SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES vs LOS ANGELES GALAXY
OAKLAND-ALAMEDA COUNTY COLISEUM, Oakland, Calif.
April 18, 2009 (WEEK 5) / MLS Game #34
7:30 p.m. PT (CSN-Cal; FSN-W)
Bitter rivals from the inception of MLS, the California Clasico is on again as the San Jose Earthquakes and Los Angeles Galaxy meet for the first time this season. The Quakes are playing at home for the fourth time already this season, with a win, loss and draw from their opening three matches in the Bay Area. The Galaxy are still looking for their first victory of the season as they play away from The Home Depot Center for the first time, with a loss and a pair of draws thus far in league play.
REFEREE:
Terry Vaughn. SAR (bench): Chris Strickland; JAR (opposite): Corey Rockwell; 4th: Yader Reyes
MLS Career: 105 games; FC/gm: 29.3; Y/gm: 3.8; R: 34; pens: 31
INJURY REPORT:
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES - OUT: DF Jason Hernandez (L calf strain); QUESTIONABLE: DF Kelly Gray (L calf strain) ... LOS ANGELES GALAXY - OUT: DF Leonard Griffin (sports hernia surgery); QUESTIONABLE: FW Edson Buddle (R quadriceps strain); DF Todd Dunivant (R ankle post-surgery); PROBABLE: MF Mike Magee (R foot bruise); GK Donovan Ricketts (R groin strain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES:
none
SUSPENDED:
SJ: Shea Salinas (through April 19) ... LA: Gregg Berhalter (through April 19); Alan Gordon (through April 19)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (41 meetings): Earthquakes 13 wins (1 shootout), 54 goals ... Galaxy 23 wins (4 shootout), 65 goals ... Ties 5
AT SAN JOSE (21 meetings): Earthquakes 9 wins (1 shootout), 29 goals ... Galaxy 9 wins (2 shootout), 28 goals ... Ties 3
RETURN MATCHES: 6/20: Los Angeles Galaxy at San Jose Earthquakes, 1 p.m. PT; 10/24: San Jose Earthquakes at Los Angeles Galaxy, 7:30 p.m. PT
LAST YEAR (MLS):
4/3: LA 2, SJ 0 (Beckham 9; Donovan 37)
6/14: SJ 0, LA 3 (Buddle 6, 63, 68)
8/3: SJ 3, LA 2 (Alvarez 8; Huckerby 40; Cochrane 89 - Donovan 42; Buddle 76)
• Before the meeting last year to kickoff the season, the last time the teams had met was in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals in 2005, the teams playing to a 1-1 draw at Spartan Stadium on Oct. 29, 2005 in a 4-2 victory on aggregate for the Galaxy on their way to the second MLS Cup in club history.
• The last regular season meeting between the clubs came two weeks prior, a 3-1 Earthquakes victory at The Home Depot Center in a game highlighted by the MLS Goal of the Year from San Jose's Dwayne De Rosario.
• In that season, the Earthquakes won three of the four meetings, all coming after the Galaxy took the first game of the season series that year.
• In the first stage of their rivalry, the teams met four times in the MLS Cup Playoffs, each team advancing twice - and each as a stepping stone to an eventual MLS Cup Final appearance (Galaxy in 1996 and 2005; Earthquakes in 2001 and 2003). The teams also met four times in the U.S. Open Cup - with the Galaxy winning each meeting (last in 2005).
• Both meetings in northern California this year will again take place at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, where the clubs split their two games last season.
• Coaches record: Frank Yallop v LA: P13 W5 L6 D2 ... Bruce Arena vs. SJ: P8 W5 L3 D0
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
The San Jose Earthquakes thrice held leads, only to see the Chicago Fire peg them back each time, before the teams settled for a 3-3 draw Saturday afternoon at Buck Shaw Stadium. The Quakes have four points from four matches, sitting in fifth place in the Western Conference, six points out of first place held by Chivas USA.
LAST MATCH
• The Quakes were back home for a third time already this season, having alternated wins and losses, while the Fire will still undefeated and sitting in a tie atop the East.
• The Quakes took the lead after 14 minutes when Darren Huckerby masterfully brought down a long diagonal ball in the left corner and rolled a cross in front for Ryan Johnson to slide in and knock home. But the Fire pulled level in the 41st minute when Marco Pappa lashed home a drive from just inside the area.
• Yet the Quakes regained the lead within just two minutes. Bobby Convey raced forward to pick off a weak clearance, skipped between two defenders and slotted a shot under Jon Busch for his first goal since his return to MLS.
• After the break, the Fire ahead pulled even. A long ball found substitute Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who headed a pass square to Brian McBride at the top of the area. With a spectacular trap and full turn, McBride slammed home his second goal of the season. But San Jose again nosed ahead in the 75th minute when Arturo Alvarez converted a penalty after Dasan Robinson was adjudged to have bundled over Convey from behind.
• But five minutes from the end, the Fire once again equalized. Chris Rolfe left fly with a left-footed drive from all of 25 yards, flashing past Joe Cannon for his first goal on the year to keep Chicago unbeaten.
• Earthquakes head coach Frank Yallop made three changes to the team that lost 2-0 at the Kansas City Wizards the weekend before. With Bobby Convey moving to left back and Eric Denton out of the lineup, Simon Elliott made his first MLS start in four years in central midfield. Ryan Cochrane made his first start of the year, in place of Kelly Gray in central defense, and Pablo Campos came in for Cam Weaver up top.
• Here's Yallop's team (4-4-2): Joe Cannon - Chris Leitch, Ryan Cochrane, Nick Garcia, Bobby Convey - Arturo Alvarez, Ramiro Corrales, Simon Elliott, Darren Huckerby (Shea Salinas 63) - Pablo Campos (Eric Denton 46), Ryan Johnson (Cam Weaver 86). Substitutes Not Used: Quincy Amarikwa, Brandon McDonald, Davide Somma, Andrew Weber
• "We were awful in the second half to be honest," said Yallop. "We got a point out of the game, but you're looking for three at home."
TEAM NEWS
• As anticipated, Simon Elliott was give his first start with the Quakes in central midfield, alongside Ramiro Corrales, and Bobby Convey started the game at left back. Even from that spot on the back line, Convey raced forward to pick off a loose ball and score his first goal in MLS since the 2003 season.
• "It was good to score and really get forward to bring up the team. We should have won easily, but we kind of self-destructed a bit," Convey said. "Sometimes soccer doesn't go as we would like but you have to work through that. When you have the lead twice in a game, there is no way you should give it up. We need to finish off a lead we create."
• After the break, with the Quakes holding a 2-1 lead, Convey was moved into a five-man midfield as Eric Denton came in at left back, with striker Pablo Campos taken off.
• "I thought Pablo was tired to be honest," said Yallop. "He was running out of steam, and he's not played many games. It's not a defensive move. It's letting [Convey] run free a little bit. ... It didn't really work obviously."
• The Quakes have now allowed eight goals on the season, second-most in MLS, along with FC Dallas one fewer than the Columbus Crew. Seven of the goals conceded have come in the last three games.
• "Defensively we were not good enough today. We are doing a good job attacking the goal, but at the same time we need to work on the defense and keep the lead in order to win games," said Ryan Johnson. "We have to see the game through and take care of our business both offensively and defensively."
• While a major priority in the offseason was bolstering an attack that scored a league-low 32 goals last season, the defense has been "fragile at times", said Yallop. Yet that could also begin in the attacking end.
• "I'd like to see a little bit more possession in the other team's half, trying to control the game a bit," said Cannon. "It seems right now we're a fast-break team where we go forward 100 miles per hour and it really stretches the game. It doesn't really give our midfield time to join in or get involved. I also think we need to be a little bit more aggressive on defense. When the other team does have the ball, not just sitting back and waiting for things to happen, but anticipating and getting that first step in."
LOS ANGELES GALAXY
The Los Angeles Galaxy are still looking for their first victory on the campaign, after playing to a heated scoreless draw with Chivas USA in the first SuperClásico of the season last Saturday at The Home Depot Center. The Galaxy have two points from three matches, tied for sixth place in the Western Conference, eight points adrift of division-leading Chivas.
LAST MATCH
• Chivas USA came into the first meeting between the in-stadium rivals with three wins in three tries on the year, while the Galaxy were looking for their first win after a draw and a loss.
• A fractious contest took a turn just before halftime when Chivas midfielder Paulo Nagamura was sent off with a second yellow card, this one for a foul on Landon Donovan in the center circle.
• But the game lurched back in the other direction midway through the second half. The Galaxy's Alan Gordon saw two yellow cards in the space of three minutes and left both teams with 10 players a side.
• Then in the 79th minute, Alecko Eskandarian appeared to have nicked the ball and gotten free for a breakaway. But Gregg Berhalter pulled him down before he could escape, and he too was shown red by referee Tim Weyland.
• Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena made four changes to the team that lost 3-2 to the Colorado Rapids a week earlier at The Home Depot Center. Donovan Ricketts made his MLS debut in goal in place of Josh Saunders, while Gregg Berhalter made his MLS debut in a rebuilt back four, with A.J. DeLaGarza also returning to the lineup and Stefani Miglioranzi made his first Galaxy start. Dema Kovalenko was suspended, while Kyle Patterson, Tony Sanneh and Josh Saunders all went to the substitutes' bench.
• Here's Arena's team (4-4-2): Donovan Ricketts - A.J. DeLaGarza (Bryan Jordan 61), Gregg Berhalter, Omar Gonzalez, Eddie Lewis - Sean Franklin, Stefani Miglioranzi (Jovan Kirovski 58), Josh Tudela, Chris Klein (Tony Sanneh 81) - Landon Donovan, Alan Gordon. Substitutes Not Used: Mike Magee, Yohance Marshall, Kyle Patterson, Josh Saunders
• "I think it was a fair result for both teams. There's not much more to say than that," Arena said. "I think our team gave a good effort. They are getting better. New players contributed well tonight. I was pleased this week at training and tonight's game. It's encouraging."
TEAM NEWS
• After being acquired the week before, Gregg Berhalter made his first appearance in the U.S. top flight in central defense. But after being sent off with 11 minutes, he will miss out on the San Jose match.
• "I think he played well until right at the end. He got caught with a square ball and [Alecko] Eskandarian was shrewd and picked him off," Arena said. " ... I think Gregg Berhalter contributed well to our team. It's a real positive. The red card is not good, and we are going to miss him next week."
• The game was also the MLS debut for Ricketts, the 31-year-old Jamaican international who had been slowed by a strained groin then a sore shoulder, keeping him out of action since the end of the preseason.
• "It's the reason why we acquired him. He can be an outstanding goalkeeper in the league," Arena said. "Unfortunately he's been sidelined with some injuries for the last six or seven weeks. But I think that when he gets into form he's going to show that he's a good addition to this team."
• The 2008 MLS Rookie of the Year as a center back, Sean Franklin was started wide on the right of midfield. That meant rookie A.J. DeLaGarza could return to the lineup at right back - where Franklin had been in the first two games of the season, as another rookie, Omar Gonzalez, continued in central defense.
• "We have a lot of young guys that are contributing a lot of minutes. And we have guys that haven't played a lot together," Donovan said. "We still have to be patient, and we want to get better. This business is results-oriented. But tonight I can be proud of how we did. A few things didn't go our way, but overall it was a good performance."
• A season ago, the Galaxy played at home for four of their first five games, coming away with two wins in that stretch. With the advantage of their first three games at home this season, the Galaxy have two points following the draw with Chivas, heading into their first road trip of the year to San Jose.
• "We're not completely satisfied," midfielder Chris Klein said. "But given the circumstances, coming out with a point is OK. The fact that we don't have our first win, it's three games into the season. This team is building, not only for next weekend but for the future."
