San Jose Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy | 2020 MLS Match Preview

2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 11
San Jose Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy
Earthquakes Stadium – San Jose
September 13 – 11:00 PM ET

TV: UniMás, TUDN

STREAMING: Twitter in US; MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada

LOCAL TV: NBC Sports California

Rivals going in opposite directions square off at Earthquakes Stadium as the reeling San Jose Earthquakes host the rolling LA Galaxy Sunday night. 

The Quakes (2W-4L-3D) haven't won since returning from the MLS is Back Tournament, losing three of their four games, including an embarrassing 7-1 loss to the Seattle Sounders Thursday night. The Galaxy (4W-3L-2D) haven't lost since their return from Orlando, a 3-0 El Trafico win over LAFC their fourth consecutive victory.

Part of that winning streak for the Galaxy included a come-from-behind win over the Quakes in Carson August 29. Sebastian Lletget scored the 82nd-minute winner 10 minutes after Cristian Pavon leveled from the penalty spot. 

San Jose Earthquakes

Things weren't going well for San Jose in the restart of the regular season and then Thursday happened. They trailed after four minutes, were in a 4-0 hole inside 20 minutes and went into the locker room at halftime trailing by five goals en route to a 7-1 loss. 

“I think that where this club is and the strides we’ve taken, it’s still headed in a great direction and those strides are still along the way and still on the right path,” Chris Wondolowski said. “Does tonight hurt? Yes, absolutely. Tonight is absolutely a gut blow. It hurts me. It hurts my ego and it hurts everything. This one is going to keep me up at night. And again, this was on me and I have to make sure I get these guys ready and get myself ready. I turned the ball over so many times in the middle of the field, it was embarrassing.

“We have a game Sunday. It’s another Clasico and we better come ready. And it’s not just about connecting passes, but it’s about the energy we bring. And that’s been lacking as well.”

• Updated team roster
• Injury Report:
  • QUESTIONABLE: None
• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty:  None

LA Galaxy

The Galaxy are the hottest team in MLS, with a perfect 12 points from four matches since a disappointing exit from MLS is Back. A 3-0 win over LAFC Sunday, powered by a Lletget brace and another Pavon goal, was their second straight against their rivals. The team's best form of the year has been without Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, who suffered a calf injury in Orlando. But now Mexico's all-time leading scorer is training fully and is ready to join the fun. 

"I'm completely fit in that my calf is completely fine," Hernandez said Thursday. "I've been training with the team four days now and I feel good, nothing at all. That question will be for the game, I'm going to be available probably for this weekend, and if it's one minute, 50, 60, 90 or whatever, I'm going to try my best to maintain that rhythm and that level the team is showing these last games. We're winning a lot, defensively the team is improving a lot and offensively as well we're scoring a lot of goals. So I think the team is getting to that point where we are going to show that we can be the best team and we can win the championship, of course."

• Updated team roster
• Injury Report:
  • QUESTIONABLE: Danilo Acosta (M) - ACL injury
  • QUESTIONABLE: Javier Hernandez (F) - right calf injury
• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None

Series Matchup at Earthquakes

• Earthquakes: 17 wins, 58 goals
• Galaxy: 11 wins, 49 goals
• 9 draws

Officials

• Referee: Timothy Ford
• Assistant Referees: Jeremy Kieso, Chris Elliott
• 4th Official: Alex Chilowicz
• VAR: Ricardo Salazar