Back to Sport

Earthquakes Rally Late to Salvage Point Against Galaxy

Reid Roberts' 62nd-minute strike leveled the score as San Jose earned a 1-1 draw against LA Galaxy at Stanford Stadium on Sunday.

Briar Keller

July 27, 20262 min read

MLSFinal
LA Galaxy1
San Jose Earthquakes1

July 26, 2026

A Late Equalizer Defines the Contest

The San Jose Earthquakes found themselves trailing for the majority of their Sunday clash at Stanford Stadium, but a second-half response allowed them to escape with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against the visiting LA Galaxy. The result keeps both sides in the thick of the Western Conference standings, though neither team can claim a victory in this regular-season encounter.

Goals Shape the Narrative

LA Galaxy opened the scoring early in the contest, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to take the lead. In the 13th minute, Joseph Paintsil found the back of the net, giving the visitors a 1-0 advantage. Paintsil was a constant threat throughout the match, finishing with five total shots on goal, demonstrating his offensive presence for the Galaxy.

San Jose spent much of the match chasing the game, searching for a way to break through a Galaxy defense that was anchored by goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski. Marcinkowski stood tall for the visitors, recording four saves to preserve the lead for nearly 50 minutes. The Earthquakes pressed forward in search of an equalizer, with Timo Werner leading the charge for San Jose.

Werner recorded four total shots, highlighting his role as the primary offensive catalyst for the home side.

The Turning Point

The deadlock was finally broken in the 62nd minute when Reid Roberts found the net for San Jose. The goal shifted the momentum at Stanford Stadium, forcing the Galaxy to defend their lead for the remainder of the match. Despite sustained pressure and Werner's efforts, San Jose could not find a second goal, and the match ended in a draw.

Post-Game Context

The tie leaves San Jose with a record of 10-3-4, maintaining their position in the conference table. LA Galaxy moves to 5-6-7 on the season. Both teams will look to build on this performance as the season continues, with neither side advancing or eliminated from any postseason scenarios based on this result alone.

Sources

https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/761693

Share

Briar Keller

Briar Keller covers Saratoga high school and area college sports.

Related Stories

More in Weather