CARSON, Calif. – Less than five minutes were all that stood between a victory for the LA Galaxy and a victorious return for Nigel de Jong in Sunday’s California Clasico against the San Jose Earthquakes at StubHub Center.
But a sellout crowd of 27,167 looked on helplessly as San Jose’s Fatai Alashe scored on a point-blank header in the 87th minute for a stunning 1-1 draw.
The draw may have stretched the Galaxy’s league-high unbeaten streak to nine games (4-0-5), but it did little to ease de Jong’s post-game disappointment.
“We just have to come back Tuesday and see what the reasons were,” he said. “With 10 minutes to go you can’t give that goal away. But that’s football and you have to accept it and move on.”
One thing the veteran midfielder won’t accept is not being on the field.
The Dutch international had missed the previous five games, three because an MLS-mandated suspension and two because of a minor leg injury suffered in training.
The 31-year-old started Sunday and appeared to be his old self in helping keep the Earthquakes off the scoreboard until the late going.
“I’d say he probably was one of the big reasons why defensively we were four minutes away from a clean sheet,” Steven Gerrard said. “He’s a top player. When he gets a bit fit and sharper, I’m sure he’ll help us get more clean sheets.”
De Jong admitted to a lack of sharpness and he was struggling with his match fitness early on before he started to feel more comfortable. From then on it was just like old times for the Amsterdam native who joined the Galaxy in late January and quickly became a midfield fixture.
He said he felt relieved he was part of the Galaxy’s starting XI on Sunday.
“Of course,” he said. “My job is to be a football player; you always want to be out there on the pitch. I’m just happy to be playing again.
“Obviously it’s been a while … five weeks. But it felt good to be back. Unfortunately we couldn’t win and we just took one point out of this game. Now we have to go back on the road and win at Montreal.”
De Jong admitted his inactivity was getting the better of him.
“Frustrating, believe me,” he said. “I’m a football player in my heart and soul and I always want to play. It doesn’t matter when you can’t play or why you can’t play, if it’s due to suspension or due to injury. It’s always frustrating, even at my age.
“The older you get the more frustrating it gets as you go toward the end of your career. You want to play as many games as you can. I’m just happy to be back playing again. I was a little rusty, but apart from that it was OK.”
