Carson, Calif. — August 19, 2026
In a gritty, hard-earned California Clásico, the LA Galaxy defeated the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 on Wednesday night at Dignity Health Sports Park. Joseph Paintsil scored the decisive goal in the 79th minute, with an assist from Harbor Miller, as the Galaxy held firm despite playing a man down for the entire second half.
The match, the 106th edition of the long-standing rivalry, saw the Galaxy snap a five-match winless streak in front of 15,435 fans. The result lifted LA to 6-8-7 (25 points) and into 10th place in the Western Conference, while San Jose fell to 10-7-3 (33 points) and extended its own winless run.
The first half remained scoreless but grew increasingly physical. Galaxy midfielder Lucas Sanabria received two yellow cards in the final stages of the half—the second coming in stoppage time—and was sent off, forcing the home side to defend with 10 players for the remaining 45-plus minutes.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Galaxy stayed organized and dangerous on the counter. In the 79th minute, Marco Reus played a precise ball forward to Harbor Miller. The young defender drove into the box and delivered a low cross that Paintsil finished from close range for his fifth goal of the season. Miller’s assist marked his second of the campaign.
Goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski made several key saves to preserve the clean sheet, his third of the season. San Jose goalkeeper Angus Gunn kept his side in the contest with a series of stops, but the Earthquakes could not convert their territorial advantage or man advantage into an equalizer.
Hirving “Chucky” Lozano started in his first home appearance for the Galaxy after making his debut as a substitute in the previous match. The Designated Player showed flashes of quality and contributed to the build-up play before being substituted later in the second half.
The victory ends a difficult stretch for the Galaxy, who had not won since mid-May. For San Jose, the loss continues a slump that has seen them drop points in consecutive matches since the league’s midseason restart.
The two sides had drawn 1-1 in their earlier meeting this season in San Jose. Wednesday’s result gives the Galaxy bragging rights in the latest chapter of the Clásico and a much-needed boost as the regular season continues.
Photos and Article by Bruno De Witt Zanotto
