CARSON — The Galaxy would like to forget Sunday’s four-goal loss at St. Louis CITY SC.
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Forward João Klauss was adamant about turning the page immediately, especially when the club had two more games remaining this week.
“Wednesday, we have another chance to do things different,” João Klauss said after Sunday’s 6-2 loss at St. Louis CITY SC. “We have to show a different mentality. We have to show why we are here in Galaxy, the biggest club in MLS, and why we deserve to be here. Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense to be here.”
Facing two of the most important games this season, starting with Wednesday’s meeting with the Portland Timbers, the Galaxy (10-11-9) regrouped and erased the sting of Sunday’s humiliating defeat with a 2-0 win in front of 13,377 at Dignity Health Sports Park.
The win moves the Galaxy to 39 points in the Western Conference and into eighth place. The eighth- and ninth-place finishers in each conference at the end of the season will meet in a play-in game.
The win also gives the Galaxy some breathing room on the teams below the playoff line: Portland (10th), Real Salt Lake (11th) and San Diego FC (12th.). The Galaxy now lead Portland and RSL by six points and San Diego by seven.
After taking an early 1-0 lead, the Galaxy finally put the game away in the 80th minute on Justin Haak’s header off a Marco Reus free kick.
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The Galaxy started this possibly season-defining, three-games-in-seven-days stretch with the humiliating road loss Sunday. The only good thing coming out of that night was that, thanks to several draws and losses in the conference, the Galaxy remained in ninth place entering Wednesday’s game.
The night nearly started on the wrong foot as Portland opened the scoring early, but Vincent Janssen was determined to be in an offside position.
That allowed the Galaxy to breathe a bit easier and settle into the game.
Moments later, the scoreboard read 1-0 Galaxy on Reus’ goal in the 17th minute. Pablo Ruiz played a ball deep over the top to Robert Taylor on the left wing, who slid a cross toward Reus for the finish as he collided with Portland goalkeeper James Pantemis.
Reus, making his first start in almost a month, was subbed off in the 82nd minute.
The Timbers had a chance early in the second half to draw even on Kamal Miller’s header. However, Galaxy goalkeeper J.T. Marcinkowski was able to scramble back toward the open corner of the goal to make the save.
The Galaxy will be back home Saturday against San Diego FC. After that game, there will be just three games remaining in the regular season: Oct. 25 at LAFC, Oct. 31 at home against Austin FC and Nov. 7 at Real Salt Lake.
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