CARSON, Calif. – It is a refreshed and reinvigorated Jaime Penedo who is helping lead the Galaxy in their quest for MLS’s best overall record.
The 33-year-old goalkeeper clearly appears to be at the top of his game, as evidenced by his standout performance in Sunday’s 4-0 romp over the New York Red Bulls. Twice he came off his line to deny dangerous scoring chances by New York’s Bradley Wright-Phillips, the league’s leading goal scorer.
Penedo, however, maintained he hasn’t played at his best despite recurring accolades from coaches and teammates.
“No, no,” he said through an interpreter after training Tuesday. “I just have a great want and a great need to keep working hard.”
It may have been something as simple as a three-game stint with his national team in last month’s Copa CentroAmericana – Penedo led his team to a third-place finish and won the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper – that has left him feeling even more optimistic entering the final weeks of the regular season.
Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez said after Sunday’s game he sensed Penedo came back to the team “with a helluva lot of confidence” when he returned. Galaxy goalkeeper coach Matt Reis said the competition likely offered a welcome change of pace from the rigors of a 34-game MLS schedule.
“It’s always good to get away for a little while,” Reis said. “It gives you a little bit of perspective. Being around his countrymen I think he got a little taste of home cooking.
“He came back I think refreshed and refocused, but he’s really made an effort the whole season to try and get better.”
The affable Penedo, continually praised by teammates for his upbeat attitude, agreed.
“It’s always good to be with your national team and national teammates,” he said.
Penedo, who originally joined the Galaxy in August, 2013 after playing six seasons with Municipal of Guatemala, has been solid all season. His goals-against average of 1.08 is second behind only the 1.00 of Sporting Kansas City’s Eric Kronberg. He’s also tied for fifth in shutouts with seven.
Reis continues to rave about Penedo’s work ethic.
“I’ve addressed a few issues I think he can get better on as he works every day at it,” Reis said. “I think you’re seeing the fruits of his labor right now and he’s worked to deserve what he’s gotten.
“I think he’s better at everything in his game, whether it’s coming for crosses, balls played back to him, shot-stopping. He’s gotten a little better at everything he does.”
Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said Penedo finally appears comfortable in his surroundings.
“As we’ve said often, there’s a transition period for players,” Arena explained. “Some come sooner than others, and I think Jaime’s really needed a full year to really get acclimated to this club, this league, this environment. And he has.
“He understands the game and the league better now; he understands his responsibilities. I think Matt Reis has done a great job with him working on things he needed to work on, quite simple. Some technical and tactical issues needed to be resolved. They’ve worked real hard at getting better and he’s improving.
“I think we’ve seen over the last couple of months he’s an improved goalkeeper.”
Penedo, however, said he is far from satisfied despite his solid play of late.
“I’ve just been focusing on the only objective I have left this year, which is to win MLS Cup,” he said. “All my focus is going toward that.”
