HOUSTON – A stellar performance from Giovani dos Santos left LA Galaxy fans drooling after the team’s 4-1 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Friday night.
The 26-year-old Mexican international tallied two goals and an assist as he got off the schneid for the 2016 campaign. Dos Santos was a threat each and every time he ran towards goal and combined seamlessly with his Galaxy fellow attackers.
In just his second game back from a left quad injury, Dos Santos provided the attacking prowess from the number 10 role that the Galaxy have been sorely lacking in recent weeks.
“I’m happy because of our win. I feel very happy for the two goals and I will keep working hard to get better,” Dos Santos told reporters. “I feel more confidence after that performance. I’ve been injured for a while and now to come back and play 90 minutes in a win and score goals, it’s great for me.”
The Galaxy started the match slowly conceding in the opening minute of the game, but Dos Santos was there to help Los Angeles fight their way back into the match.
Dos Santos’ grabbed the Galaxy’s equalizer in the fourth minute when the forward capitalized on a deflection from close range to pull LA level. The striker had a hand in the Galaxy’s go-ahead goal when he fired a shot that was punched away by Houston’s Joe Willis, only to fall for Baggio Husidic for the eventual game-winner.
Dos Santos was not done there, as he tallied the team’s third goal just minutes later on a lovely pass from Steven Gerrard for his second of the evening. His remarkable game was complete in the 49th minute when he provided an assist on Gyasi Zardes’ goal to round out Los Angeles’ four-goal night.
“He’s been working his socks off all week and you could see the signs that his top form is coming back,” said Galaxy midfielder Steven Gerrard. “He deserves all the credit tonight.”
After stating that the best was yet to come from Dos Santos earlier in the week, head coach Bruce Arena wholeheartedly believes that the Mexican forward can play even better than he did on Friday.
“He’s getting there. He’s missed a fair amount of the early part of the season,” Arena said. “It’s going to take some time, but he’s working hard. If we get some consistent games over the next month or two, he’s going to be in some good form.”
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog atwww.LAGalacy.com/Insiderand contact him atLAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com
