When facing L.A., Quakes’ competitive spirit climbs
SAN JOSE — Eight years ago, Shea Salinas stood frozen inside a stadium tunnel as he was about to enter into the world of professional soccer.
Los Angeles Galaxy star Landon Donovan stood next to the Earthquakes’ rookie midfielder. English sensation David Beckham lingered a few feet away. The slack-jawed midfielder just stared at players he had seen only on TV. Then teammate Jason Hernandez slapped him on the head and said, “Focus kid.”
Salinas, 29, won’t be in awe Saturday night when the Earth-
quakes play host to the Galaxy and its current stars at Stanford Stadium in what has become an early summer tradition for the heated California Clasico.
Salinas is used to the heightened excitement surrounding Clasico games after spending seven of his nine Major League Soccer seasons in San Jose. But his first one always will be special.
“I don’t remember much of the game except chasing Beckham around,” Salinas said this week.
The expansion Earthquakes re-entered MLS on April 3, 2008, with a 2-0 defeat to the Galaxy, which won at the then-Home Depot Center on the strength of goals by Donovan and Beckham.
So much has changed since Salinas’ pro debut. The Quakes have their own stadium and hold an annual Clasico at Stanford Stadium that has drawn more than 50,000 fans each of the past four years.
Another crowd of close to 50,000 is expected Saturday as San Jose (5-4-6) tries to end a five-game winless streak in all competitions.
Although the Quakes have won three of the four at Stanford, every game has been decided by a dramatic goal, except last year, when San Jose won 3-1.
“But just the timing of this one,” Salinas said. “They need points. We need points. There is a lot of meaning behind this game.”
Los Angeles (5-3-7) tied the first-place Colorado Rapids on Wednesday to move a point ahead of the Quakes in the tight Western Conference. The Galaxy is without forwards Gyasi Zardes (United States) and Robbie Keane (Ireland), who are with their national teams, whereas fullback Robbie Rogers is out after undergoing ankle surgery this week.
San Jose’s slump has coincided with losing a handful of key players to international call-ups and injury. The team still is missing six players, including leading scorer Chris Wondolowski (Copa America) and defenders Andres Imperiale (calf) and Jordan Stewart (hamstring). Center back Clarence Goodson (back) is questionable.
The Galaxy won the first meeting between the teams on April 28, 1996, at the Rose Bowl. It leads what is considered one of MLS’ best rivalries 22-18-15.
“Last in the standings, first in the standings, any time you play L.A. it is always going to be a challenge,” San Jose coach Dominic Kinnear said.
The Quakes’ coach has been part of a lot of big rivalry games in the past two decades. His first California Clasico came as a defender on April 12, 1997, at Spartan Stadium.
San Jose won 4-1 as Ronald Cerritos and Istvan Urbanyi each scored in their team debuts.
He and Frank Yallop made their Quakes’ coaching start against the Galaxy on April 7, 2001, at the Rose Bowl.
Former midfielder Ian Russell remembers that 3-2 victory better than any Clasico during his rookie season in 2000. San Jose took a 3-0 halftime lead then held on.
The Clasico became something special in 2001 when the Earthquakes defeated Los Angeles in overtime for their first of two MLS Cup titles.
“After 2001 it just escalated,” said Russell, who has been a Quakes assistant coach since 2008. In 2002, the Quakes finished second to their rivals for the Supporters’ Shield given to the regular-season champion. Then came playoff magic, Donovan’s move from San Jose to Los Angeles and such oddities as the Galaxy’s 2011 victory at Buck Shaw Stadium with 10 men and forward Mike Magee finishing the game as a goalkeeper.
The final Clasico of the ’16 regular season has a familiar refrain. Los Angeles comes to Stanford with its glam reputation intact, toting international talent Giovani dos Santos, Steven Gerrard, Ashley Cole and Nigel de Jong.
The Quakes counter with the image of unsung players working collectively toward a common goal. It’s all part of a mythology that fuels a rivalry.
“You’re supposed to say it’s another the game, but it’s not,” Russell said.