CARSON, Calif. – Giovani dos Santos returned to the field on Sunday during the LA Galaxy’s 1-1 draw with the Portland Timbers after missing several games with a left calf injury.
The 26-year-old Mexican international went 65 minutes in the Galaxy’s draw starting in midfield, while also being utilized as an underlying forward. Dos Santos’ performance drew mixed returns as the striker made several dangerous attempts, but was relatively out of sync with the attack and was unable to generate considerable attacking verve.
After the match, Bruce Arena admitted Dos Santos still needs more time to get back to full sharpness.
“He played OK. He hasn’t played since the first game,” Arena said. “He’s only played 45 minutes this year coming into this game, so to get 65 minutes out of him was good. You could see he needs a little more time, but it’s good to get him back.”
Although Dos Santos’ effectiveness was limited, forward Gyasi Zardes was pleased to welcome him back to the field.
“It was great to see him back on the field,” Zardes said. “Great to see him healthy as he is an attacking threat, he’s crucial.”
