Lackluster Performance Costs Galaxy Clasico

By Connor Aylward
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Updated: August 27, 2017

The Los Angeles Galaxy attempted to climb out of the Western Conference cellar Sunday in the Cali Clasico against their biggest rival the San Jose Earthquakes.

In a season where very little has gone right for the Galaxy news stayed true to form entering this game as the team was told they would be without their leading goal-scorer Romain Alessandrini would not be joining the team as his girlfriend went into labor late Saturday evening.

This match saw Los Angeles try to maintain possession early on. Consistent passing and a good shape saw the Galaxy looking in form. A welcome sight to fans at the StubHub Center that have only seen this team win one game in the stadium this entire season. However in the 24th minute the Galaxy’s woes returned with an injury to right back Pele van Anholt who has been one of the club’s most consistent defenders since his arrival during the transfer window. Team officials stated it is a right knee injury but the severity is still unknown at this time.

And just like that any momentum Los Angeles garnered from a consistent beginning seemed to flush out of the stadium.

At this point, if you’re the @LAGalaxy just bring on the locusts and plague. Get it all out of your system in 2017.

— Rob Stone (@RobStoneONFOX) August 27, 2017

The first half was winding down and the Galaxy needed something, anything to get them momentum heading into the second half. Jonathan Dos Santos did his best to open his MLS goal scoring account but well I bet you can guess how things ended for this team.

So close to opening his MLS account. @jona2santos hits the woodwork. #LAvSJ // Heineken #RivalryWeek https://t.co/abaSPC3kpt

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 28, 2017

Just minutes after that miss with halftime looming San Jose got the much anticipated goal after Galaxy keeper Jon Kempin deflected a corner right to the foot of Earthquakes forward Vako Qazaishivili who rocketed one past him to make it 1-0.

If there was any question whether things could get worse for Los Angeles at this point let me go ahead and burst that bubble, of course it could. In the 58th minute Nathan Smith charged into an Earthquakes player and was shown a straight red card. After review the call stood and that left Los Angeles with one more underwhelming statistic for this season.

No #VR decision has gone in the Galaxy’s favor. 0-5.

— brendan hannan (@brendanhannan) August 28, 2017

To put the game away Marco Urena was able to get himself open and sneak a shot past Kempin and the 10 man Galaxy defense making it 2-0 in the 80th minute.

After the Urena goal Los Angeles appeared to give up all hope and were trying to just ride out the clock and get the game over with. Chris Wondolowski decided he should get himself involved to add insult to injury and he did indeed. Punching in a goal in the 91st minute giving this game it’s final goal and making it 3-0 San Jose.

Another lackluster performance from Los Angeles at home leaves this club searching for an identity. And manager Sigi Schmid looking for his first win since taking over a month ago.

He and the club will get another chance to break this losing streak next Saturday against Colorado.

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