June 27, 2015: San Jose Earthquakes defender Clarence Goodson (21) celebrates scoring in the second half, with the fans surrounding him, during the game between the San Jose Earthquakes and the Los Angeles Galaxy at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, California, USA. The San Jose Earthquakes won 3-1. Photo credit: John Hefti.
After back-to-back home wins to open their season, the San Jose Earthquakes travel to StubHub Center to take on the Los Angeles Galaxy for the first match of the 2016 California Classico. With the two wins, San Jose sits atop the Western Conference while the Galaxy followed their emphatic 4-1 win in the season opener with a 1-0 loss in Colorado. In a rivalry known for its unpredictability, anything is to be expected when they meet on Saturday night.
San Jose has struggled historically on the road against the Galaxy and getting at least a point out of this matchup will come down to the defense shutting down the LA attack. David Bingham has been fantastic in goal in the first two matches and will be expected to be a wall for San Jose. The Quakes could make his life really easy if the back four plays as well as the Colorado defense did last week as they held the Galaxy to only one shot on goal. The defensive pressure starts with Clarence Goodson, who has been as good as anyone in the league this season, but it will end with rookie Kip Colvey who has filled in for the injured Shaun Francis. Colvey played well against Portland but it was his mental lapse that let Jack McInerney get open and score Portland’s only goal.
Chris Wondolowski has started off the 2016 season with a goal in both games and the Galaxy will have to keep a watchful eye on him if they want to keep him from three straight games with a goal. The biggest threat to the Galaxy though will be Quincy Amarikwa who continues to be a nuisance for opposing defenses and scored a highlight reel goal against Portland last week. Amarikwa fights for every ball and wins possession for San Jose in important areas of the field and will keep Jelle Van Damme busy all match. LA can not afford to lose their mark on either forward, especially Wondolowski when he makes a run in the box.
Giovani dos Santos is still questionable for the match after leaving the home opener at halftime with a leg injury. The offensive explosion that substitute Mike Magee brought to that match didn’t show up in Colorado the week after and the Galaxy know they’ll have to find a way to rekindle that opening day energy. Robbie Keane and Gyasi Zardez are still some of the most dangerous attacking threats in the league and are thoroughly capable of dismantling their opponents with their passing. Add in Steven Gerrard and on paper, they should be extremely difficult to slow down. If the Galaxy can find their rhythm again at StubHub Center they can create serious problems for the Quakes.
The match kicks off at 7:30 PM from the StubHub Center in Carson, California and will be broadcast on CSN-CA in San Jose and TWCSN-LA in Los Angeles.
San Jose Earthquakes
