Major League Soccer

San Jose Take California Clasico Over LA

Pablo Campos scored his second goal of the season--and his second against the the LA Galaxy--as the San Jose Earthquakes won the California Clasico 2-1.

Jun 20, 2009 11:41:12 PM

MLS: Ryan Johnson, San Jose Earthquakes, June 2008 (ISI)

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MLS: Ryan Johnson, San Jose Earthquakes, June 2008 (ISI)

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The California Clasico resumed today when the San Jose Earthquakes hosted the Los Angeles Galaxy and came out with a crucial 2-1 victory. Goals from Pablo Campos and Ryan Johnson put the home side up by two, but a goal from Jovan Kirovski kept L.A. in the game until the end.

This was the second time the Earthquakes and Galaxy had met this season. The first match-up, back in April, resulted in an uninspiring 1-1 draw. This time around, both teams showed much more attacking character. Each side had suffered a loss last Saturday and seemed determined to claim some points from this game.

The Confederations Cup claimed Landon Donovan from the Galaxy, as well as Simon Elliot from the Earthquakes. L.A.’s Eddie Lewis was also unavailable as he served a suspension. Injuries kept San Jose’s Jason Hernandez and Arturo Alvarez sidelined.

First Half

San Jose pressured Los Angeles from the first minute of the match, and got its reward almost immediately. In the 5th minute, Earthquakes forward Pablo Campos collected the ball and dribbled into the box. Campos got past two defenders, but Galaxy center back Gregg Berhalter fouled him as he approached goal. The official pointed to the spot.

Campos stepped up for the penalty kick, and sent a right-footed kick low into the left corner of the net. Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts guessed the correct side, but his diving attempt couldn’t reach the ball. San Jose went ahead, 1-0.

Ten minutes later, Earthquakes forward Ryan Johnson fired a powerful shot from the right side of the eighteen-yard box. Ricketts made an impressive save, leaping to his right and grabbing the ball out of the air.

The Galaxy didn’t trouble San Jose goalkeeper Joe Cannon until the 23rd minute. L.A. midfielder Chris Klein crossed the ball from the right side to the top of the box. Forward Mike Magee received the ball and fired toward goal, but San Jose defender Aaron Pitchkolan blocked the shot.

On the half hour mark, the Galaxy again looked dangerous. Magee deftly dribbled around Cannon, who had come out to try to intercept the ball. The goal was open, and Magee passed to midfielder Kyle Patterson, but San Jose defense managed to get in the way.

The first half ended with San Jose holding the slender one goal lead.

Second Half

As the second half got underway, the Earthquakes attacked relentlessly. Five minutes in, Johnson sped up the left side, using his blistering pace to get around his defender. He sent a perfect cross into the box that Berhalter just managed to reach before Campos could.

Two minutes after that, San Jose midfielder Darren Huckerby launched a corner kick into the box, which Pitchkolan headed just over the crossbar.

San Jose’s pressure paid off in the 54th minute, after defender Chris Leitch sent a long ball up into the Galaxy box. Campos headed it across goal, and Johnson tapped it in at the right post. Johnson’s sixth goal this season doubled San Jose's lead to 2-0.

Johnson had yet another shot on goal in the 56th, forcing a diving save from the Galaxy goalie. Ricketts spilled it, but managed to recover before San Jose could make him pay.

Los Angeles had a couple of half-chances minutes later, when crosses from first Klein and then Magee reached Edson Buddle. The forward could not finish either one. The Earthquakes defense smothered the first chance, and the second Buddle headed well off target.

Johnson continued terrorizing the Galaxy defense, and got on the end of another Leitch long ball at the hour mark. His effort went wide of the right post.

The tide turned in the 65th minute when Los Angeles made the most of a free kick. Mike Magee curled the ball into the box, where substitute Alan Gordon met it with a header. The ball seemed to deflect off his head and onto Jovan Kirovski, who directed it toward goal. Cannon could not react in time, and the Galaxy got on the scoreboard. San Jose’s lead narrowed, 2-1.

The goal seemed to energize L.A., and they worked hard for the equalizer. Their best and most dramatic chance came just before the end of regulation time. A Galaxy corner kick led to a loose ball in the penalty area, and a big scuffle ensued. The ball bounced around from player to player for what seemed to be ages. When a San Jose defender finally emerged with the ball, the home crowd cheered wildly with relief.

With a final score of 2-1, San Jose celebrated a win for just the third time this season.

After the match, Earthquakes coach Frank Yallop expressed tempered delight at earning all three points.

"The game wasn't pretty," said Yallop. "Three points was the important thing for today."

“We need to start putting teams away," said Earthquakes goalkeeper Joe Cannon. "I'm sure the fans are loving the excitement into the 94th minute, but I'm not.”

This makes two losses in a row for the L.A. Galaxy, who are struggling to climb out of the bottom half of the table.

"We were a little suspect in our defending in the box today, and it cost us the game," said Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said. "Give San Jose credit. They made a couple plays and we weren't as alert as we needed to be in the early minutes of each half which resulted in goals."

Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Chris Klein added, “I thought that results-wise, we're not happy, but the way that we played, we had enough chances."

The Los Angeles Galaxy host the Houston Dynamo on June 28, while the Earthquakes go on the road to face Real Salt Lake on July 3.

Jennifer Dawson, Goal.com

For more on Major League Soccer visit Goal.com's MLS page.

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