Perhaps California Classico lost its luster for good as the Galaxy fumbled their way to the Leagues Cup knockout rounds with a 2-1 win over San Jose. The fourth strait victory over the Earthquakes looked like a training game. Los Angeles gifted the Quakes four golden opportunities. They managed only one goal. Meanwhile, Los Angeles dominated possession, but wasted promising buildups with poor decisions and sloppy passing.
The highlight reels will show a wonder goal by Diego Fagundez in the forty-first minute. Playing out of the back against the San Jose press Miki Yamane found winger Gabriel Pec in the center with space to carry the ball sixty yards. His pass found Fagundez on the left flank against a retreating defense.
As Fagundez worked the ball toward the top of the penalty area. John Nelson overlapped outside him. The Galaxy attacker faked a pass and ripped a vicious curler into the right side netting from twenty yards, 1-0 Galaxy.
The Galaxy provided a glimpse of their quality on the winner in the eighty-ninth minute. Passing the ball side to side in front of the packed in San Jose defense, Puig noticed right back Yamane making a diagonal run toward goal on the right flank, pinging a perfect pass. The Japanese international one-timed it across the goal where Miguel Berry finished off the tap in. From the moment it left Puig’s foot the ball never touched the ground, 2-1 Galaxy.
Aside from a header by Pec saved by Yarbrough and and the rocket that followed off the keeper’s head, the Galaxy largely struggled to find any kind of rhythm. They gave the ball away cheaply, rushed their attacks, and invited San Jose to punish giveaways in front of their own goal.
Then LA handed the Earthquakes golden opportunities to make it 2-0. The first gaff occurred in the twenty-first minute when tried a line breaking pass intercepted by San Jose. Jeremy Ebobisse skied it over, but the Galaxy seemed unconcerned with the sloppy mistake.
A minute later Delgado committed a under-14 error, playing a soft five yard pass to Puig with his back to the defender. Galaxy keeper Novak Micovic smartly saved the resulting point blank shot by Ebobisse.
Struggling to break down the Galaxy defense, the Earthquakes invited the Galaxy to give them the ball. In the twenty-fourth minute Quakes playmaker Christian Espinoza blasted high over the goal from thirty yards, perhaps to force the Galaxy to play out of the back.
In the sixty-sixth minute Edwin Cerrillo Espinoza intercepted a blind pass by Edwin Cerrillo near the Galaxy penalty box. Driving the ball to the end line the Quakes attacker sent an inviting cross to Amahl Pellegrino. The number nine completely fluffed the header and the Galaxy escaped once again.
In the seventy-fifth minute San Jose finally broke through. Just entering the game after a lengthy rehab, Gaston Brugman attempted a blind pass to Puig. The turnover put Ebobisse one on one with Micovic. This time he finished to level the score, 1-1.
A tie would advance San Jose to the knockout stage, so they abandoned the “let LA hand it to us” strategy and inserted an extra defender. Facing a packed in defense, the Galaxy resorted to fruitless long distance shots, mostly by Puig and Pec.
The final play enacted what coach Greg Vanney has preached throughout the season. Make runs in behind and get in front of the goal. Yamane made the run, Puig delivered the pass and Berry arrived on time in front to finish the play, a lesson the more decorated Galaxy players should take to heart.
Quality won the day, Puig better than Espinoza, Fagundez better than Ebobisse, and Berry better than Pellegrino. Chivas will not miss chances like these on Sunday if the Galaxy cough them up like they did on Wednesday. Perhaps beating San Jose for the fourth consecutive time this season played a role.
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