Missing some key players, the LA Galaxy's offensive struggles continued Saturday in a 2-1 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes. Goals from Pablo Campos and Ryan Johnson put San Jose ahead 2-0 before Jovan Kirovski pulled one back late for LA, which lost its second consecutive game.
Indicative of the Galaxy's lack of firepower was the fact that San Jose goalkeeper Joe Cannon did not record a save all afternoon.
For the Galaxy, this was the third game in a row missed by Landon Donovan, who's busy in South Africa playing in the FIFA Confederations Cup, and coach Bruce Arena had to deal with other major absences as well.
With Eddie Lewis sitting out a red card suspension, and Dema Kovalenko injured in practice Friday, Arena completely remade his midfield from the side that faced Salt Lake last week. Chris Klein was joined by Kirovski, Stefani Miglioranzi and Kyle Patterson, while Mike Magee moved up to forward alongside Edson Buddle.
San Jose was also missing some familiar faces, as midfielder Simon Elliott was in South Africa on international duty for New Zealand, and center back Jason Hernandez and midfielder Arturo Alvarez were injured in practice midweek.
San Jose got on the scoreboard in the sixth minute when Campos went 1-on-1 with Gregg Berhalter inside the penalty area, and was pulled down by the Galaxy defender as he moved in on goal. Referee Baldomero Toledo pointed to the penalty spot, and Campos calmly slotted home the penalty kick, beating goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts inside the left post.
LA didn't manage their first shot until the 23rd minute, when Klein dribbled in from the right corner and found Magee 10 yards from goal. Magee's volley was blocked by defender Aaron Pitchkolan.
LA's best chance in the first half came in the 30th minute, when Magee chased down a pass inside the penalty area and pushed the ball past Cannon. With Cannon out of goal, Magee centered for Patterson racing towards the empty net, but Quakes fullback Chris Leitch was able to break up the play.
In the 40th minute, a Patterson pass from the left of midfield reached Buddle at the penalty spot for a leaping header that missed high over the crossbar.
San Jose's second goal came in the 54th minute, when Chris Leitch chipped a high ball from the right flank to Campos, stationed near the left post. Campos headed the ball back across the face of goal, and when Omar Gonzalez missed clearing it away, Ryan Johnson ran onto it for a tap-in, doubling the Earthquakes lead.
Alan Gordon then came on for Patterson, and he played a role in LA's goal in the 65th minute. A long free kick from Magee reached Gordon in a crowd in front of goal. Gordon's header went directly to Kirovski, whose quick reaction header from six yards out hit the back of the net.
The scoring play was also LA's first shot on goal.
With less than a quarter hour left in regulation time, Bryan Jordan came on for A.J. DeLaGarza as the Galaxy pushed bodies forward in a 3-4-3 formation.
An 83rd-minute corner kick from Magee was headed wide left by Berhalter. Another corner kick by Magee in the 88th minute led to a wild goalmouth scramble, but no one from the Galaxy was able to take a shot before the ball was finally cleared away.
Tristan Bowen came on for Klein as the game entered four minutes of stoppage time, but it wasn't enough for the Galaxy to find the equalizer.
With the loss, the Galaxy drop to 2-3-9, as they prepare to face the Houston Dynamo next Sunday at The Home Depot Center.
Pete Ratajczak is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
