MLS LA Galaxy

LA Galaxy Postgame Notes and Quotes: LA Galaxy 3, New York Red Bulls 2 - Sunday, April 25, 2021

Published on April 25, 2021 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
LA Galaxy News Release


NOTES:

The LA Galaxy earned a 3-2 win over New York Red Bulls on Sunday afternoon at Dignity Health Sports Park.

With the result, the LA Galaxy are now 2-0-0 (6 points) in the 2021 MLS Regular Season with six goals scored and four conceded.

The Galaxy are the only MLS with six points this season and in first place in the MLS standings.

At home, the Galaxy are 1-0-0 with three goals scored and two conceded.

The match marked the first in 414 days with fans at Dignity Health Sports Park.

The Galaxy are now 2-0-0 to start a season for the first time since 2010.

In their next match, the LA Galaxy will travel to face Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field on Sunday, May 2 at 6 p.m. PT.

The Galaxy's six goals through two matches is tied for the most of any team in Major League Soccer.

LA Galaxy forward Javier Hernandez recorded a hattrick during Sunday's game, the first of his MLS career.

In two matches this season, Hernandez has five goals, leading all players in Major League Soccer.

Hernandez now has seven career MLS goals.

In all, the club had seven players feature during Sunday's match that came through the club's developmental system (LA Galaxy II and LA Galaxy Academy): Daniel Steres, Nick DePuy, Adam Saldaña, Carlos Harvey, Cameron Dunbar, Efrain Alvarez and Ethan Zubak.

For more information, visit www.lagalaxy.com.

Postgame Quotes

LA GALAXY HEAD COACH GREG VANNEY

On his thoughts on Javier's performance today.

"I thought he put in a great shift. And what we needed to do today was get him in front of the goal and give him opportunities because it was not about possession. We were scraping through a lot of that game and so it was about opportunities and he took them well like the goal scorer he is. The third one, just a decent action that gets us released on the far side. A lot of credit goes to Victors run on the near post because he got a lot of attention going that way and almost gets on the end of the ball, which I think disrupts the defender who is trying to clear it. It deflects off of him and Javier, like a smart forward, if he sees a guy running hard to the near post, you get to the back post and see if you can clean up something and sure enough he was there to do so. He was clever about his movements throughout the day, again, it was a day of opportunistic actions more than it was anything else and he gave us a good shift on the defensive side just to help us when we needed it."

On the chemistry between Chicharito and the other guys coming together

"Today wasn't a day necessarily of connections as it relates to possession or anything like that. But again, his movement in the final action I thought the second goal was spectacular with Victor being able to find some space on the outside and again Ethan's run drawing the center back out of the middle and Victor gets on that kind of that half-turn facing forward and finds Javier splitting the two center backs with a run and picks them out. Great first touch, good finish. That was a special goal, as well. The first goal was kinda an opportunistic one -- as Ethan gets through, he is driving towards the goal and his sheer commitment to get to the back post and good on Ethan to try to hit the shot towards the back post, because if the goalkeeper tips it or mis-hits it, it gives Javier a chance and he was able to get on it. So again, smart forward work, smart forward running. Is there chemistry coming? For sure it is coming. Today was a hard day to gauge that and we knew that was going to be the case and that we needed to do today what we needed to do today to get points."

On the scrappiness of the game:

"We would have liked to have had the ball more and played through some of it more. I think one of our challenges in the first half was, candidly, the field was very dry and we were hitting passes that were not getting to each other and we were hitting them hard enough and against a team that presses as quickly as they press, if you lose time when the ball is traveling from one guy to the next because we are not hitting the ball through the grass, the grass is a little bit dry, then you lose time and you get pressed and things start to get really difficult. So I think a little bit of our balance between trying to turn them and trying to find play, again we as a group are relatively new to this concept, and today we were put on the clock a lot in terms of just the pressure. So, again, it was not always perfect we wanted to play through them a little or more but at the end of the day you do what you got to do to especially when you are at the beginning phase of establishing a new style of play, a new system. You have to do what you have to do and that is what we had to do."

On physical status of JDS and Chicharito:

"Jonah was cramping. It is something we have been working with to get him through to get better solutions. He has been cramping the last 3 games, down even down in Arizona, trying to find the right solutions through various means. Javier was getting there as well, I think, so we got them off in favor of just trying to get at that point to secure the win with the 3-2 lead. So getting some guys out there with some fresh legs to try to get pressure to the ball to try to break out in transitions that became the decision there at the end."

On what his message was to team compared to last week:

"[The message was] very similar. It wasn't about style of play or it was not about vision in terms of what we ultimately want to look like, but sometimes that is the case against a Red Bull team. Sometimes that is the case just on a day when things aren't clicking the way you want, whatever the reason. Today was execution. We executed better than they did when it came to what matters, which is having more goals than them, and we executed better in terms of protecting our ultimate lead, which was 3 to 1 down the stretch. I would have liked to have finished 3-1, but everyone did what they had to do. The guys were still a little bit tired down the stretch but kept fighting to try to get out and get pressure and recovering second balls and doing little things to preserve the win. So it is a character victory and sometimes you have to get those and culture victory and sometimes you have to get those when you are starting to establish something and continue to add to belief and culture of the group, the culture starts to set in a little bit more. On the tough days when you can win games then you are have better shot when you have your good days, too, because you just have that baseline work rate to get you through the tough days."

On Jorge Villafana:

"I thought Jorge was outstanding today for a number of different reasons. First, his ability to adapt in the game to different things that are coming his way, whether it be defensively or the positions he will take up on the offensive side. The amount of times he was able to just kind of wiggle out of pressure again when guys were coming at him. It was one or two guys and he was able to win himself a little bit of time and get the ball off to that side to somebody who could then get us out. He had some incredible moments. Obviously the attacking moment, but I thought he was outstanding on the day in terms of again providing us with a little bit of relief and getting us out of situations when it looked like we were going to be under pressure."

On the culture change and praise from JDS:

"I think it is our groups - and when I say group, I mean the staff and the people who are around and our personalities - and I think it suits the way we ultimately want to play the game. I think you want guys to be happy and you want them to be free in their minds to go on the field and give you everything that they have and to fight for the culture that they are working in every single day, but we are asking our guys to think and problem solve and do a lot of things that require them to be clear in their minds and the last thing you want to do is have them be uptight be nervous, be anxious, be anything other than being relaxed and feeling like they can be themselves and express what they do on the field. I don't ask them to be anybody other than themselves and I try to choose what the best characteristics are together on the field to get us the results."

LA GALAXY FORWARD JAVIER "CHICHARITO" HERNANDEZ

On the difference between last season and this season:

"I understand that it's part of your job and it's quite interesting the extreme of what we've shown and now we are starting and we are the only team in MLS to have two wins but I want to focus on about the game. The comparisons in the end is in the past and we are not going to change that. We are delighted about how we are but it's like I said after the match against Miami this is just a reminder of how hard we have been working as a group. I don't take only the credit because I scored two against Miami and now three. The credit is for all of us even the players that come off the bench, the staff, the owners, the sports director, the directors over there and then the fans for the first they came to the stadium, the people who work here in marketing, Raul the kit man I mean everyone over here we are trying to do the best job because we know the responsibility to be part of this badge that is behind me. It's the best club in MLS and we need to try and prove it day by day. Sorry that I am not going to answer what is the difference because it is not that I'm getting tired but right now I'm very focused about the present and what is still to come and we want to enjoy this but like what Julian [Araujo] said and he is completely correct tomorrow our mind set and everything will be totally focused on Seattle."

On having fans in the stadium:

"Amazing, it's amazing to have your supporters over here, it was a good amount in the stadium. The support, the atmosphere everything changes of course when fans come to the stadium so it was amazing."

On his first goal of the night:

"I just reacted and I said that it's mine, it's mine I can score. It was a very tight angle obviously so I just focused on where the goal was and the direction of the ball and thankfully I put the ball into the net. I was just waiting and giving the option to [Ethan] Zubak because I knew that he could have a chance to shoot and probably rebound from the goalkeeper or probably he can score or something like that so I put myself in a position where I thought the ball was going to come and it the end it came and I did it pretty good. The play with Jorge [Villafaña] recovering the ball pressing and Zubak doing that was amazing."

On his third goal of the night:

I'm trying to be as connected as I can in the game and getting the feeling of our rivals as well as my teammates' positioning, a lot of stuff. I mean the first goal against Miami was a run to the first post. I scored two goals today running more to the second post and then the second goal was an amazing and extraordinary from Victor [Vazquez] in the middle just in the middle of the goal in the box between the central defenders so I'm just trying to put myself in positions where I think the ball could come. For example if Victor could have shot it but he just touched it a little bit to make the ball change direction to the defender so the rebound came up and then the ball came to me so I'm just trying to put myself in the most accurate positions probably where I think the ball could come and I can score goals or at least move where I can create spaces and someone else can get to that space to create something or to do something."

On the team creating scoring chances:

"It's fantastic, for example the Zubak assist and the one today with Victor, it's unbelievable. That is why honestly even goals that I can't create myself and they can look like more credit for the striker. That is why always when I started, you hear the speech and probably you think I'm trying to be correct, but that is the way that I feel. I just want to win games and winning games it not only depends on the striker scoring goals it depends on everything. And the beauty of soccer, for example the second goal, the pass from Victor is fantastic. If that pass, I don't know... if Pulisic does it, or Ozil, in the moment, or any other place around the world, that pass is incredible because to have that vision, to have that technique to put it there the only thing I need to do is have a correct touch and put it into the net. As a striker it's like a chemistry you want to put yourself in the correct positions and of course sometimes the ball needs to come and thankfully that is happening because of all the great work we are doing in this team."

LA GALAXY DEFENDER JORGE VILLAFAÑA

On what it meant to play in front of fans in his hometown:

"It brought back memories of when I started playing here in LA back in the Chivas USA days. Seeing my family in the stands was also amazing. I'm really happy for the win and really happy that I get to play back at home again."

On his play:

"Coming into the game we knew it was going to be a difficult game because of the style that they play. They are a really direct team. A team that likes to destroy things and bomb balls into the backline. Personally, I felt good the first half. Obviously in the second half I think we backed off a little bit from the ball and we suffered a little bit but sometimes that's good, it shows the character that we have that we can play behind the ball as well and we had a good performance."

On Javier Hernandez's play and how his emotions and excitement from his goals affect the team:

"Really happy for him. He had a tough season last year and now he's scoring. Right now, he's on fire and we want him to keep going like that. And obviously we are the guys behind him, backing him up and giving him the balls and everything so we are working towards that goal. And once that energy gets out there, everyone gets through it and it pumps us up."

LA GALAXY FORWARD ETHAN ZUBAK

On what the difference was that unlocked things for him and Javier Hernandez up top:

"I think it was a much different game than last week. The Red Bulls are a very high pressing team and early on in the game I think we struggled originally when we were on a 4-3-3 because they were all over us and it was tough for us to find our ways to build out. When we switched into a role of more pivoting off of Javier [Hernandez] after a bit, I think that our runs off each other where one of us was constantly finding the space, while the other one was coming to feet, kind of dismantled their defense a little bit so it gave us a little bit of opportunity. It was a good job adjusting from the team. Obviously, Javier scoring three goals is huge. You can't ask for something better from your star player."

On how this system of play is making him so successful:

"I've been on the field with Chicharito [Hernandez] and I think I have a good relationship with him. It's nice having the confidence from this coaching staff to play a style that I like to play. I like to mix it up a lot and I like to make runs in behind and if that means relieving pressure from my fellow striker and if it's Chicha, then that's great. I think that our dynamic is good. He is a guy that constantly loves to be in front of goal. So if I'm making runs in behind or I'm getting the ball at my feet he's always in a dangerous spot. I think it's a good dynamic. We got guys who can feed us the ball in pretty much any scenario. I've loved playing out there so far, I appreciated the confidence I've had from the coaching staff from the way that I play and I think that the team has formed good chemistry throughout the preseason. Like you said, when I have been out on the wing, when I have been on top, I think that we have confidence in the way that we are going to play. And me being a part of the team, I just want to take on my responsibilities and do what I can do to contribute to a win."

LA Galaxy 3, New York Red Bulls 2

Sunday, April 25, 2021 - 2:30 p.m. PT

MLS Regular Season

Dignity Health Sports Park

Scoring Summary:

LA - Javier Hernandez 9'

NYRB - Andrew Gutman (Assisted by Brian White) 26'

LA - Javier Hernandez (Assisted by Victor Vazquez) 41'

LA - Javier Hernandez 60'

NYRB - Cristian Casseres Jr. 63'

Misconduct Summary:

LA - Samuel Grandsir (foul; yellow) 63'

NYRB - Caden Clark (foul; yellow) 87'

LA - Efrain Alvarez (time wasting; yellow) 90'+1

NYRB - Dru Yearwood (foul; yellow) 90'+5

Lineups:

LA Galaxy: Jonathan Bond; Julian Araujo, Daniel Steres, Nick DePuy, Jorge Villafaña; Jonathan dos Santos © (Efrain Alvarez 73'), Adam Saldaña (Carlos Harvey 67'); Ethan Zubak, Victor Vazquez (Sacha Kljestan 71'), Samuel Grandsir (Oniel Fisher 78'); Javier Hernandez (Cameron Dunbar 78').

Substitutions not used: Jonathan Klinsmann, Danilo Acosta, Giancarlo Gonzalez, Jonathan Perez.

TOTAL SHOTS: 7; SHOTS ON GOAL: 5; FOULS: 12; OFFSIDE: 2; CORNER KICKS: 1; SAVES: 4.

Head Coach: Greg Vanney

New York Red Bulls: Carlos Coronel; Amro Tarek, Andrew Gutman (Frankie Amaya 86'), Sean Nealis (Dru Yearwood HT), Aaron Long; Florian Valot (Kyle Duncan HT), Cristian Casseres Jr., Sean Davis ©, Caden Clark; Fabio Gomes (Daniel Royer 61'), Brian White (Cameron Harper 61').

Substitutions not used: Andres Reyes, Ryan Meara, John Tolkin, Tom Barlow.

TOTAL SHOTS: 14; SHOTS ON GOAL: 6; FOULS: 14; OFFSIDE: 0; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 2.

Head Coach: Gerhard Struber

Referee: Victor Rivas

Lineman 1: Ian Anderson

Lineman 2: TJ Zablocki

Fourth official: Kevin Stott

VAR: Edvin Jurisevic

Ast. VAR: Jonathan Johnson

Attendance: 6,853

Check out the LA Galaxy Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Major League Soccer Stories from April 25, 2021


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central