The Los Angeles Galaxy scored twice in the second half to secure a 2-1 win against the visiting San Jose Earthquakes in the first California Clasico of the season on Sunday.
The Galaxy (2-6-3, nine points) ended a two-game skid.
The Earthquakes (5-4-3, 18 points) are 0-4-2 in six road matches this season.
San Jose controlled the ball early on and held it through some sustained time in the attacking zone. In the sixth minute, a give-and-go between Paul Marie, Cristian Espinoza and forward Jeremy Ebobisse ended with Ebobisse being denied by Los Angeles goalkeeper Jonathan Bond.
A minute later, Los Angeles had its first opportunity of the match when Chicharito’s kick from the top left corner of the 6-yard box rolled wide on the far side.
That spurred the home side, as it picked up the pace and started to control the play.
In the 10th minute, Chicharito hustled to collect a pass from Calegari at the top of the goal area but couldn’t corral the ball after Earthquakes defender Jonathan Mensah got a piece of it.
Chicharito had his third opportunity of the half in the 21st minute, trying to direct a feed from Tyler Boyd that was in the air inside the goal area, but he couldn’t get a solid kick on it.
Four minutes later, Chicharito was at it again from the top of the box, but his shot rolled just wide right.
The Galaxy finally found the back of the net in the 60th minute on a header by Martin Caceres off a corner kick, sending it by the outstretched hand of goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski.
San Jose had one of its best chances in the 68th minute when Jamiro Monteiro fired a shot attempt from the top of the goal area, but Bond got a piece of the ball to deflect it away.
Dejan Joveljic made it 2-0 in the first minute of second-half stoppage time when he picked off the ball on the attacking side of midfield before driving to the box and hitting the far side of the net.
Ousseni Bouda cut the Earthquakes’ deficit to 2-1 from the goal area in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time.
–Field Level Media