beason, Florian Jungwirth, and Tommy Thompson. Jackson Yuiell and Judson played in the center defensive midfield. Valeri Kazalshvili, Cade Cowell, and Cristian Espinoza accompanied their lone striker Andres Rios up-top.
The match featured an intense start from San José as they came up with an early goal from Kazalshvili in the 10th minute after his left-footed shot hit the bottom left of the net and then penetrated the goal-line marker. The Galaxy then turned up their game as Daniel Steres, at the 33rd minute, came in with a header into the bottom-right corner from a crosser sent forward by Lletget, leveling the game at (1-1). The Cali teams then went into the locker room tied at half time.
(2nd Half): It wasn’t long until San José regained the lead at the 58th minute, when Cowell slipped a right-footed shot past the keeper and into the bottom right as the Quakes went up by (2-1). To San Jose’s disadvantage however, Tanner Beason conceded a penalty kick and Cristian Pavón stepped up to tie the match at (2-2) at the 72nd minute. As the game came to a close, in the 88th minute, Sebastian Lletget scored his second goal, making it (2) goals in (2) consecutive matches, giving the Galaxy the lead at (3-2). In a frantic move to press their offense, the Earthquakes failed to tie it up at the 75th minute after a big-time save by goalie, David Bingham. With that play, the Galaxy temporarily laid claim to being crowned the Soccer/Fútbol, Kings of California.
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The final determination for the actual Cali Clásico crown will be made at the season’s end, when the record books and statistics will verify the true Kings of the California Classic. On a positive statistical note, the Galaxy have now earned (7) points out of (12), eventhough one of its superstars, Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, has been sidelined and out of action with a bad calf strain.
***Update: The Galaxy continued its hot winning streak by traveling up to play the Portland Timbers at Providence Park on Wednesday, 9/2, as they scored their 3rd consecutive victory by the score of (5-2).
About Our Correspondent: Javier Pérez is a Film, TV and Media Major with a Minor in Photography at Cal State University Dominguez Hills. He is a 2018 graduate of Marquez High School, located in Huntington Park, CA, and earned varsity letters in both Football and Soccer. Javier is now going into his Junior year at CSUDH.