CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy have been ravaged by injuries and the San Jose Earthquakes hit the reset button with the dismissal of head coach Dominic Kinnear. But one thing hasn’t changed for this weekend’s California Clasico.
Emotions will run high as usual.
“It’s a game,” Galaxy head coach Curt Onalfo said, “where you are going to roll up your sleeves, fight and put your best game out.”
Galaxy center back Jelle Van Damme said he wouldn’t want it any other way.
“These are the kind of games I like to play,” he said.
Saturday’s game at Stanford Stadium (7:30 p.m., Univision) is expected to attract a crowd of more than 50,000 and matches two teams struggling to remain in the MLS Cup playoff picture. The Galaxy, fighting through a myriad of injuries and national-team absences to their backline and midfield, had en eight-game unbeaten streak (4-0-4) snapped in last Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Sporting Kansas City. They are 6-6-4 for 22 points, good for sixth in the West. The Earthquakes are 6-6-5 for 23 points, fifth in the West.
Whenever these teams play, however, records don’t matter. Nor do reshuffled lineups. It figures to be another bitterly fought contest in one of MLS’ fiercest rivalries. The teams met on May 27 at San Jose’s Avaya Stadium, where the Galaxy won 4-2 in a game in which play was edgy, to say the least.
Onalfo and Van Damme said they expect nothing less in the rematch.
“It’s a Clasico,” Onalfo said, “and any time you play a Clasico the emotion is enormous. Obviously it’s two teams that don’t like each other that much. I think we saw it last game with little chippy plays, remember with (San Jose’s Chris) Wondolowski and (the Galaxy’s Giovani) dos Santos.
“I think those (plays) don’t necessarily come out in the other games, so there will be a little added emotion.”
Van Damme agreed.
“It’s more intense. That’s what I like,” he said, “as long as it stays a respectful way. It crosses the line, that’s wrong.
“Soccer is all about emotion. I like rivalry games, all over the world.”
Onalfo said he wasn’t sure if the dynamic of Saturday’s matchup will change much because of Kinnear’s departure. Kinnear, along with assistant coach John Spencer, was let go in favor of former Earthquakes technical director Chris Lietch just hours after a 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake last Sunday. Lietch then coached the Quakes to a 2-1 victory over Seattle in Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup match to reach the quarterfinals, where they will take on none other than the Galaxy on July 10 at Avaya Stadium.
“I think we’ll probably look a little closer at it, to be honest,” Onalfo said about preparations for this weekend. “You always want to try and paint the cleanest picture you can for your team when you’re going in.
“Obviously we’re looking a little closer now with the change and seeing what kind of differences there are.”
