In the third meeting between the teams in the 2024 season, the Los Angeles Galaxy once again showed why they are among the best in the MLS by beating the San Jose Earthquakes 3-0 in front of a crowd of 40,844 fans at Stanford Stadium.
Joseph Paintsil opened the scoring with a clever goal after a cross from Gabriel Pec, who has been a real maestro in midfield. Pec has been one of the Galaxy's mainstays, racking up assists and goals with the mastery of a veteran. Dejan Joveljić, always an opportunist, added to his tally when he took advantage of a rebound in the box. And to cap it all off, Mauricio Cuevas, in a typical video game move, sent the ball into the back of the net at the end of the match.
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The Galaxy defense deserves applause. John McCarthy, with his six saves, was a real wall and ensured the third game in a row without conceding a goal. It's a relief for the coach and the fans to see the team's defensive solidity, especially after a rocky start to the season.
Since May 5, the Galaxy have impressed. With a record of 6 wins, 1 loss and 4 draws, the team has scored 20 goals and conceded just 10. In this run of four consecutive wins, the Galaxy have dominated their opponents with a goal difference of 10-2. The last time the team had a run of three wins in a row was in 2016.
The Galaxy's defense also deserves plaudits. At the start of the season, the first 10 games saw the team concede 17 goals. But since May 5, in 11 games, the team has allowed just 10 goals, showing impressive defensive solidity.
In the context of the season, the Galaxy find themselves in second place in the Western Conference with 40 points, just one point behind leaders LAFC. The fight for the top is fierce, and every game is a battle. In the standings, the Galaxy are in fourth place, four points behind leaders Inter Miami CF.
The record against San Jose is favorable. The Galaxy have 40 wins, 28 losses and 17 draws against their rivals in the league. They are also unbeaten in their last six away games against San Jose, a feat that only adds to the confidence of the squad and the fans.
For the coach and players, this victory is more than just three points. It's confirmation that hard work, dedication and technical quality are paying off.