STANFORD, Calif. (Saturday, June 29, 2024) – In the third meeting between the two teams during the 2024 campaign, the LA Galaxy won their fourth match in a row with a 3-0 shutout victory over the San Jose Earthquakes before 40,844 fans at Stanford Stadium on Saturday night. Joseph Paintsil scored the game-winning goal, while John McCarthy made six saves and posted his third consecutive shutout in the win over San Jose.
Run Of Form
In 11 games played dating back to May 5, the LA Galaxy hold a record of 6-1-4 (20 GF, 10 GA), with Dejan Joveljić totaling nine goal contributions (6 goals, 3 assists) and Gabriel Pec notching four goals and seven assists during that run. During the Galaxy’s four-match winning streak dating back to June 15, the club has outscored their opponents 10-2 and has posted three consecutive shutouts during that span. This is the first time the Galaxy have recorded three consecutive shutouts in league play since doing so from July 4-15 during the 2016 campaign.
Improved Defense
The LA Galaxy posted their sixth clean sheet of the season as a club in the 3-0 shutout win over San Jose on June 29. In the Galaxy’s first 10 games to begin the 2024 campaign, LA allowed 17 goals. In LA’s last 11 matches played dating back to May 5, the Galaxy have allowed 10 goals and have posted five shutouts during that span.**
Goal-Scoring Plays**
LA – Joseph Paintsil (Gabriel Pec), 37th minute: On a counter-attacking play, Gabriel Pec drove down the right flank and delivered pass just inside the penalty area to Joseph Paintsil, who took a touch around the onrushing goalkeeper and finished from close range.
LA – Dejan Joveljić, 73rd minute: After Riqui Puig avoided a San Jose defender and drilled his shot from just outside the 18-yard box off the crossbar, Dejan Joveljić headed in the rebound from inside the six-yard box.
LA – Mauricio Cuevas (Miki Yamane), 90+1st minute: Working down the right flank, Miki Yamane delivered a low cross into the middle of the penalty area that Mauricio Cuevas redirected past San Jose goalkeeper William Yarbrough.**
Postgame Notes
- Through 21 matches played during the 2024 MLS Regular Season, the LA Galaxy hold a 11-3-7 record (41 GF, 27 GA; 40 points) and sit in second place in the Western Conference standings behind only LAFC (12-4-4; 41 GF, 23 GA, 40 points).
- The LA Galaxy sit in fourth place in the Supporters’ Shield standings, four points behind first place Inter Miami CF (13-3-5; 48 GF, 30 GA, 44 points).
- Tonight’s match marked the 101st edition across all competitions of the California Clásico between the Galaxy and the San Jose Earthquakes, with LA leading the all-time series 49-33-19 (166 GF, 142 GA).
- Against San Jose, LA holds a 40-28-17 record in league play, a 4-1-1 record in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and a 5-4-1 record in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
- Notably, LA is unbeaten in its last six matches played on the road (5-0-1; 17 GF; 8 GA) against San Jose dating back to June 26, 2021.
- In 10 all-time regular-season matches played against San Jose at Stanford Stadium, the Galaxy hold a 3-5-2 record.
- It marks the eighth time this season that the Galaxy have scored three or more goals in a single match this season, with LA holding a 7-0-1 record in those matches.
- Dejan Joveljić notched his team-leading 12th goal of the 2024 campaign in the win against San Jose. Joveljić has eight goal contributions (6 goals, 2 assists) in nine career regular season matches played against San Jose.
- Gabriel Pec has nine goal contributions (3 goals, 6 assists) in seven matches played dating back to May 25.
- Joseph Paintsil recorded his sixth goal of the 2024 campaign in the win over San Jose. Paintsil has notched three goals and two assists in three matches played this season against the Earthquakes.
- Mauricio Cuevas recorded his first career goal for the LA Galaxy in MLS play as a second-half substitute in the win over San Jose.
- Notably, the Galaxy are unbeaten (7-0-5) in each of Diego Fagundez’s 12 starts during the 2024 campaign.
- In his return from injury, Riqui Puig hit the crossbar, completed 37 of 42 passes (88.1%), won three of five duels and was fouled twice in 35 minutes of action against San Jose.
- Emiro Garces made his LA Galaxy and MLS debut as a second-half substitute in the match against the Earthquakes.
- The match against San Jose marked the final match of the LA Galaxy’s 2023 secondary kit aka “The LA Kit”. In 10 all-time MLS regular-season matches played in “The LA Kit”, the Galaxy held a 5-2-3 record.
Next Game
Next up, the LA Galaxy play host to LAFC in the 23rd edition across all competitions of El Tráfico at Rose Bowl Stadium on Thursday, July 4 (7:30 p.m. PT, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).**
2024 MLS Regular Season
LA Galaxy (11-3-7, 40pts) at San Jose Earthquakes (3-15-2, 11pts)**
Saturday, June 29, 2024 – Stanford Stadium (Stanford, Calif.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
LA Galaxy 1 2 3
San Jose Earthquakes 0 0 0
Scoring Summary:
LA: Paintsil (Pec), 37
LA: Joveljić, 72
LA: Cuevas (Yamane), 90+1
Misconduct Summary:
LA: Delgado (caution), 22
LA: Cerrillo (caution), 29
LA: Neal (caution), 39
SJ: Rodrigues (caution), 45+2
LA: McCarthy (caution), 74
Lineups:
LA: GK John McCarthy; D Miki Yamane, D Jalen Neal (Emiro Garces, 90+2), D Maya Yoshida ©, D Julián Aude (John Nelson, 46); M Edwin Cerrillo, M Mark Delgado, M Gabriel Pec, M Diego Fagundez (Mauricio Cuevas, 86), M Joseph Paintsil (Riqui Puig, 55), F Dejan Joveljić (Miguel Berry, 86)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Novak Mićović; D Martin Cáceres, M Tucker Lepley, M Isaiah Parente
TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Gabriel Pec, Riqui Puig, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Joseph Paintsil, 2); FOULS: 9 (Miki Yamane, 4); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 6
SJ: GK William Yarbrough; D Paul Marie, D Daniel Munie, D Rodrigues, D Vitor Costa; M Jackson Yueill ©, M Hernan (Alfredo Morales, 79), M Niko Tsakiris; F Amahl Pellegrino (Benji Kikanovic, 46), F Cristian Espinoza (Jack Skahan, 76), F Jeremy Ebobisse (Preston Judd, 60)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Jacob Jackson; D Tanner Beason, D Tommy Thompson, D Oscar Verhoeven, M Michael Baldisimo
TOTAL SHOTS: 18 (Three players tied, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Six players tied, 1); FOULS: 11 (Paul Marie, 3); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 4
Referee: Guido Gonzalez
Assistant Referees: Logan Brown, Chris Elliott
Fourth Official: Brandon Stevis
VAR: Allen Chapman
Weather: Clear, 81 degrees
Attendance: 40,844
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
*LA GALAXY POSTGAME QUOTES
LA GALAXY HEAD COACH GREG VANNEY
On the first half of tonight’s game:
“I thought in the first half in terms of possession and being able to advance the ball, we were pretty good but I felt like when we got to 30 yards and in, there was nothing going behind. It was all just stopping at that point and then it was coming inside. It was getting narrow. There was no stretch. There was no finish to the attack, so then when you turn over the ball, it's just going back at you. Part of the discussion on that side of things at halftime was we switched Gabe (Gabriel Pec) and Joe (Joseph Paintsil) just instead of funneling inside, it's trying to get those guys maybe to get behind a little bit more, just emphasizing some runouts and some running into the depth and not just stopping and going into possession. Our attacks need to finish. They need to be goal dangerous. They can't just pass the ball around so that was that. Defensively in the first half I thought we were generally okay. I wanted to get more pressure on the ball a little bit higher. I felt like we were conceding territory a little bit too easily. Coincidentally as we shifted the way we were going to defend, they shifted the way they were going to attack to the opposite side so that created a little bit of a problem for us until we were able to get resituated and that kind of coincided defensively also with Riqui (Puig) coming on and changing the game on the attacking side. He took the game to another level and another speed and I think there shouldn't be too many comments on whether this team is better with or without Riqui. I think that's nonsense. He just proved today that his capacity and his quality makes our team great, right? We can be really good but he helps to make our team great so I was happy for him because he certainly changed the game and the next two goals that really put the game away came from him, so I was happy for him tonight.”
On goalkeeper John McCarthy:
“I think John is certainly, at times, had to come up with some really big saves and then he's had those moments and then there's times he just has to play the veteran goalkeeper do all the little things well and he's done that well. Coinciding with the defending getting a little more solid collectively in front of him, I think some of the chances that he's gained particularly I don't think there was a ton of really difficult saves. I think the ones that might have been they actually hit over the bar and they hit in different areas. They didn't put them on target, but John, just his maturity back there and his capacity to come up because he did come up with a couple big saves tonight, but his capacity to come up with a save when we need it has been really strong for us. You can't say too much about that, especially when you're on the road. The opposition is going to get something. There's going to be a moment here or there and when there has been, John has been there. Three shutouts is big for us. That's something we talked about coming back was tightening that up and it certainly has been a little bit tighter here over the last few games.”
Looking ahead to “El Tráfico” and how the team has developed since their first meeting with LAFC:
“I think in the first meeting we were still a pretty good group. We were still into grading some of our guys, Joe (Joseph Paintsil) and Gabe (Gabriel Pec) had just got here. I think both teams have certainly grown and figured some things out about themselves. Both teams are now in really good form and playing well and getting good results. For us it's just been maturing as a group and the collective, getting new guys on the same page with our principles and things we want to do, being a little bit more tactically sound in certain situations, especially just transition defending and some of those things that we need to be a little bit cleaner. I just think we're maturing. That's what a season is for. When you add key players and important positions, that's what you hope to do in a season is to grow and learn from your different experiences and tighten things up and continue to get better. I think that's just what the group is. Also, we've got some guys who are back in who weren't healthy in the early part of the season. Jalen (Neal) has done really well. He's come into the team and he's been part of one if not all of our shutouts so far. And Miki (Yamane) has adapted to the league a little bit more since the first time so natural growth for the players that are new and also for the collective.”
On defender Julián Aude’s substitution:
“It was precaution. He was getting a little better so in the area where he's been -- we have been managing him a little bit and precaution-wise, we needed to get him out and not overexpose him in this situation. Sometimes when he gets inflamed or fired up, we need to be aware of it. At some point over the next couple of weeks we're probably going to have to give him a little bit time to really get this thing to calm down. He's been managing well. We haven't really had this situation in a game yet. We have had it at times after games when he's sore, just managing him through this situation so it was a little bit precaution. More groin. It's kind of a inflammation in the groin area but it's on and off, on again/off again and he's had good days. Most of the time, he's good but like today because we traveled day of, he was maybe a little bit more sensitive today than he has been in the past.”
On Mauricio Cuevas’ first MLS goal and him playing as a winger tonight:
“I think he's a good soccer player. He's dynamic, even when he plays fullback, he's a dynamic type of fullback so with Jonny (Jonathan Perez) being down and at the time with Joe (Joseph Paintsil) not being fully healthy yet, we needed to manufacture a little bit there and he's come on and proven that he actually really understands the role and has actually proven that he can help us out there. So it's not going to be his primary role, but to be versatile, especially as a young player can certainly help you to get more minutes and get on the field so that's played a huge benefit for him and I feel perfectly confident with him out there. I think he did a great job today and he has done in each of his appearances over the last couple weeks, he's been strong and solid and really clear in both his attacking and defending roles. I don't think he's a winger in his future but any minutes you can get as a young player are positive minutes and for him, these are good minutes.”
On Joseph Paintsil:
“I think Joe (Joseph Paintsil) getting that fitness up which we were trying to be a little bit cautious the last three-game week, to get him to see again our capacity and the transition with Gabe (Gabriel Pec) running and Joe running and when Riqui's (Puig) out there, he's running and Dejan's (Joveljić) running to start capacity and one of the best things about our group is defending and track transition. It was a great pass by Gabe to get it out across the defender and let Joe run onto it and a wonderful finish from Joe and he was having a little bit of congestion breathing issue in the dry air up here so we were a little bit cautious with him in the last 30 minutes but more respiratory. It was nothing major but that's why he came out in the last 30 minutes. He was coughing a lot and we wanted to be careful as we build a really busy week and important next couple of games as well.”
On the counterattack on the first goal:
“I was happy for it because the timing couldn't have been better and to be fair, we were kind of surviving that corner kick specifically. The ball was hanging around in our box and we weren't getting a clear clearance on it or when it popped out, I think we tried to keep it in and he couldn't make contact and that's what really spring it and you see the speed and quality of Gabe (Gabriel Pec) on the pass, the speed of Joe (Joseph Paintsil). As they had the numbers and open space, the execution of that action was really good and, again, if you're going to overpress us or send to be numbers high, it could be a cost on the other side which we showed tonight, which is something that's a little bit newer from last year to this group this year, that ability to change games in that phase of play, so it was wonderful to get those guys going. It was great to get Joe on the board since he's come back. I know he's feeling good about scoring, so we move on. We're on to the next big one in front of us.”
LA GALAXY GOALKEEPER JOHN MCCARTHYOn three shutouts in a row and defense:“It was a good group effort. In games, I've said it before there's going to be chances that you give up, whether it's set pieces, whether it's a shot on goal or whatever you want to call it, a chance the other teams create. I think our teams have done a really good job at limiting those chances, really got into being a good defensive group. Winning is the most important thing. So when you can find a way to win, it's great. When you can get a shutout, that's a little added on bonus for the group as a whole and it speaks volumes so it's a nice.”On Riqui Puig back in the lineup:“Riqui's good, man. That guy comes in, controls the game, can make plays, makes things happen. I think he can speak for himself but as a team member, he steps on the field, he performs. He loves to go forward in key possessions. It's nice to get him back on the field, and hopefully he stays on the field for us.”Looking ahead to “El Tráfico”:“We're in a good place right now. I didn't get to check out results and things around the league but right now we're in the mentality where it's about us. We can't worry about other teams and other positions, it's just on us. I have said this before and I'm a big believer that when you take it day by day and game by game, good things happen. That's where the team is at and going in, that's one of those games you want to be part of and one of those cool moments that you get to compete against big teams, so we're looking forward to it.”On team’s ability to control matches:“I think it's the group getting used to each other, a couple new players coming in and buying into the group as a whole. There's no one individual that's going to win us the game. It's a team effort through and through. Guys have played, they've big moments and it's a team effort all around, so when the team has belief in itself and what we're doing, it's a good thing and I think our team did really well.”On three clean sheets in a row for the first time since 2016:“We crunched on some things in preseason. We wanted to be a good defensive team. We have a lot of attacking pieces and an attacking-minded group, but when we become a good defensive team, we have to buy into that and I think we're getting there. We're on the right path right now. When you have experienced players along the back line, Maya (Yoshida) and Miki (Yamane), they're really experienced guys to help out defensively and Jalen has done a big part stepping in. These are guys that are experienced.”On the significance of “El Tráfico”:“I know a couple guys on the team. I know the group and I think the LA Galaxy knows the group as well. We play each other like six times a year. It's one of those things you got to play it as another game and another opportunity. We took care of business tonight and we hope to take care of business when we go to the Rose Bowl. It's one of those cool games and in a cool environment when you get to play against a big time club that wants to win just like us. We're looking forward to the moment and the game and we'll take it day by day until we get there and make the most of our opportunity.”*
