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Galaxy, 'Quakes set for California Clasico

Jun 26, 2015 - 11:19 PM Paolo Alto, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - A pair of heated local rivals will face off on Saturday when the San Jose Earthquakes face the Los Angeles Galaxy in the latest installment of the California Clasico at Stanford Stadium.

San Jose enters the derby riding a wave of confidence after earning a 2-0 victory over Seattle Sounders FC last time out.

Matias Perez Garcia set up the opening tally for Sanna Nyassi in the 28th minute before scoring his first goal of the campaign in the 73rd as the Earthquakes shut down a struggling Sounders attack that was playing without the suspended Clint Dempsey as well as the injured Obafemi Martins.

Lamar Neagle tested San Jose goalkeeper David Bingham with a powerful shot from 25 yards that forced the netminder to tip the effort over the crossbar in the 13th minute.

San Jose went close in the 20th with a header from Clarence Goodson that just cleared the crossbar from a Perez Garcia corner kick, while the visitors snatched the lead eight minutes later.

Perez Garcia played a ball to Nyassi, and he took a touch to set himself up for a wonderful half-volley that found its way inside the far post.

Andy Rose was denied at close range by the elbow of Bingham in the 34th minute, while the 'Quakes sat back a bit after the break and hit on the counter attack to seal the win in the 73rd.

"It feels great to score against your former club. It was a great buildup on the goal," Nyassi said. "It was important for us to score the first goal. There was a lot of pressure on us right before that, but we stayed compact defensively. When we scored that goal, it changed everything. We have a lot of respect for Seattle and we matched their intensity and hit them well on the counter. [It] was an important win for us."

Los Angeles, meanwhile, will be looking for another three points after rolling to a 5-0 drubbing of the Portland Timbers on home soil.

The Galaxy were ahead after just the 13th minute, when Sebastian Lletget slotted home from the center of the box after running onto a deflected pass from Dan Gargan from the right side of the box.

It was 2-0 just five minutes later, after Max Urruti brought down Lletget as he streaked into the box and referee Ted Unkel pointed to the spot. Robbie Keane converted the penalty with aplomb. ?

The count was up to 3-0 in the 33rd minute when Keane filtered a superb pass into the left side of the area, and Robbie Rogers curled home a side-foot shot inside the far post behind the Timbers backline.

Juninho scored in the 72nd minute, first picking off a poor touch in the Timbers, quickly feeding Keane above the box, then sprinting into the box for the return pass before poking it under Timbers goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey.

The final tally came two minutes from the end, when Jose Villarreal took a free kick about 26 yards out on the left, curling the ball around the Timbers wall and inside the near post.

"Very good performance -- in the early minutes of the game he was our best player. He made a bunch of good plays and then ultimately got the first goal, said Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena.