LA Galaxy can't draw up a win but get 1-1 tie in San Jose | OneFootball

The Los Angeles Galaxy held their in-state enemy, the San Jose Earthquakes, to just one goal again on Saturday night. This time, the defending MLS champions matched their opponent's output.

While the 1-1 draw doesn't necessarily help turn the LA Galaxy's season around, it slowed the Earthquakes down a bit. In collecting just one point instead of three in the MLS Western Conference standings, San Jose couldn't advance their position or potential playoff seeding as hoped.

Despite not getting a win in the month of June, going 0-2-1 has some upside compared to other months like May. Last month, the Los Angeles Galaxy did not win until their 2-0 victory over RSL. They went 1-1-5 in that seven-game span.

How did the LA Galaxy pull off the tie in San Jose?

It certainly didn't come easily. The Los Angeles Galaxy started down early, again. That was the problem for them in their last game when they faced the Colorado Rapids.

Another playoff hopeful, the Rapids scored first in the opening half of the game. The Galaxy not only couldn't match but they surrendered another goal in the same period.

On Saturday, the LA Galaxy went into halftime down 1-0 but came back because of their reigning Player of the Month. Marco Reus added his fourth goal of the season, who is now tied with Christian Ramirez for the team lead.

Ramirez did not play, though he was available to do so. Stiff-armed to the sidelines, the LA Galaxy's Head Coach Greg Vanney opted to roll out with a 4-1-4-1 formation. This set up features a quartet of defenders with one defensive midfielder just ahead of them.

It additionally positions four midfielders, along with a striker up top. It's versatility offers a balance between defense and attack, with the defensive midfielder providing cover for the back four and linking play to the midfield.

Matheus Nascimento played up top as the striker, not Ramirez. Reus, who played as the captain, Diego Fagundez, Gabriel Pec, and Joseph Paintsil all played behind Nascimento. Julian Aude, Emiro Garces, Mathias Jorgensen, and Miki Yamane played back, with struggling midfielder Edwin Cerrillo ahead of them.

In the 70th minute, the former Borussia Dortmund star found the back of the net for his fifth career MLS goal. The play gave the LA Galaxy their second tie in their past three games, all of which have been on the road.

The Los Angeles Galaxy return home this coming Friday on the 4th of July to host the Vancouver Whitecaps. Vancouver won 2-1 earlier in the season against the Galaxy. The Whitecaps currently sit atop the MLS Western Conference, a position that the Galaxy held for a good portion of last season.