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MLS LA Galaxy

LA Galaxy Postgame Notes and Quotes: LA Galaxy 2, Real Salt Lake 1 - Sunday, November 1, 2020

November 2, 2020 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
LA Galaxy News Release


NOTES:

- The LA Galaxy won against Real Salt Lake 2-1 on Sunday evening behind goals from Cristian Pavon and Giancarlo Gonzalez.

- With the result, the Galaxy are now 6-11-3 on the season with 21 points.

- The club has two scheduled regular season games remaining in 2020 MLS Regular Season Play.

- LA Galaxy forward Cristian Pavon tallied his 10th goal of the season on Sunday evening vs. RSL.

- He now has 10 goals and seven assists this season for the Galaxy.

- In all, Pavon has tallied 13 goals and 15 assists in just 31 matches during his time in MLS with the Galaxy.

- LA Galaxy midfielder Sebastian Lletget now has four assists on the season. This year, he has six goals and four assists.

- Lletget's 10 combined goals/assists is the highest of his career with the Galaxy.

- Defender Giancarlo Gonzalez tallied his third career MLS goal. He has made 45 total MLS appearances.

- In their next match, the Galaxy will play at Dignity Health Sports Park for a match vs. Seattle Sounders on Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 8 p.m. PT live on UniMás.

Postgame Quotes

LA GALAXY INTERIM HEAD COACH DOMINIC KINNEAR

On game plan and teams execution:

"First and foremost, really happy. I got a message from Bob Bradley: I'm right there, buddy, right there with you [laughs]. I'm really happy for the win, really happy for the guys. It keeps the Playoff hopes alive. I thought the first 45 minutes we were very good, created some very good chances, kept our shape really well, limited their looks. Obviously in the 2nd half we were a little bit sloppy with the ball in some bad areas, getting caught forward at times when we should be a little bit more alert to when the ball is turning, over especially on the goal for them. Then you have to give Salt Lake credit, they were throwing a lot of numbers forward. We looked a little tired, I'll be honest with you on that, they were kind of hanging on a little on there at the end. So first 45', I give a complete thumbs up to everything we spoke about and the second 45', I just give them a thumbs up for absolute heart and courage, so congratulation to them."

On aggressiveness defensively and Giancarlo Gonzalez:

"The first one, we talked about trying to win the ball higher. We want our center backs to push a little bit and be more aggressive with their man marking. And then, yeah, you make a good point. I think we did look tired, so we put a lot in that first half. And also, in the second half, we were a little bit loose in possession. So when that happens, you end up chasing the game. We did create some good chances - I mean thank goodness for Cristian's goal, it was a wonderful goal by him - but we did have some other moments where we really let them off the hook. You know Julian Araujo got to the end line, probably could have gotten driven in a couple more times, a good three or four times. And we just crossed the ball a little too early, so at times we just have to show a little more composure, a little more maturity and I think it makes the second half a little easier for us. For Pipo [Giancarlo Gonzalez], I'm really happy for him. I'm sure getting that goal really gave him a shot of confidence. I mean, I didn't really see the goal all that well, but I thought he took it really well, we all know he's good a defender and you know he gives everything when he steps on the field. So I'm happy for him and I thought he had a good night."

On team mentality:

"Well, I think everyone is mentally disappointed at what happened with the coaching change. I think anytime that happens, you have to have a feel for the situation and your involvement in it. So like I've said before, Guillermo is I think a very good coach and I think a very good person, so anytime that happens to anybody you spend a lot of time with there is a touch of sadness, especially when you have a little bit of responsibility - we all do - with what's happened in the situation for the Galaxy this year. I thought the first little bit of the game, I thought we looked good for a goal we were getting to the byline a couple of times and looking menacing. So I think when that goal went in, it gave the guys a complete lift, you know even at half time it gives them something to hold onto and to protect. So you know the second goal was a big one for us and then at the end like I said Salt Lake makes it really difficult. Good players, getting the ball wide, swinging some balls in, we get caught a little bit out of our shape there. And then, thankfully time ran out."

On Giancarlo Gonzalez's positioning as the right center back for the night:

"With Nick DePuy, Nick's played a lot of minutes this year. He's been carrying a little bit of an injury, he's looked a little bit beat up some times so, I thought he deserved the night off tonight. And in saying that, I think when [Giancarlo Gonzalez] steps on the field, I think he is more comfortable on the right-hand side than he is on the left hand side. And I think if someone who can handle the ball on the left-hand side better is Daniel [Steres]. So that was it, it had really nothing much into it, just for Pipo to have a game that I think he feels comfortable, I think he's more comfortable where he was and that was on the right hand side."

On Jonathan dos Santos injury:

"As far as Jonathan goes, I can't tell you. I've pretty much gone from the field, into the coaches' office and straight to this press conference, so I couldn't give you any information on that, because I don't know."

On team's confidence:

"Like I said, I think we had a good early start in the game. And I thought our intensity was good and obviously, the first goal it really lifts your spirits. And there is nothing like a goal in the game of soccer, at 0-0, and things aren't going your way, or have been going your way. It does give you a lift and it gives you like a sense of purpose, that now you have something to protect and I think the guys kind of fed on that first goal."

On what Dominic Kinnear liked about this game and what can be improved for the next:

"Obviously, the victory is the most important thing and I'll say when you come to the stadium, you want to walk out with three points and obviously we've done that tonight, so that's the most important thing. I thought the ambition was good tonight, I thought we were tackling in good areas and if we weren't tackling, we were sometimes fouling which is ok it's a part of the game that you need to show the other team that it's not going to be an easy evening. Really happy with that and like I said before, a little bit earlier, our ball possession in the second half was a little bit off. I think we looked leggy, I think we were tired at times, we kept the ball very good. Saying that, when Jonathan left the game, it takes away a good player for us when we want to keep the ball. Not talking bad about the others, but we know how important he can be to this team when he is playing and he was playing well tonight and keeping the ball for us. I'll also give a huge thumbs up to Ethan Zubak, I thought his work rate tonight was fantastic; I thought his hold-up play was determined. He gave everything for the team and I'm sure when he goes to bed tonight, hopefully he give himself a little pat on the back."

On if there was anything that happened with Yony Gonzalez, who was substituted in second half:

"Nothing, he just looked tired."

LA GALAXY MIDFIELDER SEBASTIAN LLETGET

On the team's mentality going into tonight:

"It was a quick turnaround. Obviously it was a sad day, it's never easy seeing one of your head coaches or the coaching staff having to get let go, and obviously you as a player feel you played a part in that and you feel like you've let them down. But I guess a change was necessary and I understand what happened... I thought Dom took the group really well. He's only had two days to make some changes and incorporate his style of play, which isn't a very long time. But I think just hope; two games left, if we win all two, if things go our way, we could be in. And what more do you want as a player? You just need that little bit of hope. So I think that more than anything it was that."

On Dom's coaching style:

"I think that's one of his strengths; he does do the basics well and simplifies things for players, and just players where they probably should be; and not to say that Guillermo didn't, he has his way of doing things, respectfully. I think today, [Dom] just simplified it. And even yesterday in training, it was just very clear what we needed to do as a group and just put guys in the right spots. And I think in first half, we had a good run. I think we got a little tired at the end at the second half... but we responded and stuck together."

On the confidence the team had:

"Like I said before, Dom simplifies things very well and how he communicates them is very good. We were very patient, I thought. We were looking for triggers; we weren't just running around like maniacs and unorganized. And we knew that if we stuck together and were compact, that plays like that second goal, that Pavon can really explode and showed what he can do, but if we're not compact and organized, those things don't happen. And I think he's done that very well.

On Giancarlo Gonzalez:

"Someone who has been in and out of the team and had a real tough go, but he's really stuck with it. Seeing him train day in and day out; you never know when you get that chance and I'm glad it fell for him. And [the defensive stop] was probably just as good as a goal."

LA GALAXY DEFENDER GIANCARLO GONZALEZ

[Translated from Spanish]

On his road traveled this season and what he was able to accomplish tonight:

"Good evening everyone. The truth is I am very happy today because the team won. I had the opportunity to play and save a ball on the line. I feel like the season is obviously long. There are games when things go the way you plan them to and there are games when they don't go as planned. The important thing is I always continue working hard and I keep focused in what I do. The team has always stood behind me and supported me. When I'm needed, I try to be ready to help the team the best I can. Being humble, I think today I had a good day and I know that when things go well, I am not the best and when they don't go as planned, I'm also not the worst. So, I just continue to be humble and work hard."

On the play where he scored and the play on his save tonight:

"On the play where I scored, I feel like what really helped me was that with Sebastian [Lletget's] cross, the ball was coming at me hard and all I had to do was redirect it with my head. Obviously, I think it was an important goal because it gave us confidence in the moment because of our current situation. We were able to hold the lead and then we also got [Cristian] Pavon's goal which in the end gave us the win. On the play where I saved it on the line, I feel like I read it well because it was a counterattack from them, and I saw [David] Bingham came off his line. I had an intuition that he was going to chip him and if the ball was soft, I could have the chance to save it and thankfully it happened and the team didn't give up a goal on that play."

On playing on the right side of central defense:

"It's one of the things [Dominic] Kinnear talked to me about when he took charge of the team. He told me that the fact that he's been here every day and watching training, he thought that I would feel better on the right. We talked about that and obviously I'm right footed so that's natural for me. He gave me the confidence to play there and obviously I feel more comfortable on that side and thankfully I had the chance to play the position where I've played throughout my career. The best thing is that I feel like I was able to adapt well and help the team win."

On what's expected from the LA Galaxy for the next two matches:

"...What we want the next three games is what we saw tonight, give our all, try to win them all because we know we have a good team with good players. We have to give it our best shot to prove to ourselves that we can compete with honor and pride."

Postgame Notes

Scoring Summary:

LA - Giancarlo Gonzalez (assisted by Sebastian Lletget) 18'

LA - Cristian Pavón (assisted by Emiliano Insua) 65'

RSL - Douglas Martínez (assisted by Justin Meram, Maikel Chang) 78'

Misconduct Summary:

LA - Giancarlo Gonzalez (caution) 56'

LA - Ethan Zubak (caution) 68'

Lineups:

LA Galaxy: David Bingham, Emiliano Insua, Daniel Steres, Giancarlo González, Julian Araujo; Perry Kitchen, Jonathan dos Santos © (Joe Corona 60'), Cristian Pavón, Sebastian Lleget (Sacha Kljestan, 83'), Ethan Zubak; Yony González (Rolf Feltscher, 57').

Substitutions not used: Jonathan Klinsmann, Nicholas DePuy, Efrain Alvarez, Kai Koreniuk, Cameron Dunbar, Emil Cuello.

TOTAL SHOTS: 8; SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 FOULS: 15; OFFSIDE: 1; CORNER KICKS: 1; SAVES: 0.

Head Coach: Dominic Kinnear

Real Salt Lake: Andrew Punta, Justen Glad, Marcelo Silva, Nedum Onuoha, Donny Toia (Maikerl Chang 73'), Everton Luiz (Douglas Martinez 72'), Pablo Ruiz, Corey Baird, Albert Rusnák, Justin Meram, Damir Kreilach.

Substitutions not used: David Ochoa, Alvin Jones, Erik Holt, Justin Portillo, Nick Besler, Milan Iloski, Tate Schmitt.

TOTAL SHOTS: 9; SHOTS ON GOAL: 1; FOULS: 13; OFFSIDE: 1; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 2.

Head Coach: Freddy Juarez

Referee: Jon Freemon

Assistant Referee: Jeff Hosking

Assistant Referee: Walter Heatherly

Fourth Official: Alex Chilowicz

Video Assistant Referee: Kevin Scott

Check out the LA Galaxy Statistics



Major League Soccer Stories from November 2, 2020


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