Lopes scores against Real Madrid, hopes for more cohesion in the Galaxy defense

CARSON, Calif. – Two friendlies, two goals for LA Galaxy defender David Junior Lopes.


The hulking Brazilian defender tallied a goal during the club’s 5-1 defeat to Real Madrid. The goal was Lopes’ second in a friendly in two weeks after he scored during LA’s 1-1 draw with English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur on July 24th.


Below are Lopes’ quotes from the match…


(On his secret to scoring goals in friendlies…)


LOPES: I swear to God, there’s nothing. It’s just a lot of luck, but more than that I want to score a goal in MLS and that’s the championship and that’s what we focus on. Today was fine, but what we want is three points to get closer to the championship.”


(On his partnership with Omar Gonzalez…)


LOPES: “We’re definitely playing good right now. We showed against Dallas that we’re playing great, but today we didn’t show it so much because Madrid, let’s be honest, is Madrid. I’m not sure what happened on the field, but there wasn’t a lot of communication. At the league level, we communicate well, but tonight there wasn’t.”


(On what the Galaxy take from the game…)


LOPES: “Communication, we can definitely communicate better so what happened tonight doesn’t happen during a league game. Because if this happens again, then we won’t get three points and we won’t be winning the championship.”


(On whether playing well could lead to a future in Europe…)


LOPES: “Definitely, there’s an opportunity to play in Europe, but MLS is a league that’s growing and there are many opportunities within.”


(On the crowd…)


LOPES: “I’m so happy because every day the stadium is full and that’s good for me, the players, the staff and the people so I’m so happy.”