Beyond the Spotlight: Maya Yoshida leads Galaxy backline to seventh clean sheet of the season
Looking at Maya Yoshida top performance during LA Galaxy's 2-0 win over Atlanta United.
“I try to play well every game and I want to grow up still, and Jalen become 21 and the other (center back) is 18 - I mean, 18 years professional.”
Those were the words of LA Galaxy defender Maya Yoshida following the club’s clean sheet in a 2-0 victory at home over Atlanta United on Saturday night.
It was the Japanese player’s 36th birthday that night and Jalen Neal, his center back partner, turned 21 that same day. The two played a huge role in keeping a clean sheet in the Galaxy’s return to MLS play.
“Me and Jalen spoke, like my birthday present could be a clean sheet, and his birthday present could be a clean sheet. So mission completed,” said Yoshida to reporters postgame.
Yoshida completed 93 of 95 passes (97.9%), recorded three clearances and won a team-high eight possessions and three interceptions against Atlanta United. He had one of, if not his best performance as a member of the Galaxy since he joined the team over a year ago.
"I thought (Yoshida) had a very good night. I think the break was important for a few guys, especially Maya who played a ton of minutes in the first part of the season and just getting a little chance to recover, catch his breath,” said Head Coach Greg Vanney postgame.
Yoshida has played 2,405 out of 2,430 possible minutes during the MLS season - he leads MLS (including goalkeepers) in minutes played this season.
The two-week break following the LA Galaxy’s elimination from the Leagues Cup allowed players to rest their bodies and recover for the final eight games of the season.
“We could have a rest, very good rest, and prepared well for this game,” said Yoshida about having extended time off before this game.
Atlanta scored two goals that were ruled offside but aside from that, there weren’t many clear-cut chances for the Five Stripes.
The best chance on the night for Atlanta came in the 30th minute of the match. The visitors played through the LA Galaxy with ease but Yoshida sprinted towards midfielder Ajani Fortune and blocked his shot that was headed towards goal.
This was the moment Yoshida flashed his recovery speed and that he wasn’t going to make it easy for Atlanta to get past him.
Neal had a solid night alongside Yoshida, recording 99 of 103 passes completed (96.1%), recorded two clearances and won three possessions on Saturday night.
“I like to play with a young player, and you can see he has a potential,” Yoshida told reporters. “Potentially, very good. But sometime, lack of concentration. This is very normal as a young player, young center back. From the mistake we need to learn, he need to learn, and I can probably add some tip through the training, through the game, also preparation,” he added.
Vanney told reporters that he liked what he saw from Neal on the night and that there were improvements in areas the coaching staff has been looking to see growth from the 21-year-old.
Getting Neal to develop into a better overall defender will help raise the ceiling of the LA Galaxy as they look to become MLS Cup contenders this season.
"I know the Los Angeles people like entertainment but I prefer more calm and solidarity and organized. We feel like really mature today, and also, we didn't consider from set pieces,” Yoshida told the media.
“We need to keep going on like that. Yeah, so just one game but it's a big one game. One step forward. There's no shortcut so we need to build our confidence game by game."