LAS VEGAS – The LA Galaxy will rely on the play of Giovani dos Santos and Jermaine Jones in 2017 and on Saturday, the two players got their first taste of playing alongside one another.
The longtime international rivals turned Galaxy teammates played together for 45 minutes in Saturday’s 1-0 preseason defeat to the San Jose Earthquakes at Las Vegas’ Cashman Field. Both players were among the top performers during the match as their slick passing ability aided in the buildup of several Galaxy scoring chances.
Following the game, Jones admitted that he’s excited about the prospect of playing with dos Santos this season.
“He’s a big part of this team. We both need to be 100 percent focused and concentrated for the games. I think that if he shows it, we know what kind of quality that we have,” Jones said after the match.
“[Saturday] was the first time that we played together, and I think over the rest of the season, we’ll get better each game.
“I hope that we have a good time together.”
And as for that international rivalry between the USA and Mexico? Jones is adamant that their battles with their respective national teams will only help the two foster a greater connection
“We played a lot against each other, but there was always a friendly connection between the two of us,” he said. “We knew each other outside of soccer, and we enjoyed the time. We’re looking forward to getting some games on the field together during the season.”
