CARSON, Calif. — The LA Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes traded blows for 80 minutes, then traded goals in the final ten, to conclude the second edition of the 2016 California Clasico in dramatic fashion.
Marvell Wynne looked like he scored a game-deciding own goal in the 82nd minute of a 0-0 match, but teammate Fatai Alashe spared him the goat horns when he headed home an 87th minute equalizer to help the Earthquakes earn a 1-1 draw at a sold-out StubHub Center on Sunday.
While the Earthquakes adopted a defensive posture for most of the match, often dropping their entire midfield back on top of their back line, the road side wound up outshooting the Galaxy and scoring both goals on the day. Unfortunately, one of them was into their own net.
In the 82nd minute, Wynne slid onto a Sebastian Lletget entry ball and poked it past his goalkeeper, David Bingham, to give the Galaxy the late lead.
However, the Galaxy could not hold onto the advantage, and when former LA player Chad Barrett looped in a cross in the 87th minute, Fatai Alashe lost his mark and sliced into the box and headed home to preserve the well-deserved point for the Quakes.
It appeared the crossbar at the north end of the Stub Hub Center would be the star of the match, as both Chris Wondolowski and Giovani Dos Santos smacked the woodwork to keep the match level at zero well into the second half.
Galaxy centerback Daniel Steres’ gaffe in the 38th minute almost cost the Galaxy all three points. Steres lost control of a throw in and fumbled the ball to an alert Wondolowski, who then enjoyed a free run in at goal from 30 yards out before hitting the crossbar when he should have poked home.
The Galaxy will now travel across the continent to face the Montreal Impact on Sunday, while the Earthquakes return home to host FC Dallas in an important Western Conference showdown on Saturday.
MAN OF THE MATCH
David Bingham‘s sliding save on a Robbie Keane breakaway kept the Earthquakes in the match as the Galaxy ramped up the pressure late. The American keeper ended with three stops on the night.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH
Marvel Wynne‘s own-goal was the only breakdown in an otherwise excellent display of organization and tactical awareness by the Quakes defense.
MATCH TO FORGET
Mike Magee has earned ample playing time with the Galaxy since his two year exile in Chicago came to a close. Today his alertness seemed to abandon him, and he was usually chasing play. He was subbed out by Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena in the 61st minute.
Jelly Van Dammit looked very OmarGonzalez-esque with that late game brain fart to concede that Quakes goal. Man. San Jose may have outplayed the Galaxy for most of the match, but with four minutes left, how do you let that guy run right past you?