SAN JOSE, Calif. -
It didn’t take long for newly signed Designated Player Matias Perez Garcia to etch his name into San Jose Earthquakes lore on August 8, 2014 against the LA Galaxy.
In his highly anticipated debut for the club, Garcia made good on a back-heel layoff from Chris Wondolowski by sending an thunderbolt past Jaime Penedo to give the visitors a 2-1 lead against their rivals.
The goal prompted a fitting celebration from the Argentinian. With his arms full extended en route to the corner flag, he took like a plane and slid in for a landing inside the box.
With one strike of a ball, Garcia had officially landed onto the scene for San Jose.
“It was great for my confidence to get a goal in the first game,” Garcia said. “We played a very good team, but we did well on the counterattack and were able to get some goals.”
The play manifested through the defensive prowess of Shea Salinas, who picked off a pass from Landon Donovan in the midfield. After settling the ball onto his right foot, Salinas sent Atiba Harris into space on the right flank. With one touch, Harris sent the ball across his body toward Wondolowski, who cleverly back-heeled the ball back to Garcia. In full stride, Garcia one-timed his strike across his body and into the back of the net.
“It was an end-to-end play really,” Garcia said. “The ball came out quickly and we broke well. There was a good ball played into the middle and I didn’t have any doubts when it came to me and I just focused and hit it.”
The Quakes entered the second half with a 2-1 lead on the road thanks to goals from both of their Designated Players in Wondolowski and Garcia. However, it didn’t take long for the Galaxy to even the score through Omar Gonzalez as he nodded home the equalizer.
The match ended in a 2-2 draw, securing a big point on the road in the Quakes’ pursuit of a playoff spot.
The match, however, signified a change of pace in the club’s midfield. Garcia proved to be leader in the middle of the park, a magician on the ball and a threat in the final third before suffering an injury on the tail end of 2014.
The match, however, signified a change of pace in the club’s midfield. Garcia proved to be leader in the middle of the park, a magician on the ball and a threat in the final third before suffering an injury on the tail end of 2014.
As the 2015 MLS campaign continues to unfold, Garcia has proven to be irreplaceable for San Jose as the club’s prime assist-man. As number 10's game continues to unfold right before our eyes, a trend that started with one magic moment in Los Angeles.
