~ By Pearl Allison Lo
photo credit: Los Angeles Times–The San Jose Earthquakes Chris Wondolowski collides with LA Galaxy goaltender Brian Rowe during the first half on Saturday
LOS ANGELES~ San Jose lost their perfect start to their California Clasico rivals, the Los Angeles Galaxy, in a 3-1 rough and tumble match Saturday.
Gyasi Zardes had a brace, breaking through the draw off the game’s seventh yellow card, the Quakes’ Simon Dawkins was ejected in his first return road start, teammate Chris Wondolowski scored his third goal in as many games and Robbie Keane had a penalty kick goal.
In the first half, San Jose had their defense up with headers turning away shots, but their offense could not get close enough. The Galaxy outshot the Quakes 7-1.
Los Angeles had a hitch in their start when in the 3rd minute, Steven Gerrard had to leave with a left calf injury. Baggio Husidic came in for the substitution.
The first shot of the game came in the 9th minute when the Galaxy’s Mike Magee’s shot went wide right.
Wondolowski and Los Angeles goalie Brian Rowe had a head to head collision.
San Jose’s first shot was a high header by Quincy Amarikwa in the 15th minute.
The Galaxy got their second and third yellow cards a minute apart. Jelle Van Damme and Nigel de Jong were carded in the 21st and 22nd minute.
In the 29th minute, de Jong had his third shot of the game, a free kick from where he had a dangerous free kick earlier. It was saved by goalie David Bingham.
Andres Imperiale got the Quakes’ first yellow card in the 41st minute.
Things finally turned red when Dawkins was ejected in stoppage time.
In the second half, San Jose caught up a bit on the yellow card side. Los Angeles outshot the Quakes 10-5, with nine of those shots coming from inside the box.
After Victor Bernardez committed a foul, Magee’s first shot in the second hit his teammate, his second hit Anibal Godoy, who cleared the ball at the line in the 49th minute.
Magee had a fourth shot attempt in the 51st minute, and after it was saved, had a what does it take to score reaction.
Amarikwa had another shot, his second and the second for San Jose, in the 51st minute. Wondolowski and Rowe had another collision after Rowe caught the ball.
In the 55th minute, Imperiale had his first MLS shot amidst his MLS debut and first MLS start.
The Quakes’ Marvell Wynne received a yellow in the 56th minute, in about the same spot as Bernardez earlier. This one was costly, as off the free kick that same minute, Van Damme had a header, Wondolowksi missed the clearance in the box and Zardes kicked the ball past Bingham for the 1-0 lead. Magee also had an assist.
Zardes’ brace occurred in the 62nd minute in about the same spot, as he received a backwards pass from Husidic. It was a light touch by Zardes, but Bingham was too far out to get back in time.
Zardes went for the hat trick in the 72nd minute, but his shot went wide right.
Wynne got wide open, but his shot hit Daniel Steres, who got back in time. Wynne was then able to kick the ball to Wondolowski, who came in to help and surrounded by defenders, Wondolowski was able to spoil the Galaxy’s shutout in the 89th minute, to extend the Quakes’ streak with at least a goal to a MLS-longest 16 games. He also now has the most goals by any active player against Los Angeles, with seven.
It was then announced that there would be four minutes of stoppage time, so ostensibly San Jose had time to equalize.
However, Bernardez got Keane inside the box and in the 91st minute, Keane scored his fourth penalty kick goal against the Quakes, the most by any player against one team since the start of 2011 MLS, according to @OptaJack.
In the 92nd minute, Alan Gordon got the game’s last yellow card, as Matias Perez Garcia limped off the field.
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