California Clasico
Encyclopedia
The California Clasico is a soccer
rivalry between two Major League Soccer
teams, the Los Angeles Galaxy
and the San Jose Earthquakes
, which existed from 1996
to 2005
and was resumed in 2008
. This rivalry originated from the historical Northern California
vs. Southern California
sporting and cultural rivalries, as well as from the relative proximity of the cities (about 360 miles apart) which allows rival fans to attend each others’ games.
While there have been several players to play for both teams beforehand, the rivalry intensified after the Anschutz Entertainment Group
(owner of the Los Angeles Galaxy) took sole ownership of the San Jose Earthquakes in December 2002. The rivalry reached its peak from 2001 to 2005, during which time the Earthquakes and the Galaxy combined to win four MLS Cup
titles in a five-year period. Both clubs reached MLS Cup 2001
, with San Jose posting a 2-1 overtime victory on goals by Landon Donovan
and Dwayne DeRosario. In 2002, Carlos Ruiz led Los Angeles to its first MLS Cup title
over the New England Revolution
after San Jose was previously upset in the playoffs by the Columbus Crew
.
The two teams squared off again in the first round of the 2003 MLS Cup playoffs in what would become an epic series. Los Angeles won the first game at home 2-0 in the two-game aggregate-goal series. In the second game in San Jose, the Galaxy scored two early goals to widen its aggregate lead to four goals, only to have San Jose score five unanswered goals to win the series 5-4. Many neutral MLS pundits at the time viewed that game as the best in league history. After eliminating the Galaxy, San Jose went on to defeat the Kansas City Wizards
en route to winning its second MLS Cup title
(over the Chicago Fire) in three years.
After a rumored buyout of the Quakes by Mexican soccer side Club América
in January 2004, Earthquakes general manager Johnny Moore
resigned prior to the 2004 season and was replaced by former U.S. and Galaxy defender Alexi Lalas
. Under Lalas, 2004 ended up being a down year for the Quakes as it barely made the playoffs on the final day of the regular season. Both San Jose and Los Angeles were eliminated from the playoffs by Kansas City
. Afterward, when Earthquakes star player Landon Donovan
briefly returned to German club Bayer 04 Leverkusen after his loan agreement with San Jose expired, Lalas traded away his return rights, after which Donovan returned to play for the Galaxy.
Following the departure of Lalas to become the general manager of the MetroStars
early in 2005, San Jose returned to form and captured the MLS Supporters' Shield
, awarded to the league's best team during the regular season. The two clubs met again in the playoffs, with Los Angeles finally winning a playoff series against San Jose thanks largely to the play of Donovan on its way to defeating New England
in MLS Cup 2005
.
The Earthquakes took a two-year hiatus from the league in 2006 and 2007
due to stadium and ownership issues. During that period, the Quakes' players and head coach were relocated to Houston, Texas
, where they won two additional MLS Cup titles as the Houston Dynamo
. Meanwhile, shortly after Lalas’ brief stint with the MetroStars
, he moved on to become the general manager of the Galaxy, who failed to make the playoffs during both years of San Jose's hiatus from the league.
The San Jose Earthquakes franchise was revived by Lewis Wolff
and Earthquakes Soccer, LLC, restarting the rivalry in 2008
. Ignominiously, both the Quakes and Galaxy tied for the worst record that season. The Clasico thus served as the tiebreaker for the MLS Wooden Spoon; the Quakes lost the series and thus received the dubious distinction. The team's current head coach is Frank Yallop
, who had coached the Galaxy the previous two seasons after having coached the Earthquakes to its two MLS Cup titles and serving a stint as the Canadian men's national team head coach.
Points based on: Regulation Wins (3), Ties (1), Shoot-out Wins (1), Shoot-out Losses (0), & Regulation Losses (0)
Tiebreakers: 1) Goal differential, 2) Away Goals For, 3) Previous year winner
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
rivalry between two Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
teams, the Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
and the San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
, which existed from 1996
Major League Soccer 1996 season
- Stadiums :-Conference standings:-Overall standings:* - CONCACAF Champions' Cup berths awarded to the participants of MLS Cup 1996 -Playoff bracket:* Best of Three series winners will advance.-Conference semifinals:...
to 2005
Major League Soccer 2005 season
The 2005 Major League Soccer season was the tenth season of MLS, which began on April 2, 2005, and concluded on November 13, 2005 with a second MLS Cup victory for the Los Angeles Galaxy.-Changes from 2004 Season:...
and was resumed in 2008
2008 Major League Soccer season
The 2008 Major League Soccer season was the 13th season in league history. The season began on March 29 and ended with MLS Cup 2008, on November 23 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California.-Changes from the 2007 season:...
. This rivalry originated from the historical Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
vs. Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
sporting and cultural rivalries, as well as from the relative proximity of the cities (about 360 miles apart) which allows rival fans to attend each others’ games.
While there have been several players to play for both teams beforehand, the rivalry intensified after the Anschutz Entertainment Group
Anschutz Entertainment Group
The Anschutz Entertainment Group is a sporting and music entertainment presenter and a subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation. It is the world's largest owner of sports teams and sports events, the owner of the world’s most profitable sports and entertainment venues, and under AEG Live the world's...
(owner of the Los Angeles Galaxy) took sole ownership of the San Jose Earthquakes in December 2002. The rivalry reached its peak from 2001 to 2005, during which time the Earthquakes and the Galaxy combined to win four MLS Cup
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
titles in a five-year period. Both clubs reached MLS Cup 2001
MLS Cup 2001
The 2001 MLS Cup was the championship game of the 2001 Major League Soccer season. The game was played on October 21, 2001, at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The San Jose Earthquakes won their first title, defeating the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 in overtime...
, with San Jose posting a 2-1 overtime victory on goals by Landon Donovan
Landon Donovan
Landon Timothy Donovan is an American soccer player for the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer in the United States. He usually plays as a withdrawn forward, and can also be used as an attacking midfielder on either wing....
and Dwayne DeRosario. In 2002, Carlos Ruiz led Los Angeles to its first MLS Cup title
MLS Cup 2002
The 2002 MLS Cup was the championship game of the 2002 Major League Soccer season. The game was played on October 20, 2002, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Los Angeles Galaxy beat the host New England Revolution 1-0 in the second overtime on a sudden-death goal from regular...
over the New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
after San Jose was previously upset in the playoffs by the Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
.
The two teams squared off again in the first round of the 2003 MLS Cup playoffs in what would become an epic series. Los Angeles won the first game at home 2-0 in the two-game aggregate-goal series. In the second game in San Jose, the Galaxy scored two early goals to widen its aggregate lead to four goals, only to have San Jose score five unanswered goals to win the series 5-4. Many neutral MLS pundits at the time viewed that game as the best in league history. After eliminating the Galaxy, San Jose went on to defeat the Kansas City Wizards
Kansas City Wizards
Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
en route to winning its second MLS Cup title
MLS Cup 2003
The 2003 MLS Cup was a soccer match that took place on November 23, 2003 at the The Home Depot Center in Carson, California to determine the champion of the 2003 Major League Soccer season. The San Jose Earthquakes defeated the Chicago Fire 4 - 2 with a goal from Richard Mulrooney in the 50th...
(over the Chicago Fire) in three years.
After a rumored buyout of the Quakes by Mexican soccer side Club América
Club América
Club América is a Mexican Professional football club based in Mexico City. It competes in the Primera División, the top professional league in the country. The team's nickname is Las Águilas ....
in January 2004, Earthquakes general manager Johnny Moore
Johnny Moore (soccer)
Johnny Moore is a former Scottish-U.S. soccer player who spent several years in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He has also served in various administrative positions, including general manager of the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer. Moore also earned...
resigned prior to the 2004 season and was replaced by former U.S. and Galaxy defender Alexi Lalas
Alexi Lalas
Panayotis Alexander Lalas is a retired American soccer player who played mostly as a defender for the United States national team in the 1994 FIFA World Cup...
. Under Lalas, 2004 ended up being a down year for the Quakes as it barely made the playoffs on the final day of the regular season. Both San Jose and Los Angeles were eliminated from the playoffs by Kansas City
Kansas City Wizards
Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
. Afterward, when Earthquakes star player Landon Donovan
Landon Donovan
Landon Timothy Donovan is an American soccer player for the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer in the United States. He usually plays as a withdrawn forward, and can also be used as an attacking midfielder on either wing....
briefly returned to German club Bayer 04 Leverkusen after his loan agreement with San Jose expired, Lalas traded away his return rights, after which Donovan returned to play for the Galaxy.
Following the departure of Lalas to become the general manager of the MetroStars
Red Bull New York
The New York Red Bulls are an American professional soccer team based in Harrison, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The team competes in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
early in 2005, San Jose returned to form and captured the MLS Supporters' Shield
MLS Supporters' Shield
The Supporters' Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer team with the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system...
, awarded to the league's best team during the regular season. The two clubs met again in the playoffs, with Los Angeles finally winning a playoff series against San Jose thanks largely to the play of Donovan on its way to defeating New England
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
in MLS Cup 2005
MLS Cup 2005
The 2005 MLS Cup was the championship game of the 2005 Major League Soccer season. It was played on November 13, 2005 at the new soccer-specific stadium, Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. In a rematch of the 2002 final, the Los Angeles Galaxy again beat the New England Revolution 1-0 in overtime,...
.
The Earthquakes took a two-year hiatus from the league in 2006 and 2007
2007 Major League Soccer season
The 2007 Major League Soccer season was the 12th season in league history. The season began on April 7 and concluded with MLS Cup 2007 on November 18, 2007 at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C.....
due to stadium and ownership issues. During that period, the Quakes' players and head coach were relocated to Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, where they won two additional MLS Cup titles as the Houston Dynamo
Houston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic...
. Meanwhile, shortly after Lalas’ brief stint with the MetroStars
Red Bull New York
The New York Red Bulls are an American professional soccer team based in Harrison, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The team competes in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
, he moved on to become the general manager of the Galaxy, who failed to make the playoffs during both years of San Jose's hiatus from the league.
The San Jose Earthquakes franchise was revived by Lewis Wolff
Lewis Wolff
Lewis N. Wolff is an American real estate developer. Wolff is also known for owning sports franchises; he is currently the co-owner of the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball and the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer...
and Earthquakes Soccer, LLC, restarting the rivalry in 2008
2008 Major League Soccer season
The 2008 Major League Soccer season was the 13th season in league history. The season began on March 29 and ended with MLS Cup 2008, on November 23 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California.-Changes from the 2007 season:...
. Ignominiously, both the Quakes and Galaxy tied for the worst record that season. The Clasico thus served as the tiebreaker for the MLS Wooden Spoon; the Quakes lost the series and thus received the dubious distinction. The team's current head coach is Frank Yallop
Frank Yallop
Frank Walter Yallop is an English-born Canadian former professional association football player. He is currently the head coach of San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer....
, who had coached the Galaxy the previous two seasons after having coached the Earthquakes to its two MLS Cup titles and serving a stint as the Canadian men's national team head coach.
Winners by year
| Year | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Galaxy | 4:1 |
| 2010 | Earthquakes | 4:1 |
| 2009 | Galaxy | 4:4 (4-3) |
| 2008 | Galaxy | 7:3 |
| 2007 | On hiatus | n/a |
| 2006 | On hiatus | n/a |
| 2005 | Earthquakes | 9:3 |
| 2004 | Galaxy | 7:4 |
| 2003 | Galaxy | 5:5 (5-3) |
| 2002 | Galaxy | 9:3 |
| 2001 | Earthquakes | 6:0 |
| 2000 | Galaxy | 8:2 |
| 1999 | Galaxy | 7:1 |
| 1998 | Galaxy | 5:3 |
| 1997 | Earthquakes | 6:4 |
| 1996 | Galaxy | 10:0 |
Points based on: Regulation Wins (3), Ties (1), Shoot-out Wins (1), Shoot-out Losses (0), & Regulation Losses (0)
Tiebreakers: 1) Goal differential, 2) Away Goals For, 3) Previous year winner