CARSON, Calif. – Landon Donovan (left ankle inflammation) and Omar Gonzalez (left hip strain) entered the LA Galaxy’s match with the San Jose Earthquakes with nagging injuries and both will exit still dealing with knocks after LA’s scoreless draw.
Both started the match against San Jose, but Gonzalez was forced to exit during the 73rd minute with what LA head coach Bruce Arena described postgame as a “cramp.” However, after the match, Gonzalez admitted that “a little bit everything” led to the substitution.
“I felt good [during the game]. Yesterday I did not felt good, I was freaking out because it hurt so bad. But today I felt great leading into the game and I thought I did enough to help out the team and then [Leonardo] was ready to go,” said Gonzalez. “There was no injection [pregame]. The [substitution] wasn’t planned, that’s just something that happened and I just had to come out of the game.”
Meanwhile, Donovan appeared to be moving gingerly throughout the match after being knocked down by Victor Bernárdez early in the second half, but continued throughout the game. Earlier in the week, Donovan told reporters that he was advised to rest his ankle for as many as six weeks, but he admitted afterward that he intends to preserve through the pain.
“It’s not good, but we’ll deal with it,” Donovan asserted postgame.
Both are unlikely to appear LA’s CONCACAF Champions League finale against Isidro Metapan on Sunday, which should allow a week of rest before Sunday’s season finale against Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field, which will decide LA’s postseason seeding.
